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The facts underlying the dispute were set out as follows by the General Court in paragraphs 1 to 14 of the order under appeal: ‘1 The applicants … are housing corporations (woningcorporaties; hereinafter referred to as “wocos”) established in The Netherlands. Wocos are not-for-profit bodies whose mission is to acquire, build and rent out dwellings aimed mainly at underprivileged individuals and socially disadvantaged groups. Wocos also engage in other activities, such as the construction and lease of apartments at higher rents, the construction of apartments for sale and the construction and lease of public purpose buildings. 2 On 15 December 2009, the Commission adopted [the contested decision]. 3 In the first place, with regard to aid measure E 2/2005, in 2002 the Netherlands authorities notified the Commission of the general State aid scheme for wocos. Since the Commission found that the funding measures for wocos could be classified as existing aid, the Netherlands authorities subsequently withdrew their notification. 4 On 14 July 2005, the Commission sent a letter to the Netherlands authorities under Article 17 of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article [107 TFEU] (OJ 1999 L 83, p. 1), classifying the general scheme of State aid provided in favour of wocos as existing aid (aid measure E 2/2005) and expressing doubts as to the compatibility of that aid with the common market. First, the Commission pointed out that the Netherlands authorities had to amend the public service mission entrusted to wocos, in such a way that social housing would be earmarked for a clearly defined target group of underprivileged individuals or socially disadvantaged groups. It stated that all commercial activities of wocos had to be carried out in accordance with market conditions and should not benefit from State aid. Finally, it stated that the offer of social housing had to be adapted to the requirements of underprivileged individuals and socially disadvantaged groups. 5 After that letter had been sent, the Commission and the Netherlands authorities commenced negotiations in order to bring the aid scheme into line with Article 106(2) TFEU. 6 On 16 April 2007, the Association of institutional property investors of the Netherlands (Vereniging van Institutionele Beleggers in Vastgoed, Nederland …) lodged a complaint with the Commission concerning the aid granted to wocos. In June 2009, Vesteda Groep BV became a party to that complaint. 7 By letter of 3 December 2009, the Netherlands authorities offered commitments to the Commission designed to amend the general State aid scheme for wocos. 8 The following measures are included in the general scheme for State aid paid by the [Kingdom of the] Netherlands to wocos and referred to in the E 2/2005 procedure: (a) State guarantees for loans granted by the Guarantee Fund for the construction of social housing; (b) State aid from the Central Housing Fund, project-based aid or aid for rationalisation in the form of loans at preferential rates or direct subsidies; (c) the sale by municipal authorities of land at prices below market value; (d) the right to obtain loans from the Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten. 9 In the [contested] decision, the Commission classified each of those measures as constituting State aid and took the view that the Netherlands scheme for financing social housing constituted existing aid, as that scheme had been created before the EC Treaty entered into force in the Netherlands and the subsequent reforms did not bring about any fundamental change. 10 In recital 41 to the [contested] decision, the Commission stated: “The Netherlands authorities have made commitments to amend the functioning of wocos and the measures favouring them. For several of the planned changes the Netherlands authorities have submitted draft rules to the Commission. The new rules will be implemented by way of a new ministerial decree from 1 January 2010 and a new Housing Law from 1 January 2011. …” 11 The Commission examined the compatibility of aid measure E 2/2005 relating to the scheme for financing wocos, as amended, with the series of commitments provided by the Netherlands authorities. It concluded, in recital 72 to the [contested] decision, that “the aid for the provision of social housing, i.e. the activity of construction and renting out dwellings to individuals, including the building and maintenance of ancillary infrastructure, … is compatible with Article 106(2) TFEU”. As a result, the Commission accepted the commitments provided by the Netherlands authorities. 12 In the second place, with regard to aid measure N 642/2009, on 18 November 2009 the Netherlands authorities notified a new aid scheme for the regeneration of declining urban areas, classified as “specific project-based aid intended for certain areas”, which benefits wocos operating in the selected areas. This new aid scheme must be granted in accordance with the same conditions as those provided for with respect to the measures covered by the existing aid scheme, as amended following the commitments provided by the Netherlands authorities. 13 Aid measure N 642/2009 will be in the form of direct subsidies paid by the Centraal Fonds Volkshuisvesting (Central Housing Fund) for carrying out special projects relating to the construction and lease of housing in geographically defined zones corresponding to the most disadvantaged urban communities. It will be financed by a new tax paid by wocos which carry out their activities outside sensitive urban zones. 14 In the [contested] decision, the Commission took the view that aid measure N 642/2009 was compatible with the common market. It found that “[t]he aid for the activity of construction and renting out of dwellings to individuals, including the construction and maintenance of ancillary infrastructure and construction and renting out of public purpose buildings, is compatible with Article 106(2) TFEU”. As a result, it decided not to raise objections to the new measures notified.’