Consumption of ozone-depleting substances in Europe

The European Union continues to actively phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODS) in line with its commitment under the Montreal Protocol. In 2023, the consumption of ODS in the EU was positive, amounting to 1,306 metric tonnes. However, this is explained by significant stocks for feedstock use outside the EU. The consumption of ODS is expected to decrease again when the quantities stockpiled in 2023 are exported.

EU consumption of controlled ozone-depleting substances

The calculation of the consumption of controlled substances under the Montreal Protocol (in both figures) excludes non-virgin imports and exports, substances intended for feedstock and process agent use, as well as new substances.

In 1989, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer entered into force. Its objective is to protect the stratospheric ozone layer by phasing out the production of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). The protocol covers around 100 individual substances with a high ozone-depleting potential (ODP), including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride (CTC), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFCs), bromochloromethane (BCM) and methyl bromide (MB), all of which are referred to as ‘controlled substances’.

Within the EU, the use of and trade in substances is regulated by Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 (known as the Ozone Regulation) up until the reporting year 2023. Company activities in 2024 related to ODS will be regulated under the revised Ozone Regulation (EU) 2024/590.

ODS are only used in Member States, to the extent allowed by the Montreal Protocol and the EU Ozone Regulation. In line with this legislation, there are only a few exemptions to the overall phase out of ODS. Exemptions in some industrial processes such as; firefighting, laboratory and analytical uses.

In many aspects, the EU’s Ozone Regulation ambition is higher than the Montreal Protocol that is in force at the global scale. For instance, the EU Regulation has a quicker phase-out schedule, covers more substances and regulates not only substances in bulk, but also those contained in products and equipment. This showcases the EU’s ambitions to effectively address factors which are slowing down ozone hole recovery.

In 2023, EU consumption of controlled ozone-depleting substances amounted to 1,306 metric tonnes, up from -2,954 metric tonnes in 2022. Positive consumption in metric tonnes in 2023 is the result of significant stocking of quantities for ‘Feedstock outside the EU’ which were not reflected in total exports. The consumption of controlled substances, when expressed in metric tonnes, was largely driven by consumption of CTC, which is a chemical used as a raw material for manufacture of other chemicals and products. Expressed in ODP tonnes, consumption in 2023 amounted to 1,778 ODP tonnes, up from -3,165 ODP tonnes in 2022.

For more information and data reported by companies under the Ozone Regulation, see the online ODS data viewer.

The EEA webpage 'What is the current state of the ozone layer?' provides the latest overview based on data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS).

EU and global consumption of controlled ozone-depleting substances

Figure 2 shows the decreasing consumption of ozone-depleting substances covered by the Montreal Protocol in the EU and worldwide. From 1986 to 2023, consumption of ODS controlled under the Montreal Protocol declined by 99%.

Consumption is an aggregated parameter for data reported under the Protocol, derived from statistics on production, imports, exports and destruction. If the total of quantities exported and destroyed outweighs the sum of production and imports, the result from this metric can be negative such as in 2022.

Despite the progress in Europe and globally to phase out ODS, more needs to be done to ensure a swift recovery of the ozone layer. In an effort to strengthen legislation, the European Commission has extended the reporting requirements for ozone-depleting substances and added, among others, Dichloromethane (DCM) to Annex II to the new Ozone Regulation (EU) No 2024/590.

The new Ozone Regulation came into force on 11 March 2024 and will cover company activities carried out during 2024 and onwards. The new regulation would allow to prevent the equivalent of 180 million tonnes of CO₂ and 32,000 tonnes of ozone depleting potential (ODP) emissions by 2050.

Supporting information

DefinitionMethodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

Maximum ozone hole area

This indicator presents the maximum ozone hole area in km². The ozone hole area is determined from total ozone satellite measurements. It is defined as the region of ozone with values of below 220 DU located south of 40°S. The maximum ozone hole area is provided in km² by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS — https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/).

Consumption of ozone-depleting substances

The indicator presents ODS consumption in units of tonnes of ODS, which is the amount of ODS consumed, multiplied by their respective ODP value. UNEP Ozone Secretariat data are already provided in ODP tonnes. All data can be downloaded from the dedicated webpage of UNEP's Ozone Secretariat.

