No C 195/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 83 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Directive on fuel rationing for commercial transport between the 
Member'States 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 11 July 1983) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN 
COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community, and in particular 
Articles 75 and 103 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas, in Directive 73/238/EEC of 24 July 
1973 ('), the Council laid down the procedures and 
instruments intended to coordinate and quickly to 
implement measures likely to mitigate the effects of 
difficulties in the supply of crude oil and petroleum 
products, and set up a consultative body to facilitate 
coordination of the measures planned or taken by the 
Member States in this field; 
Whereas, in its resolution of 15 October 1981 on 
ways and means of effecting savings in the transport 
sector (2), Parliament invited the Commission to draw 
up without delay an energency plan to deal with a 
serious energy crisis in order to ensure, on the basis 
of Community criteria, the fairest distribution of 
scarce fuel between various transport sectors taking 
into account the demands of the economy, trade and 
goods traffic; 
Whereas oil and petroleum products supply almost all 
of the energy needs of transport in the Community 
and the carriage of goods and passengers by road 
depends on these entirely: 
Whereas in the event of difficulties in the supply of 
fuel for road transport, the other transport modes, 
and in particular the railways, would not be able, for structural and capacity reasons, to provide a full 
range of alternative transport operations if the 
available road transport capacity were unable to meet 
demand; 
Whereas any difficulty — even of short duration — 
reducing the supply of fuel for road transport 
purposes could seriously disrupt economic activity 
within the Community and it is therefore essential to 
be able at any time to compensate for, or at least 
reduce, the damaging effects of such an eventuality; 
Whereas it is essential to guarantee under all circum­
stances that the principle of equal treatment between 
domestic and other carriers is adhered to in every 
Member State; 
Whereas it is essential to provide in advance pro­
cedures and instruments appropriate to the transport 
sector and, in particular, road transport between 
Member States, enabling the Community, in 
pursuance of Directive 73/238/EEC of 24 July 1973 
and in line, where appropriate, with Council 
Decisions 77/186/EEC of 14 February 1977 on the 
exporting of crude oil and petroleum products from 
one Member State to another in the event of supply 
difficulties (3) and 77/706/EEC of 7 November 1977 
on the setting of a Community target for a reduction 
in the consumption of primary sources of energy in 
the event of difficulties in the supply of crude oil 
and petroleum products (4) to ensure rapid 
implementation of the measures intended to mitigate 
the effects of difficulties in the supply of fuel for road 
transport; 
Whereas, to this end, it is possible to alleviate the 
difficulties specific to road transport which could 
result from fuel rationing imposed by one or more 
Member States by means of a Community approach 
defining procedures in advance and by means of 
systematic consultation between Member States; 
(') OJ No L 228, 16. 8. 1973, p. 1. 
(2) OJ No C 287, 9. 11. 1981, p. 66. O OJ No L 61, 5. 3. 1977, p. 23. 
(4) OJ No L 292, 16. 11. 1977, p. 9. 
22.7.83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 195/5 
Whereas advance planning of the procedure to be 
followed in the event of fuel rationing presupposes 
the adoption by all Member States of a standard 
application form for the issue of fuel coupons for 
cross-frontier transport operations; 
Whereas it is for the Member States, while complying 
with the provisions of Directive 73/238/EEC and, 
where appropriate, of Decisions 77/186/EEC and 
77/706/EEC, to decide when fuel rationing should 
be introduced and what priorities, if any, should be 
applied as regards the issue of fuel coupons; 
Whereas systematic concerted action between 
Member States is needed in order to tackle the 
difficulties in the refuelling of road transport and to 
ensure the continuity of road transport between 
Member States in the event of a crisis; whereas such 
concerted action must be based on the principle of 
equal treatment of domestically-owned and other 
vehicles and consultation procedures capable of 
facilitating coodination of the practical measures 
taken or envisaged in this field by the Member States 
should now be laid down; 
Whereas it is not necessary to include border traffic, 
since this can be refuelled in its country of origin, 
within the scope of this Directive, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
1. The aim of this Directive is to guarantee, in the 
event of difficulties in the supply of oil and petroleum 
products in at least one Member State, that non-
domestic carriers performing transport operations by 
road between Member States or crossing their 
territory in transit shall have access to fuel supplies 
under the same conditions as those applying to 
domestic carriers. 
2. For the purposes of this Directive 'transport by 
road between Member States' means the carriage of 
goods by road by commerciel vehicles and the 
carriage of passengers by road by buses and coaches 
with a least 10 seats passengers including the driver's 
seat. 
3. This Directive shall apply to vehicles registered 
in the Member States. 
Article 2 
In the event of a fuel shortage which does not 
warrant rationing, Member States shall guarantee non-domestic carriers access to fuel under the same 
conditions as those applying to domestic carriers. 
Article 3 
1. Member States taking rationing measures may 
limit refuelling on their territory by non-domestic 
carriers to transport operations which meet the 
following conditions: 
— that they are transport operations between 
Member States and are permitted under 
Community measures or bilateral agreements, 
— that the information required on the fuel 
application form, a specimen of which is 
contained in the Annex, is provided. 
