3.9.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC227/3
II
(PreparatoryActs)
COMMISSION
ProposalforaCouncilDirectiveonthecontrolofvolatileorganiccompound(VOC)emissions
resultingfromthestorageofpetrolanditsdistributionfromterminalstoservicestations(the
so-called'StageI'Directive)
(92/C227/03)
COM(92)277final—SYN425
(SubmittedbytheCommissionon30July1992)
Whereasasignificantstepinastrategyforanoverall
reductionofVOCemissionsintheCommunitywas
takenbyCouncilDirective91/441/EEC(2)whichaims
atreducingVOCemissionsfromtailpipeexhaustgases
andevaporativeemissionsfrommotorvehicles,rep­
resentingsome40%ofthepresentemissionsof
man-madeVOCstotheatmosphere,bysome80to
90°/oover10to15years;whereasattheadoptionof
thisDirectivetheCommissionwasrequestedtosubmita
proposalforaDirectiveonthemeasurestoreduceevap­
orationlossesateverystageintheprocessofstorageand
distributionofmotorfuels;THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunityandinparticularArticle100A
thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission ,
IncooperationwiththeEuropeanParliament,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEconomicand
SocialCommittee ,
Whereassuccessiveprogrammesofactionofthe
EuropeanCommunities ontheprotectionofthe
environmenthavestressedtheimportanceofpreventing
andreducingairpollution(');WhereastheVOCemissionsfromthesystemforstorage
anddistributionofpetrolrepresentsome500000tonnes
peryearorsome5%ofthetotalemissionsof
man-madeVOCsintheCommunity ;whereasthese
emissions,especiallyinurbanareas,representa
significantcontributiontoairpollution;
Whereasavailabletechnologiescanensureaconsiderable
reductionoftheevaporativelossesinthedistribution
systemforpetrol,notleastthroughtherecoveryofVOC
vapourswhicharedisplacedwhenatankisreloaded;Whereasemissionsofvolatileorganiccompounds
(VOCs)frompetrolandsolventsintheCommunity
wouldbeintheorderof10milliontonnesperyearifno
controlmeasuresweretaken;whereasVOCemissions
contributetotheformationofphotochemical oxidants
suchasozone,whichinhighconcentrations canimpair
humanhealthanddamagevegetationandmaterials;
whereassomeoftheVOCemissionsfrompetrolare
classifiedastoxic,carcinogenicorteratogenic;
WhereastheCommunityhasrecentlysignedthe
Protocoltothe1979Conventiononlongrangetrans­
boundaryairpollutionconcerningthecontrolof
emissionsofvolatileorganiccompounds(VOCs)ortheir
transboundary fluxes,whichprovidesforaconsiderable
reductionoftheVOCemissions;Whereasfurtheractionwillbeneededtoreducethe
VOCemissionsduringrefuellingoperationsatservice
stations,whichatpresentamounttosome200000
tonnesperyear,therebycontrollingallVOCemissions
duringthedistributionofpetrol;
Whereas,inordertoavoiddistortionofcompetitionand
inordertoensuretheestablishment oftheinternal
market,itisnecessarytoharmonizethemeasuresbased
onahighlevelofprotection;
OOJNoC112,20.12.1973,p.1;JONoC139,13.6.1977,
p1;OJNoC46,17.2.1983,p.1;andOJNoC328,7.12.
1978,p.1. OOJNoL242,30.8.1991,p.2.

