G/TBT/N/BLZ/7
2 June 2017
(17-2950) Page: 1/2
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original: English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6
1. Notifying Member: BELIZE
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):
2. Agency responsible:
Belize Bureau of Standards
Ministry of Works Compound
Power Lane
P.O. Box 430
Belmopan City, Cayo District
Belize, C.A.
Telephone: +1 (501) 822-0446; +1 (501) 822-0447
Fax: +1 (501) 822-2571
Email: tbtenquiry-belize@bbs.gov.bz or bbs@btl.net
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X ], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other:
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Unleaded Gasoline
- Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (other than crude) and
preparations not elsewhere specified or included, containing by weight 70% or more of
petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic
constituents of the preparations, other than waste oils: (HS 27101). Liquid fuels (ICS
75.160.20).
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Final Draft Belize
Standard Specification for Unleaded Gasoline for Motor Vehicles (23 page(s), in English)
6. Description of content: Automotive gasolines are essentially blends of hydrocarbons
derived from petroleum and may contain selected additives that impart specific features to
the finished gasoline. The hydrocarbons are derived from fractional distillation of crude oil,
and associated processes that increase either the amount or the quality of the gasoline
obtained. The resulting components vary from individual hydrocarbons such as, normal
butane, to products that contain hundreds of different hydrocarbons. The properties of
commercial gasolines are influenced by the refinery practices employed and the nature of
the crude oils from which they are produced. Finished gasolines encompass a boiling range
of about 30°C to 225°C. This standard specifies requirements and test methods for two
grades of unleaded gasoline: Premium and Regular for use in spark-ignition internal
combustion engines in Belize.
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:
Consumer information, labelling; Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer
protection; Protection of human health or safety; Protection of the environment; Quality
G/TBT/N/BLZ/7
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requirements; In early 2012 the Bureau had received several complaints with respect to the quality of fuels. Most notably the source of complaints originated primarily from government ministries and departments and major car dealers who complained of having to change fuel filters more frequently especially on the newer type vehicles. In 2016, Unleaded fuel accounted for 27,348,259 US Gallons of imported fossil fuels. As a result a series of samples were taken to conduct analysis of the quality of the fuel. Due to the absence of national standards for this particular commodity, it was difficult to conduct a comparison and the ideal reference point for Belize would have been regional standards such as Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, American Standard Test Methods and Central American specifications etc.
8.
Relevant documents: Belize Government Gazette (published when adopted)
ASTM D: 86, 95, 130, 235, 323, 525, 1266, 1298, 1319, 2533, 2699, 2700, 3237, 3231, 3237, 3606, 4252, 4057, 4294, 4814, 5191 (Reference documents in the development of this standard)
9.
Proposed date of adoption: 1 July 2017
Proposed date of entry into force: 30 September 2017
10.
Final date for comments: 30 June 2017
11.
Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:
Belize Bureau of Standards Ministry of Works Compound Power Lane P.O. Box 430 Belmopan City, Cayo District Belize, C.A. Telephone: +1 (501) 822-0446; +1 (501) 822-0447 Fax: +1 (501) 822-2571 Email: tbtenquiry-belize@bbs.gov.bz or bbs@btl.net https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/BLZ/17_2509_00_e.pdf