Explanatory note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) Regulations 1999 (“the principal Regulations”) which implement Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13th October 1998 relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/12/EEC. Firstly, these Regulations implement Commission Directive 2000/71/EC of 7th November 2000 to adapt the measuring methods as laid down in Annexes I, II, III and IV to Directive 98/70 to technical progress as foreseen in article 10 of that Directive. They implement the Commission Directive by ensuring that references in the principal Regulations to “the Directive” are to Directive 98/70/EC as amended by the Commission Directive (regulation 2(1)(a)) and make a consequential amendment (regulation 2(1)(b)).
Secondly, these Regulations amend the provisions of Part III of the principal Regulations, which concerns leaded petrol permits.
Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations sets out the information required on an application for a permit. These Regulations remove the requirements to provide details of the expected monthly distribution of leaded petrol to the proposed nominated filling stations and to express that expected distribution as a percentage of the total tonnage of leaded petrol which the applicant proposes to sell (a “monthly percentage”) (regulation 2(1)(d)).
Schedule 2 is amended so that it is no longer mandatory for a permit to require the holder to—
ensure that the amount of leaded petrol distributed to the nominated filling stations each month remains within a percentage (specified by the Secretary of State) of the monthly percentage; or
prepare monthly statements of the amount of leaded petrol sold from the nominated filling stations and from each individual station (regulation 2(1)(e)).
Regulation 11 of the principal Regulations is also amended to ensure that conditions relating to the amount of leaded petrol distributed to nominated filling stations (no longer mandatory as a consequence of the amendments to Schedule 2) can continue to be varied (regulations 2(1)(c)).
A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared in relation to these Regulations and copies can be obtained from the Vehicle Standards and Engineering Division, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, Zone 4/15, Great Minister House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR. A copy has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament.