16.

Article 3 of that regional law, entitled ‘Contribution Scheme in respect of purchases of motor fuel’, provides: ‘1. The regional administrative authority is authorised to make contributions towards purchases of fuel for transport purposes by persons who are beneficiaries, each time they make an individual fuel purchase, on the basis of the quantity of fuel purchased. 2. Contributions towards purchases of petrol and diesel are set at 12 cents per litre and 8 cents per litre, respectively. 3. The amounts of the contributions towards purchases of petrol and diesel referred to in paragraph 2 shall be increased by 7 cents per litre and 4 cents per litre, respectively, for beneficiaries residing in communes situated in mountainous or semi-mountainous areas designated as less-favoured or partially less-favoured areas by Council Directive 75/273/EEC of 28 April 1975 concerning the Community list of less-favoured farming areas within the meaning of Directive No 75/268/EEC (Italy)[, ( 5 )] and in communes identified by [various Commission decisions concerning regional aid]. 4. For economic reasons or due to regional budgetary constraints, and after consulting the relevant committee of the executive, the contributions referred to in paragraph 2 and the increases referred to in paragraph 3 may be adjusted, within a variation limit of 10 and 8 cents per litre, respectively, by decision of the regional executive, for petrol and diesel separately and for a maximum period of three months, which is renewable. The decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the Region. 4a. Without prejudice to the overall balance of the budget, the regional executive may, in order to address an exceptional economic situation, increase the contributions referred to in paragraph 3, up to 10 cents per litre, by means of a decision applicable until 30 September 2012 at the latest. 5. Beneficiaries shall be entitled to receive the contributions referred to in paragraph 2 for any fuel purchases made electronically as provided for by this law at any sales outlets located on the territory of the region. 5a. The agreements referred to in Article 8(5) may lay down the procedure whereby refunds are to be made to beneficiaries where a fuel purchase is made outside the territory of the region. 6. A contribution shall not be made in respect of an individual fuel purchase where the total amount of the benefit is less than EUR 1. 7. The contributions referred to in the present article shall be increased by 5 cents per litre if the motor vehicle being refuelled is fitted with at least one zero-emission engine combined or coordinated with a petrol or diesel engine. 8. With effect from 1 January 2015, the contributions referred to in paragraph 2 shall be reduced by 50% for motor vehicles other than those referred to in paragraph 7 that meet emissions standard “Euro 4” or below. 9. The contributions referred to in paragraph 2 shall not be granted for new or second-hand vehicles purchased after 1 January 2015 if they are different from those referred to in paragraph 7 and meet emissions standard “Euro 4” or below. 9a. Any other regional benefit linked to the purchase of fuel cannot be combined with contributions granted under this article.’