This report from the Commission focuses on the results of the implementation review and follow-up to the evaluation of Directive 2009/126/EC (VOC-II) on petrol vapour recovery during refuelling of motor vehicles at service stations.
The VOC-II Directive ensures the recovery of harmful petrol vapour that would otherwise be emitted during the refuelling of a motor vehicle at a service station.
The Directive requires new service stations that have an annual throughput of over 500 m3 of petrol, and service stations with an annual throughput of over 100 m3 that are located under living accommodation, to install ‘stage II’ petrol vapour recovery (PVR) systems. Large service stations (with an annual throughput in excess of 3 000 m3) must install PVR systems by the end of 2018.
The Directive was evaluated in the context of the Commission’s Regulatory Fitness and Performance (REFIT) programme on the basis of its effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence and EU added value. Particular attention was paid to detecting and assessing regulatory burden and identifying opportunities for simplification.
The main observations are as follows:
1) Implementation of the VOC-II Directive: the report states that the Directive has been transposed into national law by all Member States, albeit with a delay in some cases. It is generally well implemented by Member States.
In the EU, 72% of all service stations are currently fitted with stage II systems, but the situation varies significantly across Member States.
The consultation showed that stakeholders generally accepted the 100 m3 threshold as appropriate. The Commission considers that lowering the threshold would not currently be justified given the scale of potential emission reductions and the additional cost involved.
The assessment showed that commercially available equipment could achieve vapour recovery efficiency of 85 to 95%. It noted that generally, equipment was found to work according to the minimum standard obligations. The analysis also highlighted the importance of routine (at least annual) tests.
The potential for additional emission reductions from the generalised use of automatic monitoring systems throughout the EU appears to be limited. The voluntary approach allowed industry or Member States to adopt such systems where it was deemed useful.
2) Evaluation of the VOC-II directive: the Directive was found to be effective, efficient, coherent and relevant, and to have EU added value. The evaluation showed that:
· the Directive has been effective in contributing to the reduction in VOC emissions from petrol during the refuelling of motor vehicles at service stations. Today, the activities covered by Directive 94/63/EC concerning emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from the storage of petrol and distribution from terminals to service stations (the VOC-I Directive) and VOC-II Directives contribute only 0.7% of all anthropogenic VOC emissions in the EU;
· with regard to efficiency, it was not possible to conduct a robust cost-benefit analysis due to the limited amount of data available. The available data suggest that the costs are largely proportionate to the benefits:
I. savings resulting from reduced harmful effects on health and the environment have been estimated between EUR 92 to EUR 270m, whereas estimated financial benefits resulting from the sales of recovered petrol were estimated EUR 77m;
II. annual costs for capital and maintenance have been estimated EUR 199m, and administration and compliance cost EUR 13m;
· the provisions of the Directive are coherent with other Union legislation, and the Directive remains relevant as a response to environmental and health threats, as well as in relation to the clean air policy objectives established in the 7th Environment Action Programme and the clean air policy package;
· with regard to the obligation to display a sign, sticker or other notification in the vicinity of petrol dispensers with PVR equipment, the evaluation concluded that legislative change may be more burdensome than simplification;
· lastly, the Directive has contributed to a common level of EU regulation and has stimulated cross-border trade in petrol and equipment.
The Commission will continue to cooperate with Member States to assist them in ensuring full implementation of the Directive.