Article 74 — Limitation period for the enforcement of penalties

1. The power of the Commission to enforce decisions taken pursuant to Article 72 shall be subject to a limitation period of three years. 2. The limitation period shall begin to run on the day on which the decision becomes final. 3. The limitation period for the enforcement of fines and periodic penalty payments shall be interrupted by: (a) a notification of a decision varying the original amount of the fine or periodic penalty payment or refusing an application for variation; (b) any action of the Commission or of a Member State, acting at the request of the Commission, designed to enforce payment of the fine or periodic penalty payment. 4. Each interruption as referred to in paragraph 3 shall start the limitation period running afresh. 5. The limitation period for the enforcement of fines and periodic penalty payments shall be suspended for as long as: (a) time to pay is allowed; (b) enforcement of payment is suspended pursuant to a decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union.