New Euromarker: From Solvent Yellow 124 to ACCUTRACE™ Plus Fuel Marker

The EU has announced that Solvent Yellow 124, the current Euromarker, will be replaced by ACCUTRACE™ Plus Fuel Marker. The switchover is scheduled to take place on January 18, 2024.

We are well positioned to advise stakeholders, particularly refiners and fuel depots, on how to manage this transition. We can support you with a new dedicated line of Fiscal Markers (containing ACCUTRACE™ Plus) in compliance with your country’s regulations.

The Euromarker is a substance that is added to tax-subsidized fuels in EU member states to distinguish them from untaxed fuels. It is used by government enforcement agencies to identify fraudulent activity such as fuel theft, misuse, adulteration, and smuggling. Manufacturers of markers across the EU have used Euromarker as the active component. However, there has been concern from stakeholders that fraudsters found it too easy to remove from fuels and that the product had significant environmental issues.

ACCUTRACE™ Plus is a chemical marker manufactured by Dow (US) that contains 76% butoxybenzene as the active component. Under the new regulations, manufacturers of fiscal markers for fuels will use this as the active constituent.

Fuel operators have until 18th January 2024 to switch to ACCUTRACE™ Plus based markers. Local national governments are finalising switchover plans. Many member states have already published their plans, and others are in the process of doing so. The switchover plans include details on:

• The timing of the switchover
• The mixing of the two markers
• The dosage rate
• The full composition of the new fiscal markers

Fuel suppliers and marketers should check with the relevant authorities to see their local territory transition plans and what they need to do to prepare. It’s also important to evaluate their current volumes of fuelcontaining Solvent Yellow 124 and use up this volume in advance of the deadline. 

ACCUTRACE™ is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow.