PARIS (REUTERS) - The French government will take formal steps to block registrations of Mercedes models using a banned air-conditioning refrigerant, it said in a statement on Friday.

The announcement came a day after an administrative court gave officials 10 days to re-examine a previous ban. Mercedes parent Daimler had contested the suspension, citing procedural errors.

French authorities have halted registrations of Mercedes A-Class, B-Class and SL cars assembled since June 12 because of Daimler's refusal to stop using the coolant R134a, banned by the EU from use in new models since the start of the year.