German industry calls for measures against illegal sales

GERMANY: The German air conditioning and refrigeration industry has sharply criticized the illegal sale of split air conditioning systems in electrical stores and on the Internet.

Both the European F-Gas Regulation and the German Chemicals Climate Protection Regulation stipulate that a split air conditioning system may only be installed by a certified specialist company. Selling the device to a non-certified specialist company is only possible if the buyer provides the dealer with written proof that the installation was carried out by a certified specialist company.

The trade association VDKF and the Federal Technical School for Trades say they have investigated the sale of split air conditioning systems in electrical retailers and on the Internet and found that in most cases this violates the law.

In a press release supported by the manufacturers’ association BIV and the air conditioning and ventilation association FGK, the associations call on the responsible authorities to take stronger action against illegal trade by monitoring compliance with traders’ obligations and punishing any violations.

Although electrical stores and online retailers usually point out that installation must be carried out by a certified specialist company, this is often hidden in the small print, the associations claim.

In some cases, the customer confirms that the devices have been professionally installed during the ordering process.

“However, such a notice can in no way replace the written proof required by the customer in the regulation,” the associations explain. The same applies to many purchases in electrical stores if the customer does not make use of the installation service often offered.

The problems of direct-to-consumer sales persist across Europe. Authorities in the Netherlands and the UK have cracked down on these illegal sales. In the UK’s case, online appliance retailer Appliances Direct was found to have breached the F-Gas Regulation by failing to provide evidence that the non-hermetically sealed appliances it sold were installed by a certified company. Its owners were fined £37,500.

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