Formulae for calculating consumption are defined by Articles 1 and 3 of the Montreal Protocol and can be accessed here: https://ozone.unep.org/.

Simply put, consumption is defined as production plus imports minus exports. Amounts destroyed or used as feedstock are subtracted from production. Amounts of MB used for quarantine and pre-shipment applications are excluded. Exports to non-parties are included, but are not allowed.

Parties report each of the above components annually to the Ozone Secretariat in official data reporting forms. The parties do not, however, make the above subtractions and other calculations themselves. The Ozone Secretariat performs this task itself.

Methodology for gap filling

No gap filling takes place.

Methodology references

Handbook for the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer (fourteenth edition) UNEP 2020 (December 2020 specific URL).

Policy/environmental relevance

The 1987 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Montreal Protocol is widely recognised as one of the most successful multilateral environmental agreements to date. Its implementation has led to a global decrease in the impact of ODS on the atmosphere. The agreement covers the phase-out of over 200 individual ODS including CFCs, halons, CTC, TCA, HCFCs, HBFCs, BCM and MB. The Montreal Protocol controls the consumption and production of these substances, not their emissions.

Following the signing of the Montreal Protocol and its subsequent amendments and adjustments, policy measures have been taken to limit or phase out the production and consumption of ODS to protect the stratospheric ozone layer against depletion. This indicator tracks the progress of EU Member States towards this limiting or phasing out of ODS consumption.

For the EU, the ratification dates were the following:

Treaty	Date of ratification
Vienna Convention	17 October 1988
Montreal Protocol	16 December 1988
London Amendment	20 December 1991
Copenhagen Amendment	20 November 1995
Montreal Amendment	17 November 2000
Beijing Amendment	25 March 2002

EU Member States have made tremendous progress in reducing the consumption and production of ODS since the signing of the Montreal Protocol. In that time, ODS production has fallen from over half a million ODP tonnes to practically zero, not including production for exempted uses. Since 2009, EU Member States have also been subject to the more stringent EU Ozone Regulation (Commission Regulation (EU) No 744/2010 amending Regulation (EC) 1005/2009), which applies to additional substances and accelerates the phase-out of the remaining ODS in the EU.

Targets

The international target under the ozone conventions and protocols is the complete phase-out of ozone-depleting substances (ODS).

Methodology uncertainty

Policies focus on the production and consumption of ODS rather than emissions, which are what actually harm the ozone layer. The reason is that emissions from multiple small sources are much more difficult to monitor accurately than industrial production and consumption. Consumption is the driver of industrial production. Production and consumption can precede emissions by many years, as emissions typically take place after the disposal of products in which ODS are used (fire extinguishers, refrigerators, etc.). The same is true for sales of ODS for certain uses and their actual use.

Data set uncertainty

Data provided by the Ozone Secretariat and the EEA database on ozone-depleting substances are based on reporting from companies that produce, import, export, use or destroy ODS. A number of rigorous quality checks ensure a high degree of completeness and correctness. The quality of the data ultimately remains the responsibility of each reporting company.

Omissions and double-counting are theoretically possible because of the nature of the reporting obligation under the EU Ozone Regulation. It is estimated that such uncertainties affect a negligible part of the data.

Rationale uncertainty

Policies focus on the production and consumption of ODS rather than on emissions. The reason is that emissions from multiple small sources are much more difficult to monitor accurately than industrial production and consumption. Consumption is the driver of industrial production. Production and consumption can precede emissions by many years, as emissions typically take place after the disposal of products in which ODS are used (fire extinguishers, refrigerators, etc.).

Data sources and providers

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DPSIRTopicsTagsTemporal coverageGeographic coverage

TypologyUN SDGsUnit of measureFrequency of dissemination

Consumption of ozone-depleting substances in Europe

Figure 1. EU consumption of controlled ozone-depleting substances

Figure 2. EU and global consumption of controlled ozone-depleting substances

Supporting information

Methodology for indicator calculation

Methodology for gap filling

Methodology references

Targets

Related policy documents

Methodology uncertainty

Data set uncertainty

Rationale uncertainty

Metadata

References and footnotes