Quick answer
The F-gas Portal is the European Commission's central online system for fluorinated greenhouse gases. It holds the register of undertakings, runs the HFC quota system, produces import and export licences and gives access to the annual reporting tool.
This guide covers one operation only: registering an undertaking in the F-gas Portal. The request is always started by a named person through a personal EU Login account, but the registration belongs to the company. For importers and exporters, a valid registration is itself the import or export licence required under the F-gas Regulation.
Registration is not an F-gas certificate for technicians or companies, and it is not a quota. Those are separate systems, set out in section 4. The Commission aims to process a registration request within 10 working days.
What the F-gas Portal is
The legal basis for the portal is Article 20 of Regulation (EU) 2024/573, the F-gas Regulation that entered into force on 11 March 2024 and repealed Regulation (EU) No 517/2014. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2473 defines the requirements for registration, the obligation to keep a registration up to date, the processing of personal data, and the grounds on which the Commission may refuse, suspend or cancel a registration.
Through the portal the Commission manages the HFC quota system, quota transfers and authorisations, import and export licensing, and access to reporting. The portal is interconnected with the EU Single Window Environment for Customs, which is the practical reason why the data in a registration has to match the data customs authorities see.
The F-gas Portal is a register and an administrative system. The European Commission states that it is not a trading platform: no gas, quota or equipment is sold there.
Who may need to register
The Commission's guidance for EU undertakings lists the activities that require a valid registration. Registration may apply if the undertaking:
- imports or exports F-gases listed in Annex I, II or III to the F-gas Regulation in bulk, meaning in containers and cylinders;
- imports or exports products and equipment containing those gases, such as refrigeration, air-conditioning (including in vehicles) and heat pump equipment, or metered dose inhalers;
- produces F-gases listed in Annex I, II or III inside the EU;
- supplies or receives HFCs for destruction, for use as feedstock in chemical production, for direct export, for use in military equipment, or for the etching of semiconductor material and the cleaning of chemical vapour deposition chambers;
- receives HFCs for the production of metered dose inhalers;
- reclaims or destroys F-gases listed in Annex I, II or III;
- submits a quota declaration, receives quota, or makes or receives a quota transfer.
The exception named in the guidance concerns goods kept only under the customs procedure "temporary storage". Independent auditors who verify undertakings' reports must also be registered, following their own guidance document.
Not every refrigeration or air-conditioning company has to register. The obligation follows the activity, not the sector. A company that only installs, services or repairs equipment within one Member State has different duties, mainly certification and record keeping, and should check the Commission's stakeholder obligations page before deciding.
Registration, certification, quota and licence are not the same thing
These terms are frequently mixed up, including by suppliers. They are separate systems with separate authorities and separate documents.
| Term | What it actually is |
|---|---|
| EU Login | The European Commission's personal authentication account. It belongs to a person, not to a company, and is only the key used to open the portal. |
| F-gas Portal registration | Registration of the undertaking in the Commission's register under Article 20 of Regulation (EU) 2024/573 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2473. Granted by the European Commission. |
| Import and export licence | Not a separate application. For registered importers and exporters a valid registration constitutes the licence; the document can be downloaded from the portal once the status is valid. |
| Quota | The right to place HFCs in bulk on the EU market. Relevant to producers and importers of bulk HFCs. It is separate from registration and is not granted automatically. |
| Quota authorisation | What an importer of equipment or products pre-charged with HFCs needs. It is obtained from a quota holder, not from the registration. |
| F-gas certificate | Training and certification of natural persons and companies under Article 10 of the F-gas Regulation, for activities such as installation, servicing, leak checking and recovery. Issued through Member State certification systems, not by the Commission and not through the F-gas Portal. |
| VAT and EORI | Tax and customs identifiers issued by national authorities. They are required data in the registration form, but they are not granted by the portal. |
What to prepare before you start
Most returned registration requests fail on data that does not match between databases. Collect the following before opening the form.
- The exact name of the undertaking, including the legal form, spelled the same way as in the VAT database, the EORI database and on the financial identification form.
- The physical address of the permanent business establishment, meaning a fixed place of business where the necessary human and technical resources are permanently present. Each physical address can host only one registered undertaking.
- A valid VAT number for the country you select. Check it in VIES first; the guidance says to submit only once it is listed as valid. Each VAT number can be registered once.
- A valid EORI number, checked in the EORI validation database. Each EORI number can be registered once, and an invalid EORI means goods blocked at customs.
- An EU Login account in a person's name, with an individual professional email address. Functional mailboxes such as info@ or office@ are in principle not accepted as the primary address.
