Nearly 17 per cent of fuel samples controlled on gas stations do not meet quality requirements - Trade Inspection announced in its report summing up controls performed in the first half of the year. This result is worse by over 5 per cent in comparison with two last quarters of 2004

 
The primary goal of the liquid fuel quality monitoring and control system, which is supervised by the President of UOKiK, is to eliminate from the market the gasoline and diesel oil, that do not meet quality requirements. Moreover, the system provides statistical information on the fuel sold on the market.

 
The controls are performed within the framework of the national and European part of the system. The first part includes controls of gas stations and fuel wholesale stations that have fixed fuel tanks. The entities to be subjected to control are selected at random, as well as according to additional criteria - such as the results of previous controls, information received from consumers, the police or the Internal Security Agency. This year controls were performed only on gas stations indicated by the drivers and law enforcement agencies, as well as on gas stations that did not meet quality requirements in previous years.

Within the framework of the national part of the system between January 1st and June 30th the employees of the Trade Inspection collected 1480 gasoline and diesel oil samples from 772 gas stations. 250 samples did not meet quality requirements - nearly 17 per cent of all the samples (this number was 11.2 per cent in the second half-year of 2004). For fuel wholesale stations this ration was almost 11 per cent (9 samples out of 82; in the second half-year of 2004 - 17.5 per cent). Nearly every fifth sample of diesel oil and every tenth sample of gasoline did not meet quality requirements. The provinces with the largest per centage of faulty samples are Lubuskie (over 28 per cent of samples did not meet quality requirements), Śląskie (over 21 per cent), Podkarpackie (over 20 per cent) and Lubelskie (19 per cent). Relatively best results were obtained in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie province - circa 4 per cent of collected samples were found to be faulty.

The Office found as very dangerous fact, that every third gas station which during previous controls sold fuel of inadequate quality - still sells gasoline and diesel oil that does not meet quality requirements.

 
The European part of the control includes only gas stations, and the collected samples are tested according to all parameters specified in the ordinance of the Minister of Economy and Labour (in the case of the national system it is admissible to use only a part of the criteria in the tests). Pursuant to relevant standards 100 samples of each fuel type are collected in all areas of the country in each control period. The controls result in annual reports containing statistical data, which are transferred the European Commission. 278 samples from 278 gas stations were examined between January and June 30th. Nearly 11 per cent of the samples did not meet quality requirements.

 
As a result of the controls the Trade Inspection issued 82 decisions on securing fuel, and in 45 cases - ordered to withdraw the fuel from trading. Moreover, the President of the Energy Regulatory Office received notifications on 46 gas stations and bases that were found to have violated fuel trading licences or to have broken the provisions of the Energy Law. Further information is being prepared.

At present, basing on notifications from the Trade Inspection, the public prosecutors’ offices initiated 287 preparatory proceedings on crimes consisting in trading in fuel that does not meet quality requirements. In 63 cases the public prosecutor offices indicted the entities, 106 proceedings have been discontinued, and 103 are still in progress.

It is worth emphasizing that the Act on liquid fuel and bio-fuel quality monitoring and control system provides for strict sanctions for trading in fuel of low quality - a fine of 250 thousand to 1 million zloty or penalty of imprisonment from 3 months to 5 years. Meanwhile the courts passed verdicts of guilt only in 29 cases - 22 persons were fined 200 to 6 thousand zloty, and six received suspended penalties of imprisonment.

 
Additional information:
Elżbieta Anders, Dariusz Łomowski
UOKiK Press Centre
Office of Competition and Consumer Protection
1 Powstańców Warszawy Square, 00-950 Warsaw
Telephone 22 827 28 92
E-mail: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl

 
Bogdan Pietrzak
Trade Inspection Main Inspectorate Spokesman
Trade Inspection - Main Inspectorate
1 Powstańców Warszawy Square, 00-950 Warsaw
Telephone 22 827 06 55
E-mail: bogdan.pietrzak@giih.gov.pl