CELEX: 51974PC1122
Language: en
Date: 1974-07-19
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DIRECTIVE amending Council Directive (EEC) No 68/297 on the standardirazation of provisions regarding the duty-free admission of fuel contained in the fuel tankes of commercial motor vehicles (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

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COM (74) 1122
Vol. 1974/0183
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                                                                                                COM(74)1122       final
                                                                                                Brussels , 19 July 1974
                                                          PROPOSAL FOR A
                                                      COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
           amending; Council Directive ( EEC ) lTo 68/ 297 on the standardirazation
        of provisions regarding the duty-free admission of fuel contained in the
                                   fuel traces of commercial motor vehicles
                               ( submitted to the Council by the Commission)
        C01 1 ( 74 ) 1122 final
 ---pagebreak---                      Explanatory Memorandum
1.       On 19 Jjly 1958 , the Council adopted Directive (EEC ) N. 68/297
on the standardization of provisions regarding the duty-free admission
of fuel contained in the fuel tanks of commercial vehicles . Paragraph 1
of Article 3 of that Directive provides that with effect from 1 February
1969 at the latest , Member States shall admit duty-free a quantity of
fifty litres of motor fuel .   Until 1973 » only Germany and France in
fact limited the quantity of motor fuel admissible duty-free to fifty
litres ; the other Member States have made use of the possibility pro­
vided for in Article 3(3 ) of increasing the quantity admissible duty-
free beyond fifty litres .
2.       By Arrete of 12 October 1973 , the French government decided
to permit the importation free of duty and tax of motor fuel contained
in the fuel tanks of commercial vehicles up to a maximum limit of one
hundred litres . The German government , for its part , having authorized
the duty-free aduission of all of the fuel contained in the fuel tanks
of commercial vehicles with effect from 19 November 1973 , limited this
quantity to ma maximum amount of one hundred litres with effect from
1 March 197 ^.
3«       Furthermore , Paragraph 2 of that Article provides . that this
quantity shall be increased , pursuant to a Council Decision , whenever
a major approximation of national systems of diesel fuel taxation is
undertaken .   Since the above provisions entered into force , the levels
of tax on diesel fuel have been altered in several Member States , some­
times considerably . Following an investigation , the Commission has
noted that these alterations have ied to a contraction of the spread of
the different national taxes around the Community average as compared
with the position on 1 February 19&9 •
         The Commission therefore considers that the conditions for
increasing the quantity admissible duty-free are satisfied , having re­
gard to the criterion laid down in Paragraph 2 of Article 3 of the above-
mentioned Directive .   It further notes that all Member States admit
duty-free a quantity of at least one hundred litres .
 ---pagebreak--- 5*         Since restrictions on the dutyfree admission of motor fuels
constitute an obstacle to the free movement of goods because of the re­
sulting customs formalities on .crossing frontiers , the Commission con­
siders that further progress . may be made towards duty-free admission of
all of the fuel contained in the normal fuel tanks of commercial motor
vehicles .   For this reason , it considers it desirable to propose an
amendment to Council Directive ( EUC ) N. 68/297 to increase the minimum
quantity admissible duty-free of motor fuel contained in the fuel tanks
of commercial motor vehicles .      •   ■  /
 ---pagebreak---       Proposal for a Council Directive amending Council Directive (EEC )
      N. 68/297 on the standardization of provisions regarding the
      duty-free admission of fuel contained in the fuel tanks of commercial
                                motor vehicles
The Council of the European Communities ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Commu­
nity , and in particular Articles 75 and 99 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 Article 3(2 ) of Council Directive (EEC ) N. 68/297 O ) provides
that whenever a major approximation of national systems of diesel fuel
taxation is undertaken , the Council , acting unanimously on a proposal
from the Commission , shall specify the quantity of fuel which Member
States shall admit duty-free in excess of the quantity laid down in the
first paragraph of that Article , that is to say fifty litres ;
Whereas the various increases in taxes on diesel fuel since 1968 have
resulted in a contraction of the spread of the different national taxes
around the Community average ;
Whereas , in addition , all Member States admit at present duty-free
quantities of fuel in excess of the quantity admissible pursuant to
Article 3(1 ) of Directive ( EEC ) N. 68 /297 by making use of the possi­
bility provided for in paragraph 3 of that Article ;
Whereas the minimum quantity of fuel admitted duty-free should accor­
dingly be increased ;
( 1 ) OJ L 175 of 23.7.1968 , p. 13
 ---pagebreak---                                - 2 -
Has adopted this directive :
                             Article 1
Article 1(1 ) of Council Directive ( EEC ) N. 68/297 on the standardization
of provisions regarding the duty-free admission of fuel contained in
ths fuel tanks of commercial motor vehicles is replaced by the following
  1.   With effect from 1 January 1975 at the latest , Member States
       shall admit duty-free a quantity of one hundred litres of motor
       fuel .
                             Article 2
This Directive is addressed to the Member States .
Done at Brussels ,
                                               ror the Council