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The facts of the dispute were set out as follows by the General Court in paragraphs 1 to 11 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. In 2002, the Netherlands authorities notified the Commission of the general scheme of State aid provided in favour of wocos. Since the Commission found that the funding measures for wocos could be classified as existing aid, the Netherlands authorities subsequently withdrew their notification. 3. 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 or socially disadvantaged groups. 4. 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. 5. 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. 6. By letter of 3 December 2009, the Netherlands authorities proposed commitments to the Commission with a view to amending the general scheme of State aid in favour of wocos. 7. On 15 December 2009, the Commission adopted the [contested] decision. The Commission took note in particular of the Netherlands authorities’ commitments concerning aid measure E 2/2005, in accordance with Article 19 of Regulation No 659/1999. 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 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 following 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.’