AREA members elected a new Board during the association’s General Assembly held on 22 May in Madrid, marking a moment of continuity and renewal for the organisation.
Stepan Stojanov, Secretary General of SCHKT in Czechia, was elected President after serving two years as Vice-President. Coen van de Sande of NVKL in the Netherlands stepped down after completing two mandates as President and will continue on the Board as Past President.
The General Assembly also elected Thanos Biris of HUFGAS in Greece as Vice-President and Espen Rønning of VKE in Norway as Treasurer. Marco Buoni of ATF in Italy remains on the Board under a specific International Affairs mandate, while Seamus Kerr of IRI in Ireland was re-elected as Board Member.
Karl-Heinz Thielmann of VDKF in Germany joined the Board as a new member. Grzegorz Michalski of KFCh in Poland concluded his term and stepped down.
“In recent years, AREA has successfully navigated the challenges of the review of the F-gas Regulation, emerging stronger and more united. Thanks to the outstanding dedication of our working groups, our association is today widely recognised as a trusted and influential voice for the sector,” said Stepan Stojanov.
“Looking ahead, our priority is clear: to support contractors in adapting to this evolving regulatory landscape. This will require a strong focus on training for alternative refrigerants, ensuring compliance with safety standards in HVAC installation, safeguarding our market from illegal practices, and advancing digitalisation and cybersecurity,” he added.
