Insights / F-Gas
Is Selling or Exporting SF6 Switchgear Banned? Who the F-Gas Prohibition Binds
Is it illegal to make, sell or export SF6 switchgear to EU customers from 2026?
No. Article 13(9) of Regulation (EU) 2024/573 prohibits putting switchgear into operation, not making, selling, importing or exporting it. Annex IV, which carries the placing on the market prohibitions of Article 11(1), has no entry for electrical switchgear. The prohibition binds the operator who puts the switchgear into operation in the EU, by voltage band.
What the act says
- Article 13(9): A prohibition on putting into operation.
- Annex IV: No entry for electrical switchgear.
- Article 12(3) and (16): The maker's duties include the label and the same information in the instruction manual.
What to do
- Tell EU customers which band each product falls in and from when it cannot be energised.
- Label switchgear as Article 12 requires.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2024/573 (F-gas Regulation) (CELEX 32024R0573)
Last checked against the act text on 2026-10-20. For information only, not legal advice.