CROWES Bulletin March 2006
8/3/06
09:28
Page 15
News also requested householders not to use the fires as a means of disposing of household waste or even unwanted furniture. They say they will be collecting material from unoccupied houses in the run-up to the big night. Specific phone lines will also be set up to allow the public report any problems.
Northern Ireland £1.4bn fuel bill revealed - IMC demands actions to beat revenue fraud Illegal fuel fraud and legitimate crossborder petrol shopping cost the Northern Ireland economy a staggering £1.4bn in just four years, it can be revealed today. The shock figures have emerged as the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) called on the British and Irish governments to introduce licensing regimes for petrol stations to force owners who sell illegal fuel out of business. Paramilitary groups particularly republicans - have been heavily involved in smuggling and laundering fuel for years, undermining legitimate businesses and causing environmental damage. Fraud types include laundering rebated fuels by removing dyes and then selling them on at the full rate of duty. In addition laundered and legal fuel is commonly smuggled into Northern Ireland from the Republic and sold at retail outlets. However, legitimate cross-border shopping for cheaper petrol and diesel in the Republic has also cost the local economy millions. Ulster Unionist peer, Lord Maginnis of Drumglass, asked in the House of Lords about the total value of organised crime in fuel processing and smuggling. Government minister Lord Rooker said HM Revenue and Customs did not have an estimate of the total value of fuel laundering and smuggling in Northern Ireland. But he provided an estimate over the use of non-UK duty paid fuel, resulting from a combination of fraud and legitimate cross-border shopping. He said there had been am approximate revenue loss of £385m in 2000, £360m in 2001, £335m in 2002 and £350m in 2003 - a four-year total of £1.4bn. It is believed that about two thirds of this revenue loss comes from diesel and the remainder from petrol. The Organised Crime Task force has put increased
efforts into tackling illicit fuel in recent years. The number of customs officials tackling oil frauds has increased and they have scored a number of successes. The Government's UK Oils Strategy is also implemented in Northern Ireland, which includes investigators to break up criminal gangs and a central intelligence unit. As a result of this it is believed that in the last number of years the volume of legitimate fuel being sold in Northern Ireland is increasing while the loss from fraud is decreasing. But the IMC report this week said that fuel fraud is "still widespread and there is clearly a long way to go". The report stated: "We recommend that the governments of the UK and Ireland should introduce licensing regimes which would enable the closure of businesses which have been involved in the illicit fuel trade, and would keep out of the industry all those shown to have been involved, together with anyone fronting for them. "It would allow account to be taken of the suitability of the trader to operate in a business which has been infiltrated by criminals."
Germany, EU rapeoil selling out for biofuel use - Oil World Sudden demand for rapeseed oil as biofuel means European Union rapeoil producers are increasingly sold out, Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World said. "The combination of high energy prices and government interference - tax exemptions for biofuels - has created a severe imbalance that will gradually unfold repercussions in the world market," it said. "The most obvious sign of the market being in disequilibria is the fact that biodiesel as well as rapeoil are partly completely sold out in northern Europe," it said. This has happened despite European Union rapeseed crushers and processors running at full capacity. "A first reaction of the market is indicated in the sharply rising EU import demand for rapeseed oil, mainly from Canada," it said. Strong demand for rapeseed oil as biofuel has had a major impact on prices, it said. "Rapeseed oil prices in Rotterdam have reached new highs so far in October and established unprecedented price premiums over other vegetable oils," it said. http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstor y.cfm/newsid/33063/story.htm
Malta: Fuel imports liberalisation delayed Changes proposed to plans The liberalisation of the inland fuel market has been delayed by at least three months as the government and the regulator review ‘particular proposals for changes to the original plans and proposed policy’ Asked to elaborate, a spokesman for the Ministry of Resources and the Infrastructure, under whose wing the Malta Resources Authority(MRA) falls, would not comment. Four days prior to the planned liberalisation, the government yesterday issued a fiveparagraph statement saying the "liberalisation of the inland fuel market has been delayed and is now estimated to occur by the end of March 2006". A newspaper informed that fuel imports liberalisation was expected to be postponed by a few weeks despite the fact that the government had promised the EU it would lift Enemalta's monopoly in the sector by January 1, 2006. "Given the importance of this market to the national economy and to consumers, it is considered prudent to consider all new options that will result in a market organisation that will better meet the needs of the country," the official statement said yesterday. The MRA, which regulates the market, is now expected to issue a consultation paper to inform stakeholders and the public of the proposed changes. The document should include the draft legislation that will provide the legal framework for liberalisation and the proposed licensing schemes and conditions. MRA officials will also be available for meetings with stakeholders during the consultation period. All existing operating licences will remain in force until replaced by new ones, the government said. The MRA will be in a position to grant new licences to the various operators "by the beginning of the second quarter of 2006". Importing energy products needs preparation and prospective importers had to think in terms of storage facilities and make other logistical arrangements. The availability of storage may be the first hurdle to 15
