French Customs Code
In force1. The use for carburation, sale or offering for sale for carburation of products whose use and sale for this purpose have not been specially authorised by orders of the Minister for the Budget and the Minister for Industry are prohibited.
By way of derogation from the first paragraph, the ministers responsible for the budget and for industry may, by joint decision, authorise the temporary use of unauthorised products as part of pilot testing projects to enable the development of less polluting fuels.
2. The use of pure vegetable oil as an agricultural fuel by farmers who have produced the plants from which the oil is extracted is authorised.
Pure vegetable oil is defined as crude or refined oil produced from oil-bearing plants without chemical modification by pressing, extraction or comparable processes.
3. Pure vegetable oils as defined in 2 may be used, pure or in blends, as fuel in vehicles, including public transport vehicles, of the captive fleets of local authorities or their groupings that they manage either directly or via a public service delegation contract, having concluded a protocol with the prefect and the regional director of customs with territorial jurisdiction. To this end, they sign a protocol with the prefect and the regional director of customs responsible for the area. Vegetable oils are used in this context under the full responsibility of the users.
4. A decree determines the conditions of application of 2.
5. The use of recovered used edible oils as fuel is authorised under conditions defined by a decree in the Conseil d'Etat issued after consultation with the Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail.
Recovered used edible oils are oils produced from or derived from residues of fats of plant or animal origin used for human consumption, in the food industry or in collective or commercial catering.
In terms of emissions of atmospheric pollutants, the use of these oils or derived fuels must at least match the performance of authorised fuels or biofuels.
6. Recovered used edible oils as defined in 5 may be used, pure or mixed, as vehicle fuel. They are subject to domestic consumption tax, at the rate applicable to diesel fuel as set out in article L. 312-35 of the code of taxes on goods and services.
