WRITTEN QUESTION E-0350/00 by Rosa Díez González (PSE), Fernando Pérez Royo (PSE) and Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission. Public aid in the electricity sector in Spain: costs borne by the consumer.
Date: 2000-02-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, State aid, control of State aid, liberalisation of the market, single market

C 330 E/136

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

Also under the above Regulation, on Monday 31 January 2000 the Commission requested more
information from the French authorities concerning the dispute and the measures which were likely to
be implemented in order to restore the free movement of goods.

The French authorities provided this information in their reply of 1 February 2000, pointing out that
instructions had been given to the law enforcement authorities to set up alternative routes and to distribute
the necessary information to those concerned. They also added that measures would be taken to allow any
subsequent claims for compensation to be dealt with under Article L. 2216-3 of the general code for local
authorities.

The Commission would like to draw the Honourable Member(cid:146)s attention to the fact that the blockades set
up during the recent disputes were lifted in a relatively short time compared with other occasions in the
recent past. The Commission believes this is certainly due in part to the implementation of Council
Regulation No 2679/98 and the steps taken by the economic operators involved.

(1) OJ L 337, 12.12.1998.

(2000/C 330 E/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0350/00

by Rosa D(cid:237)ez GonzÆlez (PSE), Fernando PØrez Royo (PSE)
and Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission

(14 February 2000)

Subject: Public aid in the electricity sector in Spain: costs borne by the consumer

To date Spanish consumers have paid more than Ptas 300 000 million for the CTC (costs of transition to
competition) approved by the Government and defined by the Commission, in principle, as illegal public
aid. Does the Commission consider that action must be taken to put an immediate end to this situation?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(21 March 2000)

The Commission is closely examining this very complex dossier which would in fact appear to be a case of
state aid granted without prior notification. However, as the Commission pointed out to the Honourable
Members in its reply to written question E-0165/00 (1),
in accordance with the Court(cid:146)s case law the
unlawful nature of a state aid measure, i.e. the fact that it was granted without prior notification to the
Commission, does not prejudge its compatibility with the common market. The Commission consequently
does not plan at
this stage to apply Article 11(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of
22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (2) to request
the Member State to suspend payment of the aid. Needless to say, it will take account of the amounts
already paid when it takes its final decision on the case.

(1) See page 96.
(2) OJ L 83, 27.3.1999.

(2000/C 330 E/154)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0354/00

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) and Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Rising cost of motor vehicle liability insurance

(14 February 2000)

Since 1994, the year in which charges for compulsory motor vehicle liability insurance were deregulated,
there has been an alarming increase in the premiums charged to motorists. This year insurance charges in
Italy are set to rise by between 30 and 60 %, an increase which will applied by all the companies present