They may, however, debar from such refuelling 
arrangements belonging to non-resistant carriers per­
forming border transport operations, i.e. services to 
destinations on their territory within 50 kilometres of 
the border. 
2. Member States making use of the facility 
provided for in paragraph 1 shall apply the pro­
cedures laid down in the Annex, including the use of 
the fuel application form. 
Article 4 
Proof that the first of the conditions laid down in 
Article 3(1) has been met may be provided: 
— as regards carriage of goods for hire or reward, 
by the CMR papers, together, where appropriate, 
with the Community or bilateral authorization, 
— as regards own-account carriage of goods, by any 
document showing that a given transport 
operation fulfils the conditions of the first Council 
Directive of 23 July 1962 on the establishment of 
common rules, for certain types of carriage of 
goods by road between Member States (*), 
— as regards passenger transport, in the case of 
occasional services by the control document, and 
in the case of shuttle or regular services by the 
authorization. 
(') OJ No 70, 6. 8. 1962, p. 2005/62. 
No C 195/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 83 
Article 5 
1. Member States shall notify the Commission in 
advance of the measures they intend to adopt in 
pursuance of Articles 2 and 3. 
2. The measures referred to in paragraph 1 shall be 
coordinated by the group of delegates provided for in 
Article 3 of Directive 73/238/EEC. 
Article 6 
1. In the event of a serious crisis, any Member 
State which introduces rationing by fuel coupons and 
is no longer able to provide refuelling for all the 
transport operations covered by this Directive may be 
selective in issuing such coupons. This selectivity, 
however, must be based on objective criteria and 
comply with the principle of equal treatment for 
domestic and non-domestic carriers. 
ANNEX 
FUEL APPLICATION FORM 
I. COMMENTS ON THE FUEL APPLICATION FORM 
1. The form is in the official language or languages of the State where rationing is in force. 
2. The form is pink in colour. 
3. The dimensions of the form are: 43 cm x 30,5 cm (DIN A3). 
4. Each form is made up in triplicate: 
— the top copy for the authorities at the frontier crossing on the inward journey which issue the 
fuel coupons, 
— the second to be kept by the driver, and 
— the third for the authorities at the frontier crossing on the outward journey, 
so that in connection with each transport operation in a country in which rationing is in force: 
— the office on the inward journey may have a copy for use as a control document in any 
subsequent checks, 
— the office on the outward journey can use the second copy to keep track of the fuel allocated 
and actually used for the transport operation on its own territory by a non-domestic vehicle, 
— the driver may have a document which, if necessary on his return, he can send to the 
responsible authorities in his country. 
5. The form is in four parts, each having a specific destination: 
— Part 1 is to be completed by the driver of the vehicle at the frontier post on the journey into 
the country where fuel rationing is in force, 2. A State intending to take such measures must: 
— in the case of transport operations covered by 
Community rules, give prior notice to the 
Commission, which will then hold the consul­
tations provided for in Article 5 and address 
proposals on appropriate measures to the Council, 
which will act by a qualified majority, 
— in the case of transport operations carried out 
under bilateral agreements, give prior notice to 
the Member States concerned and to the 
Commission, which may, at the request of those 
States or on its own initiative, proceed with the 
consultations provided for in Article 5. 
Article 7 
After consulting the Commission the Member States 
shall take the measures needed to comply with this 
Directive at the latest on 1 July 1984. They shall 
forthwith inform the Commission thereof. 
Article 8 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
22.7.83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 195/7 
— Part 2 is to be completed by the office allocating the fuel coupons, 
— Part 3 is for recording each time additional fuel is supplied, 
— Part 4 is to be completed by the driver of the vehicle at the frontier post on the outward 
journey and validated at the post. 
II. COMMON PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE USE OF THE FORM 
A. General 
The form must be used to apply to the responsible authorities in the country where rationing is in 
force for the fuel needed by a non-domestic vehicle in order to carry out a transport operation 
within that country or to cross it in transit. 
The application must be lodged with the frontier post authorities when the vehicle enters a country 
where rationing is in force. 
Where successive unforeseen changes in destination — and therefore route — require additional 
fuel, two additional applications may be lodged with the responsible authorities within the country 
in which rationing is in force. 
Fuel coupons may only be used for the route and vehicle for which they have been requested. It is 
strictly prohibited to hand them over to other persons for other purposes. 
B. Part 1 of the form 
Part 1 of the form is to be filled in and signed by the driver of the vehicle and must be handed to 
the responsible authorities before fuel coupons are issued at the frontier crossing into the country in 
which rationing is in force. 
C. Part 2 of the form 
After checking that Part 1 of the form has been correctly filled in by the driver, the responsible 
authorities must state, in Part 2 of the form, the number of coupons and the amount of fuel issued, 
stamp and sign the form and ask the driver to sign for the coupons. 
Once this has taken place, the authorities issuing the coupons will keep a copy of the form thus 
completed. 
