Requirements for Conformity Assessment of Petrol and Diesel Fuel

Issued pursuant to
Section 7 of the Law On Conformity Assessment

I. General Provision

1. These Regulations determine the quality requirements for petrol and diesel fuel offered in the Latvian market provided for the operation of the spark ignition internal combustion engines and the compression ignition internal combustion engines, as well as determines the institutions for supervision of the market, procedures for conformity assessment of petrol and supervision of the market.

1.¹ Petrol is any volatile mineral oil intended for positive-ignition internal combustion engines of vehicles and complying with the following codes of the Combined Nomenclature: 2710 11 41, 2710 11 45, 2710 11 49, 2710 11 51 and 2710 11 59.

[22 April 2004]

1.² Diesel fuel is gas oil complying with code 2710 19 41 of the Combined Nomenclature and used in wheeled vehicles specified in Cabinet Regulation No. 448 of 19 December 2000, Regulations for Conformity Assessment of Wheeled Vehicles and Parts Thereof.

[22 April 2004]

1.³ Gas oil is a petroleum product complying with codes 2710 19 41 and 2710 19 45 of the Combined Nomenclature and intended for use in off-road mobile machinery, agricultural and forestry tractors.

[14 December 2004]

1.⁴ Regulations shall also be applicable to diesel fuel with an admixture of biodiesel (which has been completely obtained from rape seed oil) if this admixture does not exceed 5 percent by volume of the total quantity of petroleum products.

[14 December 2004]

II. Requirements for Petroleum

2. Petrol brand shall be indicated in fuel retail trade locations where fuel is sold.

[14 December 2004]

3. Research octane number (ROS) of fuel shall be determined pursuant to the method specified in standard LVS EN 25164, Determination of Knock Characteristics of Motor and Aviation Fuels - Research Method.

4. Motor octane number (MOS) of fuel shall be determined pursuant to the method specified in standard LVS EN 25163, Determination of Knock Characteristics of Motor and Aviation Fuels - Research Method.

5. It is prohibited to sell leaded petrol (petrol in which lead compounds content recalculated in quantity of pure lead exceeds 0,005 g/l) in Latvia.

[30 July 2002]

6. [14 December 2003]

7. The method specified in standard LVS EN 237, Determination of Low Lead Concentrations by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry shall be used as the main method (basic method for the determination of the specific parameter of petrol) for determination of lead content in any type of petrol.

8. In Latvia it is permissible to sell such petrol that is intended for the operation of the spark ignition internal combustion engine for which:

8.1. vapour pressure determined in accordance with the method specified in LVS EN 13061-1, Liquid Petroleum Products - Vapour Pressure - Part 1: Determination of Air Saturated Vapour Pressure (ASVP) does not exceed 70 kPa in summer period (from 1 June to 31 August);

8.2. distillation criteria determined in accordance with the method specified in standard LVS EN ISO 3405, Determination of Distillation Characteristics is as follows:

8.2.1. quantity of petrol evaporated at 100 °C is not less than 46 % of the total volume of petrol;

8.2.2. quantity of petrol evaporated at 150 °C is not less than 75 % of the total volume of petrol;

8.3. quantity of hydrocarbon determined using the method specified in standard LVS EN 14517, Liquid Petroleum Products - Determination of Hydrocarbon Types and Oxygenates in Petrol - Multidimensional Gas Chromatography Method is as follows:

8.3.1. for unleaded petrol research octane number (ROS), which exceeds 95 and motor octane number (MOS), which exceeds 85, olefins do not exceed 18 % of the total volume of petrol;

8.3.2. for unleaded petrol research octane number (ROS), which exceeds 91 and motor octane number (MOS), which exceeds 81, olefins do not exceed 21 % of the total volume of petrol;

8.3.3. arenes do not exceed 42 % of the total volume of petrol;

8.4. content of benzene determined using the methods specified in standard LVS EN 12177, Liquid Petroleum Products - Unleaded Petrol - Determination of Benzene Content by Gas Chromatography or standard LVS EN 238, Liquid Petroleum Products - Petrol - Determination of Benzene Content by Infrared Spectrometry does not exceed 1 % of the total volume of petrol (in case of dispute the method specified in standard LVS EN 10177 shall be used);

