If you are travelling around Europe using the power of straight vegetable oil, it is likely that you will transport some of the oil across national borders (e.g. in your fuel tank). Customs rules apply at each border. Additional rules may apply to waste vegetable oil, because it is a waste product.
This page from the Europa website gives the SVO situation in the EU: http://europa.eu/travel/shop/index_en.htm
It seems you can transport as much vegetable oil as you wish between EU countries, as long as it is for personal use. It doesn't say that personal use can't include putting it into your fuel tank, assuming it is legal in your destination country.
The Europa website also says you can import other goods (e.g. vegetable oil) into the EU as long as the goods are for personal use and not worth more than €300.
Note that customs rules are not symmetrical - i.e. the rule for transporting SVO from the EU into Switzerland is not necessarily the same as for transporting it from Switzerland into the EU. I have been told that you can only import 2 litres of vegetable oil into Switzerland at a time.
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6 comments:
Interesting to know.
how much is the maximum quantity of straight vegetable oil which can be transported actross europe for personal used as biodiesel fuel?
In Italy is also illegal to use SVO as diesel fuel. There is no clear rule how offenders should be treated. If you go there with foreign registared vehicle you are likely to get away. I have done it. Its important to have to separate tanks One for the normal diesel and the other one for the SVO/WVO. Then you should be fine. Just switch to diesel fuel when crossing the borders.
Thanks for your comments Val. I have updated my post to fix a broken link, and include the updated figure of €300.
I couldn't find a figure for how much vegetable oil would be accepted as personal use, so I think it is at the discretion of each EU country.
Kenny travelled with 200+ litres last year and didn't have any problems, but that could be down to good luck. A customs official would find it hard to argue that a tankful of fuel transported across an EU border wasn't for personal use.
What are the regulations for using wvo/svo as a fuel for personal use in the following countries: France, Belgium,Holand,Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria?
It seems that the customs of each country are doing what they want. There is no common law for using WVO as fuel across European EC members.
I have tried traveling with 250 litres of wvo across France and Italy. There were no problems then. Now I friend of mine is intending to cross the above mentioned countries carrying with him 1000 litres of wvo which is all for personal use. What is your opinion on this journey? Are there likely to be problems from the customs of each country? What are the European regulations about towing 1000 litres Fuel bowser?
Hi Val,
I would imagine that a bowser full of WVO is going to attract a lot of interest from officials.
I don't have any extra information apart what I've already posted, but I wish your friend good luck.
Steven.
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