NoC227/4 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 3.9.92
(f)'servicestation'shallmeananyinstallationwhere
petrolisdispensedtomotorvehiclefueltanksfrom
stationarystoragetanks;Whereasitisnecessarytointroducestandardizedspecifi­
cationsfortheequipmentforbottomloadingofroad
tankersinordertoensurethepossibilityoffreetrade
withpetrolandequipmentwithintheCommunityandto
ensureahighlevelofsafety;
Whereas,inordertoensurethatquestionsoftechnical
compatibilityofadoptedmeasuresdonotgiveriseto
safetyproblemsorimpedetheunityofthemarket,a
committeeshouldbeestablished toassistthe
Commissiononsuchquestions;
Whereasmorestringentmeasuresrelatingtotheeva­
porativelossesfromfixedinstallationsmaybenecessary
fortheprotectionofhumanhealthortheenvironment
becauseofspeciallocalorregionalconditions,(g)'existing'petrolstorageinstallations,loadinginstal­
lations,servicestations,andmobilecontainersshall
meansuchinstallations,servicestationsandmobile
containerswhichwereinoperationbeforethedate
ofadoptionofthisDirectiveorforwhichanindi­
vidualconstructionlicenceoroperatinglicence,
whererequiredundernationallegislation,was
grantedbeforethedateofadoptionoftheDirective;
(h)'new'inrelationtopetrolstorageinstallations,
loadinginstallations,servicestations,andmobile
containersshallmeansuchinstallations,service
stations,andmobilecontainerswhicharenot
coveredbysubparagraph (g); HASADOPTEDTHEDIRECTIVE :
(i)'throughput'shallmeanthelargesttotalannual
quantityofpetrolperyearloadedfromastorage
installationataterminalorfromaservicestation
duringthethreeprecedingyears;Article1
Scope
ThisDirectiveshallapplytoalltheoperations,instal­
lations,vehiclesandvesselsusedforstorage,loadingand
transportofpetrolfromrefineryterminalsorinter­
mediateterminalstoservicestations.(j)'vapourrecoveryunit'shallmeanequipmentforthe
regenerationofpetrolfromvapours.
Article3
Storageinstallationsatterminals
1.Thetotalannuallossofpetrolfromtheloadingof
andstorageateachstorageinstallationatterminals
shouldnotexceed0,01w/w%ofthethroughput .
InordertoreachthisobjectiveMemberStatesshalltake
thenecessarymeasurestoensurethatthestorageinstal­
lationsaredesignedandoperatedinaccordancewiththe
technicalrequirementsofAnnexI.Article2
Definitions
ForthepurposesofthisDirective:
(a)'petrol'shallmeananypetroleumdistillate,withor
withoutadditives,havingareidvapourpressureof
27,6kilopascalsormore,whichisintendedforuse
asafuelforinternalcombustionengines,except
100%propaneandbutane;
(b)'vapours'shallmeananygaseouscompoundwhich
evaporatesfrompetrol;
(c)'storageinstallation'shallmeananystationarytank
usedforthestorageofpetrol;
(d)'terminal'shallmeananyfacilitywhichisusedfor
thestorageandloadingofpetrolontoroadtankers,
railtankers,shipsorbarges,includingallstorage
installationsonthesiteofthefacility;
(e)'mobilecontainer'shallmeananyvehicleorvessel,
includingroadtankers,railtankers,shipsorbarges,
usedfortransportofpetrolfromoneterminalto
anotherorfromaterminaltoaservicestation;MemberStatesmayaccepttechnicalmeasuresforthe
reductionofthelossofpetrolotherthanthosesetdown
inAnnexI,ifsuchalternativemeasuresaredemonstrated
tohaveatleastthesameefficiency.
MemberStatesmayrequiremorestringentmeasuresin
geographicalareaswhereitisestablishedthatsuch
measuresarenecessaryfortheprotectionofhuman
healthortheenvironmentduetospeciallocalor
regionalconditions .MemberStatesshallinformthe
otherMemberStatesandtheCommissionofanysuch
specialmeasureswhichtheycontemplatetakingandof
theirgroundfortakingthem.

