As of March 2025, the European Union has implemented a significant regulatory update to enhance the control of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) in cross-border trade.
This initiative is part of the EU’s broader environmental strategy to protect the ozone layer and aligns with Regulation (EU) 2024/590, which governs the production, use, and movement of ODS and related products within the Union.
Interconnection of systems and end of individual licenses
A key development is the integration of national customs single window systems with the EU’s centralized platform, EU CSW-CERTEX. This integration enables more efficient and secure information exchange between customs authorities and the EU’s ODS licensing system.
As a result, the traditional single-use import/export licenses have been replaced by multi-use licenses with broader applicability and no quantitative limits, streamlining compliance for economic operators.
These new licenses are valid for all customs procedures, including transit.
Applications for licences are made and tracked through the SAO licensing system.
Export ban
R/EU 2024/590 prohibits the production, introduction, supply, making available, use, import, and export of:
- ozone-depleting substances listed in Annex I,
- products and devices containing such substances or whose functioning depends on them (except for the import and export of personal effects). These products include, among others:
- refrigerators,
- freezers,
- air conditioners,
- asthma aerosols,
- solvents,
- machine parts,
- vehicles
- non-refillable containers for substances that deplete the ozone layer, whether empty or filled in whole or in part, except for essential laboratory and analytical uses.
The re-export of ozone-depleting substances and products and equipment containing such substances, regulated by R/EU 2024/590 that do not comply with its provisions shall also be prohibited.
Exemptions
There are a number of products exempted from the prohibitions:
- substances that deplete the ozone layer,
- products containing substances that deplete the ozone layer,
- personal effects.
Substances that deplete the ozone layer
Ozone-depleting substances (ODS) listed in Annex I of R/EU 2024/590 may be produced, placed on the market, and subsequently supplied or made available to another person in the Union, whether in exchange for payment or free of charge, for the following uses:
- raw materials,
- agents of transformation,
- for essential laboratory uses and analysis,
- for destruction using approved technology,
- regeneration.
Recovered, recycled, or reclaimed halons may also be authorized on condition that they are imported solely for critical uses.
In addition, at the request of a Member State and after notification to the Ozone Secretariat, the EU Commission may temporarily authorize the production, placing on the market, and use of methyl bromide for emergency uses, if permitted under R/EC 1107/2009 and R/EU 528/2012. Any unused quantities of methyl bromide shall be destroyed.
Products containing substances that deplete the ozone layer
The importation of the following products and devices is authorized:
- containing halons or whose functioning depends on them is authorized for critical uses,
- for destruction by approved technology,
- essential laboratory uses and analysis.
Critical uses are indicated in Article 9.1 of R/EU 2024/590.
Personal effects
When importing or exporting personal belongings that include products or equipment containing ozone-depleting substances, the exemption from submitting a valid certificate for these items can be justified by declaring document code Y793 – which applies to products and equipment that contain or rely on ozone-depleting substances, imported or exported as personal effects (Article 5(2) of R/(EU 2024/590).
Conditions relating to licensing and labelling
The import and export of products covered by R/EU 2024/590 and, therefore, subject to prohibition, shall meet the following conditions:
- valid registration,
- presentation of a valid license,
- labeling of containers containing SAO.
Valid registration
A valid registration in the European Commission's ODS Licensing System is required.
Presentation of a valid license
An import license issued by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment, with limited validity, must also be submitted.
This license must be applied for through the European Commission’s main ODS database.
SAO container labelling
Containers that hold ozone-depleting substances (ODS) for uses permitted under R/EU 2024/590 must be clearly labelled to indicate that the substance is restricted to its authorized purpose. The required labelling must include the following basic information:
- license system registration number and license number,
- EORI number,
- the net mass of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), even when included in products or equipment,
- the net mass of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), multiplied by their ozone depletion potential (ODP), including when present in products or equipment,
- the tariff code under which the goods are classified.
Document codes to be declared
The codes to be indicated in the customs declarations will depend on the operation being carried out (import or export), having registered two TARIC measures by the EU Commission:
- 725 - Control of imports of ozone-depleting substances.
- 726 - Control of exports ozone-depleting substances.
