Official Journal of the European Communities 313 23.7.68 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 175/15 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 19 July 1968 on the standardisation of provisions regarding the duty-free admission of fuel contained in the fuel tanks of commercial motor vehicles (68/297/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 75 and 99 thereof; Having regard to the Council Decision! of 13 May 1965 on the harmonisation of certain provisions affecting competition in transport by rail, road and inland waterway, and in particular Article 1 (b) thereof; Having regard to the proposal from the Commission; Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament?; ’ Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee3; Whereas the adoption of a common transport policy calls for the establishment of common rules for international transport to or from the territory of a Member State, or passing across the territory of one or more Member States; Whereas the establishment of these common rules should also include standardisation of the provisions concerning the duty-free admission of fuel contained in the fuel tanks of commercial motor vehicles; Whereas, in order to harmonise conditions of competition between carriers in the various Member States: ' : — the minimum quantity of fuel admitted duty-free should be specified, and the conditions for duty- free admission of additional quantities should be laid down; 1 OJ No 88, 24.5.1965, p. 1500/65. 2 OJ No 28, 17.2.1967, p. 459/67. 3 O] No 42, 7.3.1967, p. 618/67. — the provisions applicable in a Member State concerning the duty-free admission of fuel should be the same irrespective of the Member State in which the vehicle is registered; Whereas, in order to avoid abuses in respect of fuel imported duty-free, special provisions should be made with regard to frontier zones; HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: Article 1 Member States shall, acting in accordance with this Directive, standardise provisions regarding the duty- free admission of fuel contained in fuel tanks of commercial motor vehicles registered in a Member State and travelling across common frontiers be- tween Member States, Article 2 For the purposes of this Directive ‘commercial motor vehicle’ means any motorised road vehicle which in construction and equipment is suitable and intended for the carriage, with or without remuneration: (a) of more than nine persons including the driver; (b) of goods. Article 3 1. With effect from 1 February 1969 at the latest, Member States shall admit duty-free a quantity of fifty litres of motor fuel. 2. Whenever a major approximation of national systems of diesel fuel taxation is undertaken, the Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission, shall specify the quantity of fuel which Member States shall admit duty-free in excess of the quantity specified in paragraph 1. The Council shall, following the same procedure, take a decision concerning the duty-free admission of all of the fuel contained in the normal fuel tanks of commercial motor vehicles, once differences in the