96/615/EC: Commission Decision of 29 May 1996 on the renewal, for the period 1993 to 1997, of the charge levied on certain oil products for the benefit of the Institut Français du Pétrole (IFP) (Only the French text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance)

• Articles: 4

Article 1

The renewal, for the period 1993 to 1997, of the parafiscal charge levied on certain oil products for the benefit of the IFP shall not be caught by Article 92 (1) of the EC Treaty in so far as:

1. the financing of the IFP's research and development (R& D) activities from the proceeds of that parafiscal charge does not constitute aid within the meaning of Article 92 (1) of the EC Treaty;

2. transfers to companies of the findings of R& D carried out by the IFP, either on its own account or on a collaborative basis, do not constitute aid within the meaning of Article 92 (1) of the EC Treaty because such transfers are effected without any discrimination between interested firms from the Member States.

Article 2

In compliance with its undertaking to levy the charge for the benefit of the IFP on oil products intended for export, which it entered into in the letter dated 5 January 1996 from the Office of its Permanent Representative to the European Union, France shall inform the Commission of the measures it has taken to implement the draft Decree amending Decree 93-28 of 8 January 1993 within two months of this Decision being notified.

Article 3

France shall inform the Commission, by submitting an annual report, of the amount of the charge fixed each year and of the use made by the IFP of the proceeds thereof, specifying the different categories of activity undertaken and giving a detailed description of those activities and of the partners with which they are carried out.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the French Republic.

Done at Brussels, 29 May 1996.

For the Commission Karel VAN MIERT Member of the Commission

(4) Since the French authorities have asked the Commission to keep details of the relationship between the IFP and firms strictly confidential, these firms' names will not be quoted in this Decision. Data on the firms concerned are given on an aggregate basis.

(5) According to the information provided by the French authorities, these percentages have not changed significantly for a number of years.

(6) Adopted by the Commission on 20 December 1995 and communicated to the Member States by letter dated 19 January 1996 (OJ No C 45, 17. 2. 1996, p. 5.).

(7) See footnote 6.

(8) See footnote 2.

(9) Letter TL/dm No 0016 of 5 January 1996 from the Office of the French Permanent Representative to the European Union.