- The account manager: an employee or beneficial owner of the undertaking, authorised to perform all activities in the portal on its behalf.
- The authorising person: the name and function of someone with authority to make legally binding statements for the undertaking, for example a director. This person signs the registration form statement.
- Company headed paper and a scanner or phone camera for the signed registration form statement.
- Bank proof: either a completed financial identification form, signed and dated by the account holder and signed and stamped by the bank, or a bank account statement of the undertaking no older than three months showing name, full address and account number. The account must be held in the EU.
- A clear picture of your activities, so that the business specifications can be selected correctly.
The Commission's guidance does not publish file formats or maximum file sizes for the uploads. Read the limits shown in the portal at the moment of upload instead of assuming them.
Creating the EU Login account
The EU Login account is personal. It has to carry the first and last name of a real person; an account created under the company's name cannot be used to register an undertaking.
Create the account
Open the official EU Login registration page and create an account with your first name, last name and an individual professional email address linked to the undertaking, for example [email protected].
Confirm the email address
EU Login sends a message to the address you entered; follow it to set the password. If nothing arrives, check the spam folder before creating a second account, because duplicate accounts cause problems later.
Set up two-factor authentication
The Commission publishes a tutorial for EU Login two-factor authentication and a helpdesk address for access problems. Choose a method you will still control in a year, and write down which one you used.
Keep the account usable
If the account manager's name or email address changes later, it has to be changed in EU Login first. The registration form statement then has to be downloaded, completed and uploaded again, because those details are taken automatically from EU Login.
Never share your EU Login password or a two-factor code with anyone, including people presenting themselves as Commission staff, consultants or suppliers. No official procedure asks for them.
Accessing the F-gas Portal
The portal is at fgas-licensing.ec.europa.eu and is opened with the EU Login account.
Log in with EU Login
Use the same email address and password as the EU Login account you created. The portal recognises the account and shows the registration entry point.
Check whether the undertaking already exists
Enter the VAT number and use the CHECK function. The portal answers whether that VAT number already belongs to a registered undertaking.
If it already exists, do not register a second time
Each VAT number and each EORI number can be registered only once, and each physical address may host only one registered undertaking. If a registration already exists, ask [email protected] who the account manager is; that person can add you as an additional user to the existing registration.
Confirm that you want to register
A pop-up window asks for confirmation. It also carries a reminder about quota: a new declaration to obtain quota can be submitted by 1 April 2027 for the years 2028 to 2030, and quota allocation is no longer free.
Entering the company details
The form is filled in a fixed order and each screen is stored with SAVE AND CONTINUE. Following the Commission's guidance, the sequence is: name and country, business specifications, consent options, organisation details, contact person and account manager, authorising person, registration form statement, and financial identification.
- Name and country — the undertaking's name including its legal form, and the country of the permanent business establishment.
- Organisation details — physical address, VAT number and EORI number. The address must be identical in the VAT database, in the EORI database and on the financial identification form.
- Contact person and account manager — first name, last name and email are taken automatically from EU Login. Two confirmations have to be ticked: that you are an employee or beneficial owner, and that you are authorised to act for the undertaking in the portal. If you do not meet both, the undertaking has to appoint another account manager.
- Authorising person — the name and function of the person who authorised you. This name appears automatically as the signer on the registration form statement.
- Consent options — importers of bulk HFCs and importers of equipment containing HFCs may consent to appear in the portal's matchmaking lists, so that other registered companies can contact them. The consent can be withdrawn at any time.
- Additional users — can be added only after the Commission has validated the registration; secondary email addresses may be functional mailboxes.
Screens and field names in the portal can change without notice. The descriptions here follow the Commission's published guidance for EU undertakings and were checked on the date shown at the top of this page. What you see in the portal always takes precedence over any guide.
Choosing the business specification
The business specifications are a set of yes or no questions about what the company actually does. Each "yes" opens more detailed sub-categories, and several specifications can apply at the same time.
Two distinctions decide almost every answer:
- Bulk or equipment — bulk means gas in containers and cylinders. Equipment and products means goods pre-charged with gas, such as refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump units, vehicles, or metered dose inhalers.
- HFCs or other F-gases — the EU quota system applies only to HFCs listed in Section 1 of Annex I, including mixtures containing them. Substances in Section 1 of Annex II, including HFOs such as R1234yf, are not covered by the HFC quota system.
Importers of bulk HFCs additionally choose the customs procedure: "release for free circulation", or another procedure such as transit. That choice determines which parts of the portal, for example quota and declarations, become available.