3.9.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC227/5
2.Therequirementofparagraph 1shallapply:
(a)fromthedatereferredtoinArticle11fornewinstal­
lations;
(b)threeyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11for
existinginstallationsifthethroughputloadedon
eitherroadtankersandrailtankerscombinedoron
bargesandshipscombinedisgreaterthan50000
tonnes/year;
(c)sixyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11for
existinginstallationsifthethroughputloadedon
eitherroadtankersandrailtankerscombinedoron
bargesandshipscombinedisgreaterthan25000
tonnes/year;
(d)nineyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11for
allotherexistingpetrolstorageinstallationsat
terminals .(b)threeyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11
for:
—newinstallationsforloadingontobargesand/or
ships,
—existinginstallationsforloadingontoroad
tankersand/orrailtankersifcombined
throughputisgreaterthan50000tonnes/year;
(c)sixyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11for
existinginstallationsifthethroughputloadedonto
eitherroadtankersandrailtankerscombinedor
ontobargesandshipscombinedisgreaterthan
25000tonnes/year;
(d)nineyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11for
allotherexistingloadinginstallationsatterminals.
3.Frominstallationstowhichtherequirementsof
paragraph 1apply,loadingintomobilecontainerswhich
donotmeettherequirementsofArticle5shallbe
prohibited.
4.NineyearsafterthedatereferredtoinArticle11
allloadingarmsatallterminalsshallbeequippedsoas
tomeetthespecificationsforbottomloadingequipment
tobedevelopedinaccordancewiththeprocedure
specifiedinArticle8.
Article5
Mobilecontainers
1.MemberStatesshalltakethenecessarymeasuresto
ensurethatmobilecontainersaredesignedandoperated
inaccordancewiththefollowingrequirements :
(a)mobilecontainersshallbedesignedandoperatedso
thatresidualvapoursareretainedinthecontainer
afterunloadingofpetrol;
(b)mobilecontainerswhichsupplypetroltoservice
stationsshallbedesignedandoperatedsoasto
acceptandretainreturnvapoursfromthestorage
installationsattheservicestations;
(c)exceptforreleasethroughthesafetypressurevalve,
thevapoursmentionedinsubparagraphs (a)and(b)
shallberetainedinthemobilecontaineruntil
reloadingtakesplaceataterminal.Ifthemobile
containeraftertheunloadingofpetrolis
subsequentlyusedforproductsotherthanVOCs,
ventilationmaybeadmittedatplaceswherehuman
healthandtheenvironment isnotatrisk;
(d)roadtankersshallbepressuretestedforvapour
tightnessatleasteverythreemonths;Article4
Loadingandunloadingofmobilecontainersatterminals
1.Thetotalannuallossofpetrolfromloadingand
unloadingofmobilecontainersatterminalsshouldnot
exceed0,005w/w%ofthethroughput .Inorderto
reachthisobjectiveMemberStatesshalltakethe
necessarymeasurestoensurethattheloadingand
unloadingfacilitiesaredesignedandoperatedin
accordancewiththetechnicalrequirementssetdownin
AnnexII.
MemberStatesmayaccepttechnicalmeasuresforthe
reductionofthelossofpetrolotherthanthosesetdown
inAnnexIIifsuchalternativemeasuresaredemon­
stratedtohaveatleastthesameefficiency.
MemberStatesmayrequiremorestringentmeasuresin
geographicalareaswhereitisestablishedthatsuch
measuresarenecessaryfortheprotectionofhuman
healthortheenvironmentduetospeciallocalor
regionalconditions .MemberStatesshallinformthe
otherMemberStatesandtheCommissionofanysuch
specialmeasureswhichtheycontemplatetakingandof
theirgroundsfortakingthem.
Allterminalsshallbeequippedwithatleastoneloading
armwhichmeetsthespecificationsforbottomloading
equipmenttobedevelopedinaccordancewiththe
procedurespecifiedinArticle8.
