26.11.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 339/9 DECISIONS COMMISSION DECISION of 11 June 2014 on the State aid SA.18832 (2013/C) (ex 2013/NN) (ex 2011/MX) (ex N 44/2005) implemented by Lithuania for excise tax reductions on biofuels (notified under document C(2014) 3600) (Only the Lithuanian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2014/830/EU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 108(2) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provision(s) cited above (*) Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1)  Since 2006, the Directorate-General for Competition carries out each year an ex-post monitoring exercise of a sample of aid measures implemented by Member States. The Lithuanian excise tax reduction on biofuels scheme was included in the 2011 monitoring exercise, in the context of which the Commission examined how Member States applied a sample of existing schemes for the period 2009-2010. This scheme was approved by the Commission under the case number N44/2005 by its decision K (2005) 2957C of 27 July 2005 (hereinafter referred to as the Commission decision). (2)  The Commission has requested Lithuania to provide the necessary information in view of assessing the way the aid scheme has been implemented in 2009 and 2010, by letters dated 7 October 2011, 27 January 2012 and 26 June 2012. Lithuania provided the requested information by letters dated 10 November 2011, 24 February 2012 and 18 July 2012. (3) By letter dated 17 July 2013, the Commission informed Lithuania that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 108(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in respect of the aid scheme, as it was concerned about a possible misuse of the aid. The Lithuanian authorities provided their observations on 13 August 2013. (4)  The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 8 November 2013. The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments. (5)  The Commission received no comments from interested parties. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE AID SCHEME (6)  The scheme N 44/2005 consisted of a reduction in the excise tax on biofuels blended with fossil fuels. This reduc- tion applied only to the biofuel component of the mixture. Consequently, the tax rate of the excise duty to be applied to the blended biofuel products was reduced according to the proportion of biofuel in the final blend. () 0JC323,8.11.2013,p. 74.