EIGAnews - 2020-05-05

2020 05 05

Dear Members,

As announced previously, the date of EIGA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) remains unchanged, i.e. Friday, May 29th, 2020 from 10h00 to 12h00.

Covid-19 prevents us from hosting the AGM in Valencia as planned, and hence a virtual AGM will be held through the online video conferencing Zoom Webinar platform.

To participate in the virtual AGM, a registration is necessary, as authentification is a legal requirement. Please click here now to confirm your attendance, and receive your personal connection details to join the AGM on May 29th (please do not share this unique link with others).

Since it would be a pity not to enjoy the beauty of Valencia., the 2021 Summer Session will be hosted in Valencia from 2 to 5 June 2021. More to follow early next year.

Best regards,

Philippe Cornille, Gen.Sec. EIGA

Return unused or empty oxygen cylinders

As a picture is worth a thousand words, it suffices to refer to this animation to illustrate the sector commitment to maximize the pool of oxygen cylinder.

IGC

IGC keeps following-up and reacting to events and trends, both inside and outside of Europe.

A few examples :

Yima City accident (China July 19, 2019), a joined group was formed with European and American experts to study this accident, extract lessons learned and prepare updates of related harmonized industry standards
IGC has formed an Adhoc group AHG-3.27 in order to organize the collection of industry data on the results of inspection of decommissioned Flat Bottomed Tanks
Industry has recently been made aware by a supplier of Brazed Aluminum Heat eXchangers (BAHX) that the exchanger headers had been fabricated over the years by a sub-supplier using welders that were not properly certified for the work they were performing and that the headers were welded to the cores by welders not systematically properly certified. EIGA & CGA are working to assess the implications.

For more info, feel free to contact us (info@eiga.eu).

MGC

MDR postponed by one year

With patient health and safety as a guiding principle, Europe adopted this Regulation to postpone the date of application of the Medical Devices Regulation until May 2021.

This postponement takes the pressure off national authorities, notified bodies, manufacturers and other actors so they can focus fully on urgent priorities related to the coronavirus crisis.

Busy times for MGC

The MGC continues to have frequent conference calls to stay abreast with changing situations and events related to the impact COVID-19 has on our industry.

The MGC has issued, against very tight deadlines some industry responses on enquiries, for instance on an European pharmacovigilance related request concerning the administration of medical nitrous oxide mixtures. Another example, is the public consultation concerning the proposal from EDQM to publish a new monograph on medical oxygen, called Oxygen 98.

If you like more information, please contact your MGC member.

REC

Inception Impact Assessment on 2030 Emission Targets

The EU aims to become climate-neutral (net zero greenhouse gas emissions) by 2050. To achieve this, it will propose a cut in greenhouse gas emissions of at least 50% to 55% for 2030 from 1990 levels, rather than at least 40% currently, including an amendment to the recently proposed European Climate Law.

EIGA's feedback to the EU can be consulted here.

Sustainable finance – EU classification system for green investments

The EU is defining a classification system for sustainable economic activities (‘taxonomy’), and focuses on the EU’s environmental objectives on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

This will create a common language that investors can use everywhere when investing in projects and economic activities that have a substantial positive impact on the climate and the environment.

EIGA’s feedback to the EU can be consulted here.

Letter to DG-CLIMA on MRVA

EIGA shared its position on Monitoring, Reporting, Verification and Accreditation (MRVA) with DG CLIMA.

EIGA recognizes that ETS Phase IV will co-exist with RED II and other policy instruments; also that the EU will be working hard to ensure policy consistency where that is required. In that context, we are sure that the treatment of CCU will be a particular focus, as it is for EIGA members.

Along with CCS, CCU has the potential to be important where that CO2 arises as an unavoidable result of an industrial, combustion or another process and where the use of that CO2 brings identifiable climate benefits. In that context, EIGA sees value in the principle that, against the backdrop of potentially overlapping policy measures, all fossil-derived CO2 that is either immediately emitted or is emitted after only a geologically brief delay should carry the same cost, however and wherever that cost may be levied.

SAC

TP INC 38/20 - Recent Incidents in the Industrial and Medical Gases Industry (SAC 162)

At each meeting of the EIGA Safety Advisory Council (SAC), the members exchange information on gas industry related incidents (accidents causing injuries, property or environmental damage and near-misses). SAC discusses and analyses these incidents. This information is used by SAC to determine the priorities for safety alerts, safety information, new and revised documents, campaigns etc.

In this Awareness Package are the summaries and photographs of recent incidents discussed at SAC. The Aim of this Awareness Package is to inform EIGA members about recent incidents in the industrial gases industry and to provoke discussion and new ideas how to improve safety in the industry.

Accidents/incidents reported or discussed in the SAC remain confidential.