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1. Natural persons shall be certified to carry out the following activities involving fluorinated greenhouse gases within the meaning of Article 4(7), Article 5(1) and Article 8(1), covering the fluorinated greenhouse gases specified therein, or involving relevant alternatives to fluorinated greenhouse gases, including natural refrigerants, where relevant:

(a) installation, maintenance or servicing, repair or decommissioning of the equipment listed in Article 5(2), points (a) to (f), and in Article 5(3), points (a) and (b);

(b) leak checks of the equipment referred to in Article 5(2), points (a) to (e), and in Article 5(3), points (a) and (b);

(c) recovery from equipment listed in Article 8(2), and in Article 8(3), point (a). Natural persons shall hold at least a training attestation to carry out the following activities involving fluorinated greenhouse gases within the meaning of Article 4(7), Article 5(1), Article 8(1), and Article 8(10), covering the fluorinated greenhouse gases specified therein, or involving relevant alternatives to fluorinated greenhouse gases, including natural refrigerants, where relevant:

(a) maintenance or servicing, or repair of air-conditioning equipment in motor vehicles falling within the scope of Directive 2006/40/EC, and recovering of fluorinated greenhouse gases from such equipment;

(b) recovering fluorinated greenhouse gases from equipment listed in Article 8(3), points (b) and (c), and in Article 8(10), second subparagraph;

(c) maintenance or servicing, repair and leak checks of equipment listed in Article 5(3), point (c).

2. Legal persons shall be certified within the meaning of Article 4(7), covering the fluorinated greenhouse gases specified therein, to carry out the installation, maintenance or servicing, repair or decommissioning of the equipment listed in Article 5(2), points (a) to (e), and in Article 5(3), points (a) and (b), involving fluorinated greenhouse gases or relevant alternatives to fluorinated greenhouse gases, including natural refrigerants, where relevant.

3. Within 1 year following the entry into force of the implementing act referred to in paragraph 8, Member States shall establish or adapt certification programmes, including evaluation processes, and ensure that training on practical skills and theoretical knowledge is available for natural persons carrying out the activities referred to in paragraph 1. Member States shall also ensure that training programmes for obtaining training attestations in accordance with paragraph 1, second subparagraph, are available.

4. Within 1 year following the entry into force of the implementing act referred to in paragraph 8, Member States shall establish or adapt certification programmes for legal persons referred to in paragraph 2.

5. The certification programmes and training on practical skills and theoretical knowledge provided for in paragraph 3 shall cover the following:

(a) applicable regulations and technical standards;

(b) emission prevention;

(c) recovery of fluorinated greenhouse gases listed in Annex I and in Section 1 of Annex II;

(d) safe handling of equipment of the type and size covered by the certificate;

(e) safe handling of equipment containing flammable or toxic gases or operating under high-pressure or involving other relevant risks;

(f) the measures for improving or maintaining the energy efficiency of equipment during installation, or maintenance or servicing.

6. The certification programmes and training on practical skills and theoretical knowledge provided for in paragraph 3 that concern aircraft shall be reflected in the process of updating the certification specifications and other detailed specifications, acceptable means of compliance and guidance material issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency pursuant to Article 76(3) and Article 115 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.

7. Certificates under the certification programmes referred to in paragraph 3 shall be subject to the condition that the applicant has successfully completed an evaluation process as referred to in that paragraph.

8. By 12 March 2026, the Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, establish the minimum requirements for certification programmes and training attestations referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 for the activities referred to in paragraph 1. Those minimum requirements shall specify, for each type of equipment referred to in paragraph 1, the required practical skills and theoretical knowledge, differentiating, where appropriate, between different activities to be covered, the arrangements of the certification or attestation as well as the conditions for mutual recognition of certificates and training attestations. The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, adapt, where necessary, such minimum requirements. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 34(2).

9. Existing certificates and training attestations issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 shall remain valid, in accordance with the conditions under which they were originally issued. By 12 March 2027, Member States shall ensure that certified natural persons are required to participate in refresher courses or complete an evaluation process referred to in paragraph 3, at least every 7 years. Member States shall ensure that natural persons who hold a certificate or training attestation under Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 shall participate in such refresher courses or complete such evaluation processes for the first time no later than 12 March 2029.

10. Within 1 year following the entry into force of the implementing act under paragraph 8, Member States shall notify the Commission of their certification and training programmes. Member States shall recognise certificates and training attestations issued in another Member State in accordance with this Article. They shall not restrict the freedom to provide services or the freedom of establishment because a certificate was issued in another Member State.

11. The Commission may, by means of implementing acts, determine the format of the notification referred to in paragraph 10. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 34(2).

12. An undertaking shall only assign an activity referred to in paragraph 1 or 2 to another undertaking after verification that the latter holds the necessary certificates for the required activities referred to in paragraph 1 or 2, respectively.

13. Where the obligations under this Article relating to the provision of certification and training would impose disproportionate burdens on a Member State because of the small size of its population and the consequent lack of demand for such certification and training, compliance may be achieved through the recognition of certificates issued in other Member States. Member States which apply the first subparagraph shall inform the Commission. The Commission shall thereafter inform the other Member States.

14. This Article shall not prevent Member States from setting up further certification and training programmes in respect of equipment and activities other than those referred to in paragraph 1.