Gulf Countries work towards a Low Sulphur road map

Countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), will in early June 2008, move closer towards implementing their fuel strategy plan for the region, if the proposed Gulf Standard Organization "GSO" road map, circulated around the Standards Bodies and Authorities within the GCC, is endorsed at a key meeting in early June of the Oil GSO committee. All GCC petroleum companies are expected to be represented at this meeting and the PCFV through the UNEP C-H will be making a presentation to this key committee.

The road map, initially agreed upon by the standards authorities in the GCC countries, requires endorsement of all stakeholders. The road map has been circulated to all oil ministries in the GCC for their review and research.

The plan seeks to adopt Euro 2 specification (EN 228:1999 for Gasoline, EN 590:1999 for diesel) for implementation start in 2010 and adoption of Euro 4 specification (EN 228:2004 for Gasoline, EN 590:2004 for diesel), to be implemented from 2013.

Over 125 stakeholders from 14 countries, who met in Bahrain in March 2008 for a Policy Development meeting on Clean Fuels and vehicles organized by UNEP and The Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV), endorsed the environmental and health need for the region to move to lower sulphur fuels and clean vehicles as endorsed by the League of Arab States and the GCC Ministers council.