The Commission's guidance warns that without the correct business specification an undertaking receives the wrong type of trade licence, misses the relevant notifications, and can have goods blocked at customs. Changing the specifications after approval notifies the Commission, which may request further information. If you are not certain which specification applies, ask the European Commission or your national competent authority before submitting.
Uploading the documents
Two uploads are confirmed by the Commission's guidance for EU undertakings.
- The registration form statement — downloaded blank from the portal, printed on company headed paper without changing the template text, dated and signed by the authorising person you named, and uploaded as a scan or photo by the account manager from their own EU Login account.
- Proof of the legal existence of the undertaking — either the financial identification form downloaded from the portal, completed in full, signed and dated by the account holder and signed and stamped by the bank, or a bank account statement of the undertaking no older than three months containing the name, full address and account number. The bank account must be held in the EU and its details must match the undertaking's details.
The Commission may request further items, for example information on beneficial ownership or linked undertakings. Those requests appear in the TASKS menu of the portal together with a deadline.
The registration form statement has to be completed and uploaded again after any of these changes: the account manager's name or email address in EU Login, a new account manager, the undertaking's name, the VAT number, or a new authorising person.
Submitting the request
Submission is a single irreversible click, so the checks belong before it, not after.
Final check of the data
Compare the name, address, VAT number and EORI number on screen with VIES, the EORI database and the financial identification form or bank statement, character by character.
Check the signatures
The registration form statement has to be printed on headed paper and dated and signed by the person named as the authorising person, not by anyone else.
Submit
Use SUBMIT in the lower right corner and confirm in the pop-up window that you want to submit the request.
Keep the record
After a successful submission the status becomes REQUESTED. Note the date, keep the account manager's email address accessible, and archive a copy of everything you uploaded.
Following the status of the request
The Commission aims to process registration requests within 10 working days, but its guidance states that this may take longer during peak periods, and it explicitly asks undertakings not to send reminder emails, because reminders slow down processing for everyone.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Draft | Started but not submitted. There is no valid registration and no F-gas Portal ID. |
| Requested | Submitted and waiting for the Commission's review. |
| Revision | Returned for correction. The reasons are visible in the portal; address all of them and resubmit. |
| Valid | Approved. The F-gas Portal ID appears in the PROFILE menu under organisation details. |
Notifications are sent by email to the account manager's registered address, and the TASKS menu carries requests for additional information together with their deadlines. The guidance warns that failing to comply completely and accurately with a task can lead to cancellation of the registration, of a quota declaration, of quota or of authorisations.
Ten working days is the Commission's stated target, not a legally guaranteed processing time. Do not plan an import date on the assumption that the registration will be valid on a fixed day.
After the registration is valid
A valid registration is the starting point, not the finish line. Depending on the activities selected, the following may apply.
- F-gas Portal ID — visible in the PROFILE menu under organisation details once the status is valid. In draft, revision or requested status there is no ID.
- Import and export licence — registered importers, producers and exporters download it from the portal using the IMPORT/EXPORT LICENSE button in the upper right corner. In any other status the undertaking does not hold a licence.
- Quota — needed to place HFCs in bulk on the EU market. The next quota declaration can be submitted by 1 April 2027 for the years 2028 to 2030. From the allocation for 2026 onwards, quota allocation is subject to a price of EUR 3 per tonne of CO2 equivalent.
- Authorisations — importers of equipment and products pre-charged with HFCs need authorisations obtained from a quota holder; they are managed in the portal.
- Reporting — annual reporting under Article 26 is due by 31 March for the previous calendar year, through the reporting system reached from the portal. Where the thresholds apply, a verification report by an independent auditor is due by 30 April, and the auditor has to be registered in the portal beforehand.
- Customs — the portal is interconnected with the EU Customs Single Window, so the EORI number and the business specifications have to be correct for goods to clear.
- Keeping the registration current — the registration form must be kept updated to remain valid. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2473 sets the grounds on which the Commission may refuse, suspend or cancel a registration.
A valid F-gas Portal registration does not by itself authorise every commercial operation. Quota, authorisations, national certification, transport rules and customs formalities apply in addition and are verified separately.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the wrong business specification. The wrong licence type follows, notifications are missed and goods can be blocked at customs.
- Creating a second registration for a company that already has one. A VAT number, an EORI number and a physical address can each carry only one registration; the correct route is to be added as a user.
- Mixing personal and company identity. The EU Login must be in a person's name with an individual professional address, while the registration belongs to the company.
