The Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA) has rejoined Eurovent, the European HVACR manufacturers’ association it left more than 20 years ago, a move that matters to association and institute professionals as trade bodies rebuild cross border ties while UK and EU regulation diverge.

FETA is the UK umbrella body for heating, ventilation, building controls, refrigeration and air conditioning, representing more than 400 manufacturers, suppliers, installers and contractors. Its members include the British Refrigeration Association and HEVAC, and it provides the secretariat for the heat pump association HPA UK.

Eurovent was founded in Paris in 1958 and represents more than 1,000 companies. With FETA it brings together 18 national HVACR associations, 158 European manufacturers as corresponding members and 14 associate members drawn from engineering, exhibitions, laboratories, universities and software.

Chris Yates, chief executive of FETA, said, “Strong cooperation between UK and European associations is essential as our sector responds to changing regulation, new technologies, and the transition to a more sustainable built environment.”

The move reflects regulatory divergence between the UK and the EU rather than a symbolic reconnection.

The EU F-Gas Regulation bans refrigerants with a global warming potential of 150 or more in new monoblock heat pumps up to 50 kW and air to water split heat pumps up to 12 kW from 1 January 2027, according to Solimpeks. Great Britain operates its own F-gas framework, which has diverged from the EU regulation since Brexit, according to MMCTS.

For the sector, UK manufacturers exporting to Europe must meet EU product rules, so a seat at Eurovent gives UK bodies earlier sight of how those rules are applied. For the sector’s national associations specifically, rejoining after two decades shows that regulatory divergence increases the value of shared technical positions.

FETA’s own members span refrigeration, ventilation and heat pumps, so the membership gives the whole UK supply chain a route into European discussions.

Whether the reconnection produces aligned UK and European positions on refrigerants and product standards, rather than parallel lobbying, will indicate how far trade bodies can offset regulatory divergence across the sector.

Source: Cooling Post / Solimpeks / MMCTS