Approval and qualification requirements in the field of refrigeration

Companies and persons working in the field of refrigeration must have appropriate approval and qualification granted by Tukes. The approval and qualification must be applied before starting the operations.

In the electronic services (Regional Administration’s e-service portal), you can submit an application for refrigeration sector qualification, a notification of operation for a refrigeration company, or a notification of changes related to the company’s operations.

Note: Personal qualifications in the refrigeration sector have become time-limited following the new EU F-gas Regulation (2024/573). Under the new regulation, the qualification requirements are expanded to also cover hydrocarbon refrigerants, carbon dioxide, and ammonia. Qualifications in accordance with the new regulation will be available for application towards the end of 2025.

Refrigerants that contain F gases may be sold only to companies registered by Tukes. 

In this context, refrigerants refer to ozone-depleting substances and certain fluorinated greenhouse gases, i.e. F gases as well as hydrocarbon refrigerants, carbon dioxide, and ammonia. Such substances and gases are used in the following applications:

  • refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment
  • vehicle air-conditioning equipment
  • refrigerated transport trucks and trailers
  • light refrigerated transport vehicles
  • intermodal and refrigerated transport containers
  • refrigeration units in railway carriages
  • fire extinguishing equipment
  • electrical switchgear and solvents.

The approval and qualification granted by Tukes is required before starting the operations if your company or you as a person do any of the following:

  • connect or open refrigerant circuits of equipment containing F gases
  • recover F gases or F-gas-based solvents from equipment
  • carry out leak checks on the equipment.

Qualifications concerning equipment containing hydrocarbon refrigerants, carbon dioxide, and ammonia must be valid until 12 March 2029.

Surveillance of refrigeration equipment companies

Tukes supervises the compliance with the qualification requirements in the field of refrigeration. Any economic operator who violates the qualification requirements can be reported to Tukes by, for example, e-mail: kirjaamo (at) tukes.fi.

Anyone who violates the Environmental Protection Act can be sentenced to a fine or prohibition of operations. Tukes may also cancel the certificate of qualification if the company or person no longer meets the qualification requirements.

Leak checks of refrigeration equipment

Compliance with the statutes on the leak checks of the relevant equipment is supervised by ELY Centres and municipal environmental protection authorities.

Market surveillance of refrigerants and equipment containing refrigerants

The Finnish Environment Institute SYKE is responsible for the market surveillance of refrigerants and equipment containing refrigerants. Contact: ods.f-kaasut (at) syke.fi