8.5. oxygen content determined using the methods specified in standard LVS EN 1601, Liquid Petroleum Products - Unleaded Petrol - Determination of Organic Oxygenate Compounds and Total Organically Bound Oxygen Content by Gas Chromatography or in standard LVS EN 13132, Liquid Petroleum Products - Unleaded Petrol - Determination of Organic Oxygenate Compounds and Total Organically Bound Oxygen Content by Gas Chromatography Using Column Switching does not exceed 2,7 % from the part of the total mass of hydrocarbons containing oxygen (in case of dispute the method specified in standard LVS EN 1601 shall be used);

8.6. quantity of hydrocarbons containing oxygen determined using the methods specified in standard LVS EN 1601 or LVS EN 13132 is as follows (in case of dispute the method specified in standard LVS EN 1601 shall be used):

8.6.1. methanol does not exceed 3 % of the total volume of petrol (stabilising agents shall be added to petrol containing methanol);

8.6.2. ethanol does not exceed 5 % of the total volume of petrol (if necessary, stabilising agents shall be added to petrol containing ethanol);

8.6.3. iso-propyl alcohol does not exceed 10 % of the total volume of petrol;

8.6.4. tert-butyl alcohol does not exceed 7 % of the total volume of petrol;

8.6.5. iso-butyl alcohol does not exceed 10 % of the total volume of petrol;

8.6.6. ethers containing five or more carbon atoms do not exceed 15 % of the total volume of petrol;

8.6.7. other hydrocarbons containing oxygen (other mono-alcohols for which the final distillation point is not higher than specified in other regulatory enactments or standards for undertakings (commercial companies) producing petrol (hereinafter - undertaking)) does not exceed 10 % of the total volume of petrol;

8.7. sulphur content determined using the methods specified in standards LVS EN ISO 20846, Petroleum Products - Determination of Total Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Ultraviolet Fluorescence Method or in standard LVS EN ISO 20884, Petroleum products - Determination of Total Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Wavelength-Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry does not exceed 10 mg/kg (in case of dispute the method specified in standard LVS EN ISO 20884 shall be used).

[ 30 July 2002; 18 March 2003; 16 December 2003; 22 April 2004; 14 December 2004]

III. Requirements for Diesel Fuel and Gas Oil

[14 December 2004]

9. In Latvia it is permissible to sell such diesel fuel, which is intended for the operation of the compression ignition internal combustion engine and for which:

9.1. cetane number is determined using the method specified in standard LVS EN ISO 5165:2002, Petroleum Products - Determination of the Ignition Quality of Diesel Fuels is not less than 51 (except for winter period (from 1 November to 31 March) when cetane number is not to be less than 47) and to which climatic class of fuel is indicated in accordance with standard LVS EN 590:2001, Automotive Fuel - Diesel - Requirements and Test Methods in retail trade locations;

9.2. density at 15 ^oC is determined using the methods specified in standard LVS EN ISO 3675, Crude Petroleum and Liquid Petroleum Products - Laboratory Determination of Density - Hydrometer Method or in standard LVS EN ISO 12185, Crude Petroleum and Liquid Petroleum Products - Determination of Density - Oscillating U-Tube Method does not exceed 845 kg/m³ (in case of dispute the method specified in standard LVS EN ISO 3675 shall be used);

9.3. 95 % distillation point determined using the method specified in standard LVS EN ISO 3405 does not exceed 360 °C;

9.4. polycyclic arenes determined using the method specified in standard LVS EN 12916, Petroleum Products - Determination of Aromatic Hydrocarbon Types in Middle Distillates - High Performance Liquid Chromatography Method with Refractive Index do not exceed 11 % from the mass;

9.5. sulphur content determined using the methods specified in standards LVS EN ISO 20846, Petroleum Products - Determination of Total Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Ultraviolet Fluorescence Method or in standard LVS EN ISO 20884, Petroleum products - Determination of Total Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Wavelength-Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry does not exceed 10 mg/kg (in case of dispute the method specified in standard LVS EN ISO 20884 shall be used).

[30 July 2002; 18 March 2003; 16 December 2003; 22 April 2004; 14 December 2004]

10. The maximum sulphur content in diesel fuel intended for use in off-road mobile machinery, agricultural and forestry tractors is determined using the methods specified in standard LVS EN ISO 20846, Petroleum Products - Determination of the Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Ultraviolet Fluorescence Method or in standard LVS EN ISO 20847, Petroleum Products - Determination of the Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Energy-Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry, or in standard LVS EN ISO 20884, Petroleum Products - Determination of the Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Wavelength-Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry shall not exceed 1000 mg/kg for the mass of diesel fuel for which there is a relevant indication at the point of sale.