2.Therequirementsofparagraph 1shallapply:
(a)fromthedatereferredtoinArticle11fornewinstal­
lationsforloadingontoroadtankersand/orrail
tankers;

NoC227/6 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 3.9.92
(e)vacuum/pressurevalvesonallmobilecontainersshall
beinspectedforcorrectfunctioningatleasteverysix
months.(c)sixyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11for
existingservicestationswithathroughputgreater
than200mVyear;
(d)nineyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11for
allotherexistingservicestations.
Article7
AmendmentoftheAnnexes
TheamendmentsnecessaryforadaptingtheAnnexesto
thisDirectivetotechnicalprogressshallbeadoptedin
accordancewiththeprocedurespecifiedinArticle8.2.Therequirementsofparagraph 1shallapply
(a)fromthedatereferredtoinArticle11fornewroad
tankersandrailtankers;
(b)threeyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11
—fornewshipsandbarges,
—forexistingroadtankersandrailtankersif
loadedataterminaltowhichtherequirementof
Article4(1)applies;
(c)sixyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11for
existingshipsandbarges.Article8
Theadvisorycommittee
1.TheCommissionshallbeassistedbyacommittee
ofanadvisorynaturecomposedoftherepresentatives of
theMemberStatesandchairedbytherepresentativeof
theCommission .
2.TherepresentativeoftheCommissionshallsubmit
tothecommitteeadraftofthemeasurestobetaken.
Thecommitteeshalldeliveritsopiniononthedraft,
withinatimelimitwhichthechairmanmaylaydown
accordingtotheurgencyofthematter,ifnecessaryby
takingavote.
3.Theopinionshallberecordedintheminutes;in
addition,eachMemberStateshallhavetherighttoask
tohaveitspositionrecordedintheminutes.
4.TheCommission shalltaketheutmostaccountof
theopiniondeliveredbythecommittee .Itshallinform
thecommitteeofthemannerinwhichitsopinionhas
beentakenintoaccount.Article6
Loadingintostorageinstallationsatservicestations
1.Thetotalannuallossofpetrolfromloadinginto
thestorageinstallationsatservicestationsshouldnot
exceed0,01w/w%ofthethroughput .Inordertoreach
thisobjectiveMemberStatesshalltakethenecessary
measurestoensurethattheloadingandstoragefacilities
aredesignedandoperatedinaccordancewiththe
technicalrequirementssetdowninAnnexIII.
MemberStatesmayaccepttechnicalmeasuresforthe
reductionofthelossofpetrolfromservicestationsother
thanthosesetdowninAnnexIIIifsuchalternative
measuresaredemonstrated tohaveatleastthesame
efficiency.
2.Therequirementsofparagraph 1shallapply
(a)fromthedatereferredtoinArticle11fornew
servicestations;
(b)threeyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11:
—forexistingservicestationswithathroughput
greaterthan500mVyear,
—forexistingservicestations,regardlessoftheir
throughput,whicharelocatedunderpermanent
livingquartersorworkingareas,iftheservice
stationsaresituatedinlocationswhereurban
speedlimitsapply;Article9
Monitoringandreporting
1.Atintervalsofthreeyears,andforthefirsttime
threeyearsfromthedatereferredtoinArticle11,the
MemberStatesshallsendtotheCommissionareporton
theimplementation ofthisDirective.Thereportshallbe
drawnuponthebasisofaquestionnaireoroutline
whichtheCommission shallsendtotheMemberStates
sixmonthsbeforetheabovedate.
2.TheCommission shallpublishatthree-year
intervals,andforthefirsttimefiveyearsfromthedate
referredtoinArticle11,areportontheimplementation
oftheDirective .

