The pilot lifting of the ban on the sale of kerosene through a safe during hours when petrol stations are closed, the Parliamentary Trade Committee today asked the Department of Customs and Excise and the Department of Commerce, with petrol stations and fuel retailers expressing their agreement. The issue has been raised because of supply problems faced by consumers, particularly vulnerable groups opting for budget heating, and a reduction in the price of heating oil is expected in early December.
Following the reservations expressed, on the part of the government departments, due to the high risk of tax evasion, from the adulteration of fuel oil with kerosene, the Commission members indicated that fuel adulteration is possible, whether it is sold during petrol station opening hours or sold by automatic cash registers. This is why the need for more intensive random checks was highlighted,[/B] in order to determine whether adulterated fuel is being used.
The representative of the Customs Department said that the record increase in kerosene sales is a factor that reinforces their reservations, while the representative of the Consumer Protection Agency added that, although fuel adulteration is not completely prevented by the ban on the sale of kerosene from automatic fuel dispensers, nevertheless its removal still leaves a small window for those who attempt to adulterate fuel.
On the part of the Committee members, a recommendation was made to pilot the lifting of the ban for the winter months of 2023, which the relevant government departments were asked to consider. The competent authorities are expected to come back by early December on whether or not they will proceed with the lifting of the ban.
The Chairman of the Committee and DISY MP, Kyriakos Hatzigiannis, stressed during the meeting that the Parliament has adopted "powerful legislation on fuel quality controls" and called on the competent authorities to make use of it in order to combat the phenomena of fuel adulteration. He added that fuel blending could be done at any time. "It is purely hypocrisy to say that kerosene should not be sold through financiers, to avoid tax evasion, which is within the realm of possibility to happen anyway," Hatzigianni said in a statement after the meeting, noting that the lifting of the ban would assist in meeting the needs of vulnerable groups of the population.
He went on to say that if the experience from the pilot implementation of the lifting of the ban is problematic, it will be re-examined what means can be used to crack down on potential tax evasion, noting that "a priori we cannot say that there will be more tax evasion than what already exists". In response to a question on the conduct of checks for adulterated fuels through the existing legal framework, he said that the Commission has introduced a strengthening of the quality control criteria for fuels, giving the executive the power to establish by decree their colouring specifications, so that through its own checks, it can determine whether they meet the criteria.
"We have repeatedly asked for explanations on the application of this legislation, but we have not yet seen the adoption of a specific regulation, which would make it possible to check the quality of the fuels."
"We have repeatedly asked for explanations on the application of this legislation, but we have not yet seen the adoption of a specific regulation, which would make it possible to check the quality of the fuels. Besides, he said, adulteration of motor fuels can also be done by supplying kerosene during the day when petrol stations are open. "Anyone can fill up a can, go home and empty it into the car tank without being seen," he explained. He added that the use of kerosene as motor fuel can cause serious mechanical problems.
Reductions are expected in heating oil, following reductions in motor fuel
Responding to reporters' questions about fuel sales in recent times, Christodoulou said there has been a decline as prices are high and people are watching their movements, he said. He added that there is a constant loss of litres, due to the supply of fuel from the occupied territories as well, for which the petrol stations have made complaints to the EU.
"Today, a reduction in the price of 95 and 98 octane petrol was applied, as well as in diesel oil," Christodoulou added, noting that there are no reductions yet in heating oil, which is of most concern to consumers at the moment. "Reductions are also expected in heating oil next week, with the arrival of new shipments," he concluded."
Source: CNA
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