FUEL FACTS
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l am writing about your recent article "The Fuel Monty"(CM13-19 May) which gives guidance on fuelling vehicles on the Continent. I felt that clarification of certain issues would be of benefit to your readers.
HM Customs & Excise does not consider that travelling to another EU Member State for the sole purpose of fuelling a vehicle is a breach of the regulations contained in the Travellers' Reliefs (Fuel and Lubricants) Order 1995.
However, your article does not mention the fact that the fuel must be for the use, or Intended to be used, by the vehicle in question. Any fuel purchased in another member state must not be off-loaded for use by other vehicles. Fuel off-loaded in such a manner is not relieved from UK excise duty.
Your article quotes a telephone number for enquiries. Unfortunately, many of the callers to this number will be redirected to another office as it has responsibility for callers located only in the South London and Thames area.
I enclose a full list of telephone numbers for all Excise and Inland Customs advice centres (see right). Alternatively the telephone numbers of all local offices may be found in the telephone directory under "Customs".
Finally, I wish to take this opportunity to remind your readers that, as with any legislation, interpretation is a very dynamic process. It can be affected by all manner of items such as tribunal cases, changes in European Community law, new developments and so forth. HM Customs & Excise takes a very proactive approach to publicising changes in policy. Trade associations are contacted, as are publications such as Commercial Motor. Use is made of press releases and leaflets to ensure that as much of the target audience as possible is aware of any change, but I cannot emphasise strongly enough that the most accurate information is available from our advice centres.
I hope the above clarifies the current arrangements.
Darren Snowball,
NM Customs and Excise,
Salford