[14 December 2004]

IV. Conformity Assessment of Petrol and Diesel Fuel

11. Importer of petrol and diesel fuel (hereinafter - fuel) shall confirm the compliance of fuel with the requirements of these Regulations by a conformity certificate issued by the accredited institution of conformity assessment (regarding the accreditation of which an announcement has been published in the newspaper Latvijas Vēstnesis [the official Gazette of the Government of Latvia]) which the relevant institution has issued on the basis of testing reports of testing laboratories (issued in accordance with the requirements of standard LVS ISO 17025, General Criteria for the Operation of Testing Laboratories, interpreting it pursuant to the standard LVS ISO 4259, Petroleum Products - Determination and Application of Precision Data in Relation to Methods of Test).

[22 April 2004]

12. In supplying fuel produced in European Union Member States for the sale thereof in Latvia, the supplier shall confirm the compliance of the fuel with the requirements of these Regulations by a conformity attestation to which a testing report of fuel issued by an accredited testing laboratory and issued in accordance with the requirements of standard LVS EN ISO/IEC 10725, General Criteria for the Operation of Testing Laboratories is attached.

[22 April 2004]

13. Supplier shall include at least the following information in the conformity attestation:

13.1. the name and address of the manufacturer or the authorised representative thereof;

13.2. name, address of the supplier and number of the container;

13.3. brand and main characteristics of the petrol or diesel fuel;

13.4. identification of the petrol or diesel fuel lot;

13.5. quantity of petrol or diesel fuel;

13.6. name of the testing laboratory accredited (pursuant to the requirements of standard LVS EN ISO/IEC 10725), accreditation institution, the number and date of the testing report;

13.7. certification regarding compliance of the fuel with the requirements of these Regulations;

13.8. the position, signature and full name of the person issuing the declaration, and the date and place of issue.

[22 April 2004]

13.¹ A conformity certificate issued on the basis of the testing report shall confirm the compliance of the fuel in addition to the requirements specified in Latvian national standards. In fuel retail trade locations, the following shall be indicated for fuel complying with the additional requirements specified in Latvian national standards:

13.¹ 1. for petrol - compliance with Latvian national standard, marking with letters "LVS";

13.¹ 2. for diesel fuel in winter period (from 1 November to 31 March) - initial temperature of cloud (in degrees Celsius) and compliance with Latvian national standard, marking with letters "LVS".

[30 July 2002]

14. All expenses related to conformity assessment of fuel shall be covered by the owner or possessor of the fuel.

V. Supervision of Fuel Market

15. The State Revenue Service and other State institutions (hereinafter - fuel circulation supervision institutions) shall supervise the fuel market within their competence.

16. Fuel circulation supervision institutions, which perform the supervision of the fuel market within their competence in accordance with regulatory enactments, shall submit to the State Revenue Service information regarding detected infringements once a month. If the State Revenue Service needs additional information for ensuring the supervision of fuel market, it shall be provided upon written request of the State Revenue Service.

17. The importer, producer, wholesaler or retailer shall present documents attesting conformity of fuel upon request of fuel circulation supervision institution.

18. All expenses related to supervision of fuel conformity shall be covered from the resources of institutions which performed the supervision, but if it has been detected that the fuel does not comply with the requirements specified in these Regulations, the referred to expenses shall be covered by the relevant owner or possessor of the fuel.

19. If fuel does not comply with the requirements of these Regulations, the relevant undertakings shall cover the expenses of conformity assessment of the fuel withdrawn during the inspection performed by fuel circulation supervision institutions within a time period of five working days after receipt of the bill.

20. The importer, producer, wholesaler or retailer of the fuel shall be responsible for compliance with the requirements referred to in these Regulations.

21. The owner or possessor of the fuel shall cover expenses of storage, transport and disposal (recycling) of fuel not complying with the requirements of these Regulations.

22. Undertakings selling the diesel fuel referred to in Paragraphs 10 and 28 of these Regulations shall ensure separate storage, accounting and selling thereof. The referred to undertakings shall be responsible for selling this diesel fuel only for use in off-road mobile machinery, agricultural and forestry tractors.

[14 December 2004]

22.¹ Once a year the Ministry of Environment shall submit to the European Commission corresponding environmental information regarding the relevant agglomeration or zone, as well as foreseeable impact of the initiated measures on environment.