For these measures, the codes of the certificates to be declared as supporting documents are specified in the EU online tariff database (EU Taric) where the two tables below are displayed to indicate the document to be declared in each flow (Taric code 8415.10.10.10 has been used as an example).
| Code | Other Conditions | Control Code | Import/Export Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | Presentation of a certificate/licence/document | L 100 | Entry into free circulation allowed |
| B5 | Presentation of a certificate/licence/document | Y 793 | Entry into free circulation allowed |
| B10 | Presentation of a certificate/licence/document | Y 792 | Entry into free circulation allowed |
| B90 | Presentation of a certificate/licence/document | The entry into free circulation is not allowed | |
| Y1 | Other conditions | Y 791 | Import/export allowed after control |
| Y5 | Other conditions | Y 789 | Import/export allowed after control |
| Y10 | Other conditions | Y 790 | Import/export allowed after control |
| Y15 | Other conditions | Y 793 | Import/export allowed after control |
| Y20 | Other conditions | Y 792 | Import/export allowed after control |
| Y90 | Other conditions | Import/export not allowed after control | |
| YA1 | Other conditions | Y 797 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YA5 | Other conditions | Y 793 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YA10 | Other conditions | Y 792 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YA90 | Other conditions | Import/export not allowed after control | |
| YB1 | Other conditions | Y 798 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YB5 | Other conditions | Y 793 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YB10 | Other conditions | Y 792 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YB90 | Other conditions | Import/export not allowed after control | |
| YC1 | Other conditions | Y 799 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YC5 | Other conditions | Y 793 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YC10 | Other conditions | Y 792 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YC90 | Other conditions | Import/export not allowed after control |
| Code | Document Description |
|---|---|
| L100 | Import licence "controlled substances" (ozone), issued by the Commission |
| Y793 | Products and equipment containing ozone-depleting substances or whose functioning relies upon those substances, imported/exported as personal effects (Article 5(2) Regulation (EU) 2024/590) |
| Y792 | Substances, products, equipment, other than those falling within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2024/590 |
| Y791 | Exemption from prohibition for ozone-depleting substances to be used for essential laboratory and analytical uses and for products and equipment (Regulation (EU) 2024/590, Articles 8, 11.1, 13.1(c,j), 14.1(a,g)) |
| Y789 | Exemption from prohibition for products and equipment containing halons or whose functioning relies upon halons (Articles 13.1(h), 14.1(f)) |
| Y790 | Exemption for ozone-depleting substances destined to destruction or reclamation, and for related products/equipment (Articles 12, 13.1(d,e,i)) |
| Y797 | Licensing system registration identification number as defined in Article 17.3(a) |
| Y798 | Declaration of net mass of ozone-depleting substance(s), when included in products and equipment |
| Y799 | Net mass of the ozone-depleting substance multiplied by the ODP of the ozone-depleting substance(s), also when included in products and equipment |
| Code | Other Conditions | Control Code | Import/Export Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | Presentation of a certificate/licence/document | E 013 | Export allowed |
| B5 | Presentation of a certificate/licence/document | Y 792 | Export allowed |
| B10 | Presentation of a certificate/licence/document | Y 793 | Export allowed |
| B90 | Presentation of a certificate/licence/document | Export is not allowed | |
| Y1 | Other conditions | Y 789 | Import/export allowed after control |
| Y5 | Other conditions | Y 791 | Import/export allowed after control |
| Y10 | Other conditions | Y 792 | Import/export allowed after control |
| Y15 | Other conditions | Y 793 | Import/export allowed after control |
| Y90 | Other conditions | Import/export not allowed after control | |
| YA1 | Other conditions | Y 797 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YA5 | Other conditions | Y 792 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YA10 | Other conditions | Y 793 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YA90 | Other conditions | Import/export not allowed after control | |
| YB1 | Other conditions | Y 798 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YB5 | Other conditions | Y 792 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YB10 | Other conditions | Y 793 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YB90 | Other conditions | Import/export not allowed after control | |
| YC1 | Other conditions | Y 799 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YC5 | Other conditions | Y 792 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YC10 | Other conditions | Y 793 | Import/export allowed after control |
| YC90 | Other conditions | Import/export not allowed after control |
| Code | Document Description |
|---|---|
| E013 | Export licence "controlled substances" (ozone), issued by the Commission. |
| Y792 | Substances, products, equipment, other than those falling within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2024/590 |
| Y793 | Products and equipment containing ozone-depleting substances or whose functioning relies upon those substances, imported/exported as personal effects (Article 5(2) Regulation (EU) 2024/590) |
| Y789 | Exemption from prohibition for products and equipment containing halons or whose functioning relies upon halons (see articles 13.1(h) (import) and 14.1(f) (export) of Regulation (EU) 2024/590) |
| Y791 | Exemption from prohibition for ozone-depleting substances to be used for essential laboratory and analytical uses (articles 8, 13.1(c) (import) and article 14.1(a) (export) of Regulation (EU) 2024/590), and for products and equipment (articles 11.1 and 13.1(j) (import) and 14.1(g) (export) of Regulation (EU) 2024/590) |
| Y797 | Licensing system registration identification number as defined in Article 17.3 (a) of Regulation (EU) 2024/590 |
| Y798 | Declaration of net mass of ozone-depleting substance(s), when included in products and equipment |
| Y799 | Net mass of the ozone-depleting substance multiplied by the ODP of the ozone-depleting substance(s), also when included in products and equipment |
Contact Points
For questions related to registration in the ODS Licensing System, you can contact CLIMA-ODS@ec.europa.eu.
Further Information