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PETROLEUM NEWS JOIN ACAPMA ACAPMA IS A NATIONAL INDUSTRY BODY REPRESENTING FUEL DISTRIBUTORS AND FUEL RETAILERS IN AUSTRALIA ACAPMA Membership includes access to a range of benefits: • ADVOCACY: on behalf of the industry • EMPLOYMENT & COMPLIANCE: advice, support health check audits, template documents & representation (including unfair dismissal) • TRAINING: and recognition schemes focused on standardised online safety and compliance training for employees in fuel retail, transport & contractor roles • EVENTS: by the industry, for the industry OIL COMPANIES TO PROLONG COVID FUEL STECURITY COOPERATION he Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP) and major oil refiners have been granted authorisation by the ACCC to continue cooperating on measures to improve the security of fuel supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the ACCC, the pandemic continues to impact on Australia’s fuel supply chain, causing unpredictable changes in demand for fuel and creating a potential for major disruptions to the domestic and international fuel supply chains. The ACCC’s authorisation is said to allow AIP and major oil refiners to coordinate arrangements to address fuel supply issues in Australia arising as a result of the pandemic, and facilitate the efficient use of refining and fuel storage capacity during the pandemic. “We believe that allowing fuel companies to coordinate fuel delivery, processing and storage if there is a critical supply disruption as a result of the pandemic will support the fuel sector to ensure the supply of fuel products in Australia is secure and reliable, and reduce the risk of shortages,” ACCC Commissioner Stephen Ridgeway said. “While we acknowledge there are some risks the conduct may reduce competition, the limited scope and duration of the authorisation, and the reporting conditions mean the risk is low. “Overall, the benefits of allowing parties to work together to secure the supply of fuel products to Australian businesses and consumers outweigh any potential detriments.” This final authorisation, which was granted after seeking feedback from interested parties, continues an interim authorisation first granted on 3 April 2020. It is subject to conditions and expires on 31 March 2021. The ACCC has authorised the conduct for six months, rather than the 12 months sought by the applicants, as the ACCC is not convinced that the longer period is required for the authorisation. “We think that the effects of Covid-19 on the fuel sector may sufficiently dissipate in six months,” Mr Ridgeway said. “We believe the shorter period of authorisation is appropriate to deal with the impacts of the pandemic and will minimise the risk of longer-term impact on the fuel markets.” The authorisation applies to AIP, its members (BP Australia, Caltex Australia, Mobil Oil Australia and Viva Energy Australia) and any future parties wishing to participate in the conduct, which must first be approved by the ACCC. Under the conditions of authorisation, AIP must provide minutes of any relevant meetings and seek approval from the ACCC to add future parties to the authorisation. The authorisation does not allow the parties to make any price agreements or to exchange any commercially or competitively sensitive information relating to marketing or sales activities. The authorisation was due to come into force on 2 October, if no application for review of the determination was made to the Australian Competition Tribunal. • NEWS & INFORMATION: updated daily online and delivered to your inbox every Friday ADVOCACY EVENTS TRAINING EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION ACAPMA 1300 160 270 communications@acapma.com.au 78 CONVENIENCE WORLD SEP/OCT, 2020