D. Part 3 of the form 
Each time the vehicle is refuelled the driver enters — in Part 3 of the form — the date, number of 
kilometres on the clock, quantity bought (in litres) and number of coupons handed over. He then 
has the person in charge of the filling station stamp the form in the space provided for the purpose. 
E. Part 4 of the form 
At the point of exit from the country, the driver completes Part 4 of the form by filling in the 
number of kilometres on the clock at the point of entry and the point of exit (in order to indicate 
the distance covered in the country), the amount of fuel in the fuel tank (in litres) at the point of 
entry and the point of exit, and the number of fuel coupons received, used and surrendered. 
After recovering the unused coupons, the responsible authorities at the frontier post at the point of 
exit sign and stamp the form as proof of receipt and keep one copy of the form. 
(Recto) 
FUEL APPLICATION FORM 
Explanatory note 
Part 1 
1. Type of transport operation: the driver must state whether he is carrying passengers or goods. 
2. Status of journey: the driver must state whether the journey is made with or without 
authorization and in the former case state its nature (bilateral, Community, etc.). 
No C 195/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 7. 83 
3. Vehicle information: the driver must state: 
(i) the type and model; 
(ii) the engine rating in kW and the cylinder capacity in cm5; 
(iii) the maximum authorized vehicle or train weight in tonnes; 
(iv) the registration number of the tractor or lorry and that of the trailer or semi-trailer if this 
differs from that of the tractor or lorry. 
4. Destination and probable route: the driver must state at the frontier post where the vehicle enters 
a country in which fuel rationing is in force: 
(i) the number of kilometres on the clock when the vehicle enters the country in which 
rationing is in force; 
(ii) an estimate, in litres, of the amount of fuel contained in the vehicle's tank on entry into the 
country in which rationing is in force; 
(iii) whether he is travelling in transit without loading or unloading in order solely to reach a 
destination in another country; 
(iv) the destination of the journey in the country in which rationing is in force; 
(v) in the case of multiple destinations, the various points of loading and unloading in the 
country in which rationing is in force. 
5. Type of fuel: the driver must state whether he is applying for petrol, diesel fuel or mixed fuel. 
6. Trade name and registered office of company: the driver must give the name and christian name, 
or the trade name, of the carrier and his address. 
7. Distance to be covered: the driver must provide an estimate in kilometres of the distance to be 
covered in order to carry out his transport operation in the country in which rationing is in 
force. 
8. Average consumption per 100 kilometres: the driver must provide an estimate, in litres, of the 
average consumption per 100 kilometres of his vehicle under the load conditions in which he 
entered the country and will continue his journey. 
9. Amount of fuel requested: the driver must state the amount of fuel requested, in litres, which, 
with a certain safety margin, must correspond to the number of kilometres intended to be 
covered in order to carry out the transport operation at the fuel consumption (in terms of litres 
per 100 kilometres) stated for his vehicle. 
10. Driver of the vehicle: the driver must provide general personal information, i. e. his surname and 
first name, home address and passport number. He must then sign all the statements he has 
made, adding the place and date. 
11. Additional applications for fuel: where additional applications become necessary for reasons not 
foreseen when a vehicle enters a country in which rationing is in force — as a result of an 
accident or successive changes in the distances to be travelled, additional fuel may be allocated. 
In this case the driver must provide general personal information, i. e. give his surname and first 
name, the number of kilometres on the clock and the number of litres requested and must then 
sign the application and add the place and date. 
12. Replacement driver: if a driver is replaced, the replacement driver must give his surname and 
first name, his home address, passport number and the number of kilometres on the clock when 
he takes up his duties, and at the same time state the number of coupons and the equivalent in 
litres that he receives from the previous driver. Both drivers must also sign the form and add the 
place and date. 
Part 2 
This part must be completed by the responsible authorities in the country where fuel rationing is in 
force. After checking that Part 1 of the form has been filled in correctly by the driver, they must 
state in this part how much fuel has been allocated and the equivalent number of coupons. They 
must then stamp the form and add their signature and the date of issue of the coupons. 
22.7.83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 195/9 
The driver signs for the coupons he has received. 
Thereafter, the responsible authorities keep a copy of the form and on additional applications repeat 
the same operation in the two sections of Part 2 provided for the purpose. 
Part 3 
Each time he takes on fuel the driver enters in this part the date, number of kilometres on the clock, 
number of litres of fuel bought and number of coupons exchanged. 
He then asks the person in charge of the service station to stamp the form and to add the place of 
refuelling, his signature and the date. 
Part 4 
At the frontier post on the journey out of the country in which rationing is in force, the driver must 
complete Part 4 by stating the distance covered within the country by giving the number of 
kilometres on the clock at the times of entry and exit, together with the content (in litres) of the 
fuel tank at the entry and exit points, and also the number of fuel coupons received, used and 
surrendered. 
The responsible authorities at the exit frontier post must collect any unused fuel coupons, and 
acknowledge receipt of these by means of a stamp and signature. 
They will then keep a copy of the form.