
Article 1 

1. France is hereby authorised to apply reduced rates of taxation to unleaded petrol and gas oil used as motor fuels. Commercial gas oil used as propellant within the meaning of Article 7(2) of Directive 2003/96/EC shall not be eligible for any such reductions.
2. Administrative regions may be permitted to apply differentiated reductions provided the following conditions are fulfilled:
(a) the reductions are no greater than 17,7 EUR per 1 000 litres of unleaded petrol and 11,5 EUR per 1 000 litres of gas oil;
(b) the reductions are no greater than the difference between the levels of taxation of non-commercial gas oil used as propellant and commercial gas oil used as propellant;
(c) the reductions are linked to the objective socioeconomic conditions of the regions in which they are applied;
(d) the application of regional reductions does not have the effect of granting a region a competitive advantage in intra-Union trade.
3. The reduced rates must comply with the requirements of Directive 2003/96/EC, and in particular the minimum rates laid down in Article 7 thereof.
Article 2 
This Decision shall take effect on the date of its notification.
It shall apply from 1 January 2016.
It shall expire on 31 December 2017.
Article 3 
This Decision is addressed to the French Republic.
Done at Brussels, 8 March 2016.
For the Council
The President
J.R.V.A. DIJSSELBLOEM