
Article 1 

1. Where difficulties arise in the supply of crude oil or petroleum products in one or more Member States, the Commission, acting at the request of a Member State or on its own initiative and after consulting the group provided for in Directive 73/238/EEC, may set a target for reducing consumption of petroleum products in the Community as a whole by up to 10 % of normal consumption. This decision shall be applicable for a maximum of two months.
2. To safeguard the unity of the market and to ensure that all energy consumers in the Community bear their fair share of the difficulties arising from the crisis, the Commission:
(a) shall on the expiry of the two month period and within the limits laid down in paragraph 1, propose to the Council a fresh target for:
— non-substitutable petroleum products, expressed as a percentage of consumption of these products,
— substitutable petroleum products, expressed as a percentage of consumption of all substitutable energy sources;
(b) in the event of a larger shortfall, may propose to the Council that the target for reducing consumption exceed 10 % and be extended to other forms of energy.
3. The quantities of petroleum products saved as a result of the differentiated reduction of consumption provided for in paragraph 2 shall be shared out between the Member States.
4. The Council shall within 10 days decide by a qualified majority on any proposals from the Commission referred to in paragraph 2.
5. Where intervention by the Commission has been requested by a Member State, the Commission shall take a decision within five working days from receipt of such request.
6. Any Member State may refer to the Council any Commission Decision setting a target for reducing consumption. The Council, acting by a qualified majority within 10 days of the matter being referred to it, may repeal or amend such decision.
7. Decisions taken by the Commission shall apply as soon as the Member States have been notified thereof.
Article 2 
Member States shall without delay take all appropriate measures to reduce their consumption of petroleum products and/or energy consumption as a whole by at least their share of the reduction target pursuant to Article 1.
Article 3 
The Member States shall inform the Commission of all measures taken pursuant to Article 2 as soon as they enter into force.
Article 4 

1. If, after consulting the group provided for in Directive 73/238/EEC or on the basis of information communicated by a Member State, the Commission finds that the situation regarding supplies of oil and petroleum products in one or more Member States no longer justifies the continued application of measures to reduce consumption:
(a) it shall decide to amend or repeal them if the measures were introduced by means of a Commission Decision;
(b) it shall propose that the Council amend or repeal them if the measures were introduced by means of a Council Decision.
2. Commission Decisions taken pursuant to paragraph 1 (a) shall take effect as soon as the Member States have been notified thereof. Any Member State may refer to the Council any Commission Decision amending or repealing the measures to reduce consumption.
3. The Council shall act by a qualified majority within 10 days of the matter being referred to it.
Article 5 
After consulting the Member States, the Commission shall determine the detailed rules for the application of this Decision.
Article 6 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 7 November 1977.
For the Council
The President
A. HUMBLET