[14 December 2004]

22.² Each year by 15 June the State Revenue Service shall submit to the Ministry of Economics information regarding the quality of fuel, total quantity of petrol and diesel fuel sold, as well as the quantity of petrol and diesel fuel sold (with maximum sulphur content 10 mg/kg) in the State in the previous year. The Ministry of Economics shall submit this information to the European Commission by 30 June.

[14 December 2004]

VI. Transitional Provisions

23. These Regulations shall come into force on 1 January 2002.

24. Sub-paragraphs 8.7 and 9.5 of these Regulations come into force on 1 January 2009. Undertakings that own at least 30 filling stations shall ensure that beginning with 1 January 2005 petrol and diesel fuel complying with the requirements of Sub-paragraphs 8.7 and 9.5 of these Regulations is available in at least one filling station of these undertakings which are located near any of the main State roads for the service of transport flow. Trader shall place indications in these sales points that the relevant fuel types are in trade, as well as provide all filling stations which are located near the relevant main State road for the service of transport flow until the next filling station of this type with this information.

[14 December 2004]

24.¹ Sub-paragraphs 8.5 and 8.6 of these Regulations come into force on 1 May 2003.

[18 March 2003]

25. From 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2008 the admissible sulphur content in petrol and diesel fuel determined using the methods specified in standard LVS EN ISO 20884, Petroleum Products - Determination of the Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Wavelength-Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry or in standard LVS EN ISO 20847, Petroleum Products - Determination of the Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Energy-Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry, or in standard LVS EN ISO 20846, Petroleum Products - Determination of the Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Ultraviolet Fluorescence Method shall not exceed 50 mg/kg (in case of dispute the method specified in standard LVS EN ISO 20884 shall be used). The following persons shall be permitted to sell petrol and diesel fuel brought into the Republic of Latvia until 31 December 2004 in which the admissible sulphur content determined using the methods provided in the referred to standards exceeds 50 mg/kg, but does not exceed 150 mg/kg (for petrol) or 350 mg/kg (for diesel fuel) accordingly:

25.1. merchants to whom a licence for operation as a possessor of a tax warehouse and certified trader has been issued - until 1 May 2005;

25.2. merchants to whom a licence for wholesale fuel trading has been issued - until 1 May 2005;

25.3. merchants to whom a licence for retail fuel trading has been issued - until 1 June 2005.

[14 December 2004]

25.¹ From 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2008 there shall be an indication regarding the nearest filling stations in which petrol and diesel fuel complying with the requirements specified in Sub-paragraphs 8.7 and 8.5 of these Regulations is available in filling stations which are located near the main State roads for the service of transport flow.

[14 December 2004]

26. [22 April 2004]

27. On 1 January 2009 Sub-paragraph 8.3.3 of these Regulations shall cease to be in force and a norm determining that maximum value of aromatic compounds shall not exceed 35,0 % (v/v) from the total quantity for petrol provided for the operation of the spark ignition internal combustion engine shall come into effect.

[14 December 2004]

28. Until 1 January 2008 the maximum sulphur content in diesel fuel intended for use in off-road mobile machinery, agricultural and forestry tractors (maximum sulphur content shall be determined using the methods specified in standard LVS EN ISO 20846, Petroleum Products - Determination of the Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Ultraviolet Fluorescence Method or in standard LVS EN ISO 20847, Petroleum Products - Determination of the Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Energy-Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry, or in standard LVS EN ISO 20884, Petroleum Products - Determination of the Sulphur Content of Automotive Fuels - Wavelength-Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry) shall not exceed 2,000 mg/kg of the mass of diesel fuel for which there is a relevant indication the point of sale (in case of dispute the method specified in LVS EN ISO 20884 shall be used).

[14 December 2004]

Informative Reference to European Union Directives

These Regulations contain legal norms arising from:

1) Council Directive 93/12/EEC of 23 March 1993 relating to the sulphur content of certain liquid fuels;

2) Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 1998 relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/12/EEC;

3) Commission Directive 2000/71/EC of 7 November 2000 to adapt the measuring methods as laid down in Annexes I, II, III and IV to Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council to technical progress as foreseen in Article 10 of that Directive (Text with EEA relevance);

4) Directive 2003/17/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 March 2003 amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels (Text with EEA relevance).

[22 April 2004]

Prime Minister A. Bērziņš

Minister for Economics A. Kalvītis

Translation © 2006 Tulkošanas un terminoloģijas centrs (Translation and Terminology Centre)