TheresearchrequiredtoprovideamoredetailedanswertotheHonourableMember’squestion,addressing
thespecificpointsraisedinrespectofeachbuilding,wouldbeoutofallproportiontotheresultobtainedandwouldbeinappropriateinthecontextofansweringawrittenquestion.Nevertheless,someoftherequested detailed information on buildings&information on the Commission’s building standard,‘ImmeubleType’,isbeingsentdirecttotheHonourableMembertosupplementtheaboveresponse.
(2004/C58E/081) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1381/03
byGilesChichester(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(15April2003)
Subject:Swedishstateaidtomunicipalhousingcompanies
Thedevelopmentofcross-borderpropertyinvestmentisoneoftherecentgreatbreakthroughsofthe
internalmarket,reachingEUR25billioninjustafewyears.ThisinturnisleadingtotheemergenceofaEuropeanpropertyindustrywhoseincreasinglysophisticatedservicesprovideimportantunderpinningfortheEuropeaneconomy.ItisthedutyoftheCommissiontoensurethatStateaidisnotallowedtodistortcompetitioninthepropertysector.
Lastyear,theSwedishgovernmentgrantedaninitialEUR300millioninsubsidiestomunicipalhousing
companies(MHCs).Thisincludedpurchasingnon-viablehousingfromMHCsforconversiontootherusesandprovidingMHCswithequitycapitalandloanguarantees.ThedistortionofcompetitionensuesfromthefactthatMHCsarenotprovidersofsocialhousing;theycompetewithprivatehousingcompaniesforthesametenants.ThedistortionismagnifiedbythefactthattheSwedish‘utilityvaluesystem’obligeslocaljudgestosettherentofprivatelandlordsatthesamerateasthatofcomparableMHCs.TheStateaidthereforeenablesMHCstobankruptgenuinelyprivatehousingcompaniesbysettingrentsatlevelsthattheirprivatecompetitorscannotmatch.
ThedistortionisparticularlyrelevanttothesubstantialandincreasingEuropeanpropertyinvestmentin
Sweden,becauseallofitis,bydefinition,private.
FollowingacomplaintbytheEuropeanPropertyFederation,theCommissionlaunchedaninvestigation
lastsummer(CP115/02/dashFinancialSupportGrantedtoSwedishMunicipalHousingCompanies)andtheSwedishgovernmentresponded.
1. DidtheCommissionrespondtotheSwedishgovernment’sletterof16October2002andifso,how?2. WhatisthecurrentstateoftheCommission’sinvestigationsconcerningthismatter?
3. WhendoestheCommissionexpecttoconclude?
AnswergivenbyMrMontionbehalfoftheCommission
(15May2003)
1. TheinformationprovidedbytheSwedishGovernmentintheirletterof16October2002isstill
beingassessed;aformalresponsetotheletterinquestionhasthusnotbeenmade.6.3.2004EN C58E/63 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
2. TheCommissionisinvestigatingthevariousissuesraisedbytheoriginalcomplaint.Additionally,on
21January2003theCommissionhasreceivedaformalnotificationfromtheSwedishGovernmentofproposed state measures also concerning the housing market in Sweden. To ensure a consistentandcoherentapproachintheassessmentofthetwocasesinquestiontheCommissionisnowinvestigatingtheminparallel;toenabletheCommissiontomoveforwardonthisbasisithasrequestedadditionalinformationfromtheSwedishGovernmentconcerningthenotification.
3. TheCommissionhasnotarrivedatadefinitiveconclusionyet.Itexpectstodoitafteritwillhave
receivedalltheinformationnecessaryforafinaldecision.
(2004/C58E/082) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1387/03
byRobertaAngelilli(UEN)totheCommission
(15April2003)
Subject:PossibilityoffundingzootechnologyprojectsineasternEurope
TheItaliancompanyNuovaCizos.r.l.hasbeenoperatingforsomeyearsinthezootechnologysectoron
theplanning,construction,installationandmarketingofmetalstructures,automaticequipment,fodder
storagesilosandvariouskindsofplantengineering.
The company has developed extensive technical capacity for innovation and is increasingly asked to
undertake comprehensive projects entailing supply of breeding structures, automatic facilities and therelevanttechnologicalplant,includingaprojectforproducingorganicchickensthatisuniqueinEurope.
Itiscurrentlydevelopingtwoinnovativeprojectsforclosed-cyclepoultrybreeding,coveringallphasesof
productionfromeggtoadultbird,includingprocessing,meat-packinganddistributionofthefinishedproductonlocalmarkets.
TheseprojectsareattractingtheinterestofsomeeasternEuropeancountriessoontojointheEuropean
Union,aswellasothers,includingAlbaniainparticular,whichcouldenterintocooperationwithaviewtodevelopingsimilarproductioncyclesintheirowncountries.
Inthelightoftheabove,willtheCommissionsay:
1. whetherEUfundsareavailabletofinanceprojectsofthekinddescribedaboveinthecountriesof
easternEurope?
2. whatprocedureswouldthecompanyNuovaCizoanditspartnershavetofollowtoobtainsuch
funding?
AnswergivenonbehalfoftheCommissionbyFranzFischler
(3June2003)
1. Regardingagricultureandruraldevelopment,theaccedingcountriesofcentralandeasternEurope
benefitfromthepre-accessionSapardprogrammesetupunderCouncilRegulation1268/1999of21June1999(
1).
Thewayitworks:thecountrieseachdrawupaprogrammetobeapprovedbytheCommission,thensee
toitsimplementationsubjecttoaCommissiondecisionempoweringthemtosodo.Themeasureseligiblefor co-financing include investments in agricultural holdings and in the processing and marketing ofagricultural products. The public contribution may not exceed 50% of the total, while Communityexpendituremaynotexceed75%ofthepublicaid.C58E/64 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion