G/TBT/N/BLZ/7  
 
2 June 2017  
(17-2950) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: Englis h 
 
  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:   
Belize Bureau of Standards  
Ministry of Works Compound  
Power Lane  
P.O. Box 430  
Belmopan City, 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  or 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 different from abo ve:  
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):  Unleaded Gasoline  
- 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 Belize 
Standard Specification for Unleaded Gasoline for Motor Vehicles (23 pag e(s), in English)    
6. Description of content:  Automotive gasolines are essentially blends of hydrocarbons 
derived from petroleum and may contain selected additives that impart specific features to 
the finished gasoline. The hydrocarbons are derived from fractional distillation of crude oil, 
and associated processes that increase either the amount or the quality of the gasoline 
obtained. The resulting components vary from individual hydrocarbons such as, normal 
butane, to products that contain hundreds of different hydrocarbons. The properties of 
commercial gasolines are influenced by the refinery practices employed and the nature of 
the crude oils from which they are produced. Finished gasolines encompass a boiling range 
of about 30°C to 225°C.  This standa rd specifies requirements and test methods for two 
grades of unleaded gasoline: Premium and Regular for use in spark -ignition internal 
combustion engines in Belize.  
7. Objective and rationale , including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: 
Consumer information, labelling; Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer 
protection; Protection of human health or safety; Protection of the environment; Quality G/TBT/N /BLZ/7  
 
- 2 - 
 
  requirements; In early 2012 the Bureau had received several complaints with respect to 
the quality of fuels. Most notably the source of complaints originated primarily from 
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 accounted for 27,348,259 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  conduct 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 Gazett e  (published when adopted)  
ASTM D: 86, 95, 130, 235, 323, 525, 1266, 1298, 1319, 2533, 2699, 2700, 3237, 3231, 
3237, 3606, 4252, 4057, 4294, 4814, 5191 (Reference documents in the development of 
this standard)   
9. Proposed date of adoption: 1 July 2017  
Proposed date of entry into force: 30 September 2017  
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:   
Belize  Bureau of Standards  
Ministry of Works Compound  
Power Lane  
P.O. Box 430  
Belmopan City, 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  or bbs@btl.net  
 
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