Energy Emergency Decree | Decreto de Emergencia Energética

By Antonio Villegas, Eju.tv:

Government declares “energy emergency,” removes diesel from the list of controlled substances, and authorizes free importation and sale of fuels

In the first article, the purpose of the regulation is established as “to establish and adopt exceptional measures aimed at guaranteeing the supply of fuels and energy; to reactivate production, with the purpose of restoring quality of life to Bolivians and guaranteeing the comprehensive reconstruction of the Bolivian economy.”

Cisternas en una planta de YPFB. / Foto: YPFB.
Tank trucks at a YPFB plant. / Photo: YPFB.

The Government approved Supreme Decree 5517, through which it declares an “Energy and Social Emergency,” and additionally authorizes the free importation and sale of fuels and removes diesel from the list of controlled substances.

In the first article, the purpose of the regulation is established as “to establish and adopt exceptional measures aimed at guaranteeing the supply of fuels and energy; to reactivate production, with the purpose of restoring quality of life to Bolivians and guaranteeing the comprehensive reconstruction of the Bolivian economy.”

Within this framework, “the Energy and Social Emergency is declared throughout the territory of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, in view of the inflationary process the country is experiencing, and the shortage of dollars and fuels.”

Article 4 establishes that “any private natural or legal person is authorized to import, sell, and commercialize petroleum-derived products at Import Price and/or Pre-Terminal Price (at the entry of a Storage Terminal), provided they have their own or leased storage capacity, within the framework of free, non-discriminatory access.”

Article 5 notes that, in view of “the extreme situation of supply deficit, in an exceptional and temporary manner, the suspension of diesel from the List of Controlled Substances is ordered, as well as the requirement of Prior Authorization – PA before the General Directorate of Controlled Substances – DGSC, in order to guarantee the continuous and timely supply of fuels for transportation, production, agroindustry, and the country’s strategic sectors.”

These latter provisions were contained in the repealed Decree 5503, but had not been included in the new Supreme Decree 5516, which the Government drafted after the signing of the agreement with the Bolivian Workers’ Central (COB).

The suspension “will have a temporary validity of one (1) year, starting from the approval of the Administrative Resolution of the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) that adapts the import procedures.”

Download the regulation here:

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