- Mismatched VAT, EORI and address data. The name and address have to be identical in VIES, in the EORI database and on the bank document.
- Submitting with a VAT or EORI number that the databases show as invalid. The guidance says to submit only after the databases confirm validity, otherwise the request is returned.
- Naming an account manager who is neither an employee nor a beneficial owner. Both conditions have to be confirmed by ticking the boxes.
- Having the registration form statement signed by someone without authority, or by someone other than the person named as the authorising person.
- Believing the portal registration replaces the F-gas certificate. Certification of persons and companies is a separate national system under Article 10.
- Believing registration grants quota or an import permission automatically. Quota and authorisations are separate and are not issued with the registration.
- Not following notifications. Emails go to the account manager's address and tasks appear in the TASKS menu with deadlines; missing them can cost the registration.
Checklist before submitting
- EU Login is in a person's nameFirst name, last name and an individual professional email address; functional mailboxes are in principle not accepted.
- The undertaking is not already registeredChecked in the portal with the VAT number using the CHECK function.
- VAT number confirmed as validVerified in VIES on the day of submission.
- EORI number confirmed as validVerified in the EORI validation database.
- Name and address are identical everywhereThe same wording in the VAT database, the EORI database, the organisation details and the bank document.
- Physical business establishmentA fixed place of business with human and technical resources permanently present, used by only one registered undertaking.
- Business specifications selected correctlyBulk or equipment, HFCs or other F-gases, and the correct customs procedure.
- Registration form statement signedPrinted on headed paper, template text unchanged, dated and signed by the named authorising person.
- Bank proof readyA completed financial identification form, or a bank statement no older than three months for an EU account.
- A copy of everything is archivedUploaded documents, the submission date and the account manager's email address.
Frequently asked questions
Is registration in the F-gas Portal free of charge?
The European Commission's published material does not set a fee for registration itself. What is priced is quota: from the allocation for 2026 onwards, quota allocation is subject to EUR 3 per tonne of CO2 equivalent. Treat registration and quota as separate matters and check the Commission's pages before budgeting.
Are EU Login and the F-gas Portal the same thing?
No. EU Login is the Commission's personal authentication service, used across many Commission systems. The F-gas Portal is the register itself. You need an EU Login account to reach the portal, but having one does not register your company.
Does every refrigeration company have to register?
No. The obligation depends on the activity: import, export, production, destruction, reclamation, certain HFC supply and receipt situations, and quota-related activities. A company that only installs or services equipment inside one Member State normally deals with certification and record keeping instead. Check the Commission's stakeholder obligations page for your situation.
Does portal registration replace the F-gas certificate?
No. Training and certification of natural persons and companies is governed by Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2024/573 and is delivered through Member State certification systems. The F-gas Portal does not issue those certificates.
Are a VAT number and an EORI number required?
The registration form asks for both, and the Commission's guidance instructs undertakings to indicate them correctly, to verify them in the VAT and EORI databases before submitting, and warns that an invalid EORI means goods blocked at customs. If you do not yet have an EORI number, the Commission points to the national implementation procedures for obtaining one.
How long does the registration take?
The Commission aims to process registration requests within 10 working days, and its guidance states that this can take longer in peak periods. It is a target, not a guaranteed legal deadline. The guidance also asks undertakings not to send reminder emails, because they slow processing down.
What happens if the request is returned or refused?
If more input is needed, the Commission returns the request with the reasons, and the contact person is notified by email. Log in, read the reasons, address all of them and resubmit. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2473 also provides the grounds on which a registration request may be refused and a registration suspended or cancelled.
How are company details updated after approval?
Most fields are edited in the PROFILE menu with the EDIT button and then saved. Some changes require the registration form statement to be downloaded, signed and uploaded again: the account manager's name or email address, a new account manager, the undertaking's name, the VAT number, or a new authorising person. For a change of company name, the Commission asks for an email to [email protected] with the official trade register document.
Official sources
Every statement in this guide comes from the primary sources below. Blogs, consultancies and commercial pages were not used.
Currency of this guide and limits of responsibility
The F-gas Portal interface, its field names and the administrative procedure can change at any time. Check the European Commission's official pages and the portal itself before starting a registration.
This guide is general information prepared by EgoLog on the basis of the official sources listed above, and it reflects those sources as they stood on the verification date shown at the top of the page. It is not legal, customs or certification advice, and it does not create any obligation on the European Commission or on any national authority.
Decisions about whether your undertaking has to register, which business specification applies and which documents your case requires remain yours. Where the situation is unclear, ask the European Commission or your national competent authority before submitting.