WRITTEN QUESTION E-0292/01 by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission. State aid to the Terra Mítica theme park in Benidorm (Alicante): guarantees granted by the Valencian government.
Date: 2001-02-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Andalusia, Community of Valencia, State aid, complaint to the Commission, exchange of information, infringement procedure (EU), leisure park

C 235 E/172

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

(2001/C 235 E/200)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0290/01

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 February 2001)

Subject: Gender equality programmes

Can the Commission list those organisations which receive money to promote positive discrimination
based on gender?

What videos have been created by the (cid:145)Association des femmes de l(cid:146)Europe mØridionale(cid:146)? What money was
supplied by the EC to fund them? Can the Commission suply copies to the DG IV library so that such
videos are available to Members?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(28 March 2001)

The Commission has funded several organisations under the medium-term Community action programme
on equal opportunities for men and women (1996-2000) established by Council Decision 95/593/EC of
22 December 1995 (1), in order to allow for the exchange of information and experience on good practice
at transnational
level and/or to identify and develop good practice and transfer of information and
experience to promote the integration of equal opportunities for men and women.

The Commission will submit a final report on the implementation of the programme to the Parliament,
the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions before 31 December
2001.

In the interim, the Commission is sending direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat
the directories of projects funded in the financial years 1996-1999 and a list of the organisations funded in
financial year 2000.

The Association des femmes de l(cid:146)Europe mØridionale (AFEM) has produced a video entitled (cid:145)Femmes et
hommes, dØcidons ensemble. Le PE: une antichambre de la paritØ(cid:146) with the aim of promoting a positive
image of women(cid:146)s and men(cid:146)s roles in society. The Commission co-funded the production of the video for
an amount of € 23 112. The ownership, title and industrial and intellectual property rights of the video are
vested in the beneficiary. Therefore, all requests for copies should be addressed to AFEM, for the attention
of Mr Yannick Ladroyes, 48, rue de Vaugirard F-75006 Paris (fax number: 33.(0)1.43.25.93.87).

(1) OJ L 335, 30.12.1995.

(2001/C 235 E/201)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0292/01

by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission

(9 February 2001)

Subject: State aid to the Terra M(cid:237)tica theme park in Benidorm (Alicante): guarantees granted by the

Valencian government

In its reply of November 1999 to Written Question E-2004/99 (1) on a complaint regarding the alleged
granting of state aid to the Terra M(cid:237)tica park, the Commission stated that it had not yet come to the
conclusion that aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) had been granted to the company concerned by
the Valencian government and the municipality of Benidorm.

Although the complaint was filed back in 1997, no investigation into this case has been opened and the
complaint has yet to be dismissed, presumably because new facts have come to light and are now being
looked into by the Commission. The only fact to have been made public in Valencia concerns the indirect
granting of guarantees by the Valencian government, which has renounced the benefit of discussion,

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a development that could well have repercussions, particularly in the light of the criteria set out by
Commissioner Monti to the European Parliament on the granting of guarantees. Terra M(cid:237)tica stands to
benefit from such guarantees granted to a public company which subsequently takes out a loan.

Does the Commission take the view that the granting of guarantees to a public company such as those
from which Terra M(cid:237)tica stands to benefit might amount to state aid?

What new facts have emerged since November 1999 to prevent the complaint from being dismissed?

Bearing in mind the case-law of the Court of Justice and the amount of time that has elapsed, should the
complaint not be dismissed or an investigation into this case formally opened,
in which event those
concerned could present their arguments?

Does the Commission not take the view that the uncertainty surrounding this case could harm the
company(cid:146)s viability?

(1) OJ C 203, 18.7.2000, p. 111.

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(19 March 2001)

According to the Spanish authorities, which were questioned specifically on this point in the course of the
investigation following the complainant(cid:146)s allegations, no guarantee benefiting Terra Mitica has been
granted by the Generalitat Valenciana.

On 23 March 2000 the Director of the State Aid I Directorate of the Commission(cid:146)s Directorate-General for
Competition informed the complainant that at this stage in the procedure he was not in a position to
conclude that state aid had been granted benefiting Terra Mitica. He invited the complainant to make new
allegations to him, failing which the case would be closed. The complainant duly did so by letters dated
18 April, 4 May and 25 May 2000. These new allegations are still being examined by the Commission.

In view of the above,
the Commission does not rule out initiating the procedure provided for in
Article 88(2) (formerly Article 93) of the EC Treaty with respect to some of the complainant(cid:146)s allegations.
This would allow the parties concerned to submit their comments.

The Commission does not consider that the investigation into this case could have affected the viability of
the enterprise. Moreover, it notes that the park was opened at the end of July 2000 and is functioning
normally.

(2001/C 235 E/202)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0294/01

by Isidoro SÆnchez Garc(cid:237)a (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Applications for assistance from the Cohesion Fund

(9 February 2001)

Which regions of those Member States covered by the Cohesion Fund have submitted projects with a view
to obtaining assistance from the Fund, and which of these projects have been approved?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(26 March 2001)

The Commission would point out that applications to finance projects from the Cohesion Fund are
submitted to it by the Member State and not by the regions. The Commission is therefore unaware of the
projects submitted by the regions to the national authorities.