G/TBT/N/BLZ/6  
 
2 June 2017  
(17-2949) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member : BELIZE   
If applicable, name of local government involved  (Article 3.2 and 7.2) :  
2. Agency responsible:   
The Belize Bureau of Standards  
Ministry of Works Compound Power Lane  
P.O. Box 430  
City of Belmopan  
Cayo District  
Belize, C.A.  
Telephone: +1 (501) 822 -0446; +1 (501) 822 -0447  
Fax: +1 (501) 822 -2571  
Email: tbtenquiry -belize@bbs.gov.bz ; bbs@btl.net  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification  shall be indicated if differen t from above : - 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Diesel Fue l (High, Low 
and Ultra -low Sulphur)  
- Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (other than crude) and 
preparations not elsewhere specified or included, containing by weight 70% or more of 
petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic 
constituents of the preparations, other than waste oils: (HS 27101). Liquid fuels (ICS 
75.160.20).  
5. Title, number of pages  and language(s)  of the notified document:  Final Draft 
Standard Specification for Diesel Fuel (High, Low Sulphur and Ultra -Low Sulphur ) 
(15 page(s), in English)    
6. Description of content:  This national standard has been developed in recognition of the 
consumer concerns as it relates to quality of the product with respect to performance, 
environm ental and health concerns present in a growing nation which is increasing the use 
of vehicles that use diesel fuel. This standard represents one aspect of efforts to minimize 
air pollution with a view to reducing harmful effects to the public and the envir onment. It 
includes requirements for three key properties, namely, cetane value (number and index), 
sulphur content and aromatic hydrocarbon content.  
7. Objective and rationale , including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: 
Consumer informatio n, labelling; Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer 
protection; Protection of human health or safety; Protection of the environment; Quality 
requirements; In early 2012 the Bureau had received several complaints with respect to 
the quality of fuel s. Most notably the source of complaints originated primarily from G/TBT/N/BLZ/6  
 
- 2 - 
 
  government ministries and departments and major car dealers who complained of having 
to change fuel filters more frequently especially on the newer type vehicles. In 2016, 
Unleaded fuel acc ounted for 26,083,721 Million US Gallons of imported fossil fuels. As a 
result a series of samples were taken to conduct analysis of the quality of the fuel. Due to 
the absence of national standards for this particular commodity, it was difficult to conduc t 
a comparison and the ideal reference point for Belize would have been regional standards 
such as Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, American Standard Test Methods and Central 
American specifications etc.  
8. Relevant documents:  Belize Government Gazette (publi shed when adopted)  
ASTM D: 86, 93,97,  129, 130, 189, 287, 445, 482, 524, 613, 1298, 1319, 1500, 2709, 
2500, 4176, 4737 (reference documents in the development of this standard)   
9. Proposed date of adoption: 3 July 2017  
Proposed date of entry into force: 1 January 2018  
10. Final date for comments:  30 June 2017  
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point  [X] or address, telephone and fax 
number s and e mail and website address es, if available , of other body:   
The Belize Bureau of Standards  
Ministry of Works Compound  
Power Lane  
P.O. Box 430  
City of Belmopan, Cayo District  
Belize, C.A.  
Telephone: +1 (501) 822 -0446; +1 (501) 822 -0447 
Email: tbtenquiry -belize@bbs.gov.bz ; bbs@btl.net  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/BLZ/17_2508_00_e.pdf