The associations ADC3R, ASERCOM, EHI, EHPA and EPEE, which represent the heating and cooling industry (HVACR) together with ECSLA and Transfrigoroute International, which represent the sector of cold storage and temperature-controlled logistics, invite the governments of the EU Member States to consider their services and production sites as crucial to maintaining citizens' health, safety, productivity and comfort while measures are being taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

In these unprecedented times, our organizations support the measures that governments are taking to guarantee the immediate safety and well-being of European citizens, drawing attention to the essential role of our sectors:

• For the continuous distribution of heat sensitive medicines and medical devices
• For the transportation, delivery and storage of fresh food
• The functioning of key services such as data centers
• For the health and well-being of people with emergency air circulation, temperature regulation and heating and cooling equipment

Our sectors produce, install, assist and use heating and cooling systems. Heating and cooling systems are even more essential today to ensure that health measures can be implemented safely, in hospitals, supermarkets or nursing homes, but also to ensure that citizens across Europe, who stay at home, have functioning heating and cooling systems and hot water supply. Similarly, the cold storage and refrigerated transport industry continues to be an essential service to guarantee the continuity of the cold chain and to allow, for example, to supply stores and supermarkets daily.

For these reasons it will be essential that HVACR technicians are authorized to intervene in the event of installation, maintenance or failure of the necessary equipment, in particular in critical infrastructures; and that the cold chain is able to function continuously.

Now we have reached a crucial moment, when decisions are made to define which structures and services are fundamental for the functioning of a country. HVACR services, production sites and the entire cold chain are part of this critical infrastructure and should therefore be authorized to continue operating.

Through this difficult time, more than ever, our industries remain committed to maintaining the health, safety, productivity and comfort of employees and all citizens.