3.9.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC227/7
Article10
TaxationofpetrolWhenMemberStatesadopttheseprovisions,theseshall
containareferencetothisDirectiveorshallbeaccom­
paniedbysuchreferenceatthetimeoftheirofficial
publication .Theproceduresforsuchreferenceshallbe
adoptedbytheMemberStates.Forthepurposeofexcisedutiesandothertaxescharged
onmineraloilstherecoveryoffuelfromvapoursandits
reintroduction intostocksshallnotbeconsideredas
productionofmineraloil. 2.MemberStatesshallcommunicate tothe
Commissionthetextsoftheprovisionsofnationallegis­
lationwhichtheyadoptinthefieldgovernedbythis
Directive .Article11
Transpositionintonationallegislation Article12
DestinationoftheDirective
ThisDirectiveisaddressedtotheMemberStates.1.MemberStatesshallbringintoforcethelaws,
regulationsandadministrative provisionsnecessaryto
complywiththisDirectiveby31December1994.
ANNEXI
Requirementsforstorageinstallationsatterminals
1.Theexternalwallandroofoftanksabovegroundshallbepaintedinalightcolourwithatotalradiant
heatreflectanceof70%ormore.
2.Tankswithexternalfloatingroofsshallbeequippedwithaprimarysealtocovertheannularspace
betweenthetankwallandtheouterperipheryofthefloatingroofandwithasecondarysealfitted
abovetheprimaryseal.Thesealsshallensureanoverallcontainmentofvapoursof95%ormoreas
comparedtoafixedrooftankwithnovapourcontainmentcontrols.
3.Fixed-rooftanksshalleither:
—haveaninternalfloatingroofwithaprimarysealwhichshallensureanoverallcontainmentof
vapoursof90%ormoreascomparedtoafixed-rooftankwithnovapourcontainmentcontrols,or
—belinkedbyaconnectionlinetoavapourrecoveryunitinconformitywiththerequirementsof
AnnexII.
ANNEXII
Requirementsforloadinginstallationsatterminals
1.Displacementvapoursfromthemobilecontainerbeingloadedshallbereturnedthroughavapour-tight
connectionlinetoavapourrecoveryunitforregenerationattheterminal.
Atterminalswhichloadpetrolontoshipsorbarges,avapourincinerationunitcanbesubstitutedfora
vapourrecoveryunitifvapourrecoveryisunsafeortechnicallyimpossiblebecauseofthevolumeof
returnvapour.Therequirementsconcerningatmosphericemissionsfromthevapourrecoveryunitshall
alsoapplytothevapourincinerationunit.
2.Themeanconcentration ofVOCsintheexhaustfromthevapourrecoveryunit—correctedfor
dilutionduringtreatment—mustnotexceed35g/Nm3foranyonehour.
Themeasurements mustbemadeoverthecourseofonefullworkingday(sevenhoursminimum)of
normalthroughput .

NoC227/8 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 3.9.92
Measurements maybecontinuousordiscontinuous .Ifdiscontinuousmeasurementsareemployed,at
leastfourmeasurementsperhourmustbemade.
Theoverallmeasurementerrorduetotheequipmentused,thecalibrationgasandtheprocedureused
mustnotexceed10%ofthemeasuredvalue.
Theequipmentusedmustbecapableofmeasuringconcentrations aslowas3g/Nm'.
Theprecisionmustbeatleast95°/oofthemeasuredvalue.
3.Theconnectionlinesandpipeinstallationsmustbecheckedforleaksatleasteverythreemonths.
4.Loadingoperationsmustbeshutdownimmediatelyinthecaseofaleakofpetrolorvapour.Equipment
tosuchshutdownoperationsmustbeinstalledattheloadinggantry.
5.Roadtankersshallbebottomloaded.
6.Wheretop-loadingofmobilecontainersispermissible,theoutletoftheloadingarmshallbekeptnear
thebottomofthemobilecontainer,inordertoavoidsplashloading.
ANNEXIII
Requirementsforloadingandstorageinstallationsatservicestations
1.Vapoursdisplacedfromthedeliveryofpetrolintostorageinstallationsatservicestationsshallbe
returnedthroughavapour-tightconnectionlinetothemobilecontainerdeliveringthepetrol.
2.Theloadingoperationsmustbeshutdownimmediatelyifthereisaleakofvapour.