Control of stocks

One of CORES’ activities consists of monitoring compliance with the obligation to maintain minimum security stocks of liquid petroleum gases (LPG), whose availability and physical accessibility should be guaranteed to allow verification at any time. The procedures that guide this activity are included in the Inspection Manual that is available to the obligated entities on infoCores.

Control of minimum security stocks

CORES' inspection area faces challenges to adapt to the new environment, in a mature LPG market with a limited number of operators. Likewise, continuous monitoring is required to try to identify those subjects who fail to comply with their obligations.

Documentary checks are made, based on the analysis of the information that the obligated entities have to send to CORES (periodic information and information requested for this purpose).

These controls may be applied in accordance with an annual plan. That plan classifies obligated entities according to risk criteria including entities' characteristics, history and how verifiable is their information. Likewise, noncompliance may trigger these controls.

Noncompliance includes the following:

• Noncompliance in the maintenance of minimum security stocks
• Noncompliance in the payment of the monthly CORES fee
• Noncompliance in the submission of mandatory information

An investigation is opened upon detection of any noncompliance. If the offence is confirmed, the information is forwarded to the competent administrative authority. These incidents of noncompliance are considered serious or very serious offences under Law 34/1998.