First annual Commission Report on Fuel Quality

Publication date: 28 April 2004

The European Commission yesterday published its first annual report on fuel quality. The report briefly summarises Member States' submissions, on the quality of petrol and diesel, as well as the volumes sold, for the years 2001 and 2002.

com2004_310_fuel_report_2003.pdf (240 KB)

The report states that the specifications for petrol and diesel are in general met. With regard to low sulphur fuels (< 50 ppm) or sulphur free fuels (< 10 ppm) it notes that still five countries (France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain) did not introduce these fuels at all.

Background:
Directive 98/70/EC (amended by Directive 2003/17/EC) sets technical specifications for fuels to be used for vehicles equipped with positiveignition and compression-ignition engines. Directive 2003/17/EC2, amending Directive 98/70/EC, requires a further reduction of the sulphur content of petrol and diesel fuels. In order to ensure compliance with the fuel quality standards required under this  Directive, Member States are requested to introduce fuel quality monitoring systems. Article 8 of Directive 98/70/EC, as amended by Article 1(5) of Directive 2003/17/EC, requires that the Commission shall publish annually, and for the first time by 31 December 2003, a report on the actual fuel quality in the different Member States.