WRITTEN QUESTION E-1827/02 by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission. State aid procedure initiated for Terra Mítica pursuant to Article 88(2).
Date: 2002-06-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, State aid, application of EU law, control of State aid, guarantee

8.5.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 110 E/25

Ongoing violence in the Moluccas as well as in the provinces of Aceh, Sulawesi and Papua gives rise for
continuing concern. The Government of Indonesia led by President Megawati is, the Commission believes,
making a real effort to balance the internal tensions and to encourage the settlement of disputes peacefully
with respect for human rights. Their brokering of the recent Malino peace accords between the Christian
and Moslem communities in the Moluccas and the rival groups in Sulawesi are examples.

The Commission is appreciative of the efforts of the Government of Indonesia to co-operate with the
international alliance against terrorism. It has noted that the leader of the Laskar Jihad movement, Mr. Jafar
Umar Thalib, has been arrested in the Moluccas and is now held in custody in Jakarta. It encourages the
Government of Indonesia to apply thoroughly the due processes of law as appropriate in this and other
cases.

The Commission is providing humanitarian assistance for the victims of disputes, as well as financial
assistance to help resolve disputes and to improve the human rights situation in Indonesia. The Moluccas
have been a particular focus of Commission actions in this regard. Already since 1999 the Commission
has provided EUR 4 600 000 in emergency aid to assist the victims, both Christian and Moslem, of the
violence in the Moluccas (cid:1) particularly Internally Displaced Persons. For the future, Indonesia is a focus
country for the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights 2002-2004. Already, in 2000 and
2001, four actions for a total value of EUR 1 862 880 have been funded under this Initiative through non-
governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. And an
indicative amount of EUR 2 500 000 is programmed for further European Initiative for Democracy and
Human Rights (EIDHR) actions to be financed during 2002.

(2003/C 110 E/024)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1827/02

by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission

(27 June 2002)

Subject: State aid procedure initiated for ‘Terra Mítica’ pursuant to Article 88(2)

The autonomous government of Valencia has authorised the regional ministry of finance to endorse a new
loan of EUR 145 million for the Alicante Theme Park Company, which brings the total sum of loans given
to the company to ESP 556 million, the majority of which has been earmarked for ‘Terra Mítica’, and the
remainder for the ‘Ciudad de la Luz’ project, both of which are linked to a certain extent.

There are also reports that ‘Terra Mítica’ has not been paying the interest on the loans granted to the
Theme Park Company, which had been endorsed by the Valencia government.

Is the Commission aware of these facts? If so, are they likely to have repercussions on the state aid
procedure for ‘Terra Mítica’?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(12 August 2002)

The Commission was not aware of the information referred to by the Honourable Member.

It would point out that the guarantee allegedly granted by the Generalitat Valenciana to Sociedad Parque
Temático de Alicante for a new loan of EUR 145 million that it is reported as having contracted cannot in
itself constitute state aid since Sociedad Parque Temático de Alicante is not engaged in any commercial
activity. By contrast, any additional financial assistance that Sociedad Parque Temático de Alicante may
have been in a position to grant to Terra Mítica on the back of its guaranteed loan might contain elements
of aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the Treaty. The Commission will therefore contact the
Spanish authorities in order to check this information and, if it turns out to be well founded, will ask them
whether additional financial assistance has been provided to Terra Mitica by Sociedad Parque Temático de
Alicante.

C 110 E/26

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.5.2003

As already indicated to the Honourable Member (1), the Commission takes the view that the Terra Mítica
and Ciudad de la Luz projects are separate projects.

The Commission will also write to the Spanish authorities in order to ascertain whether, as reported, Terra
Mítica is not paying any interest on the loan granted by Sociedad Parque Temático de Alicante.

The Commission will be certain to inform the Honourable Member direct of its findings as regards the two
aspects of his question. It would note that the question raises the possibility of additional unlawful aid
having been granted to Terra Mítica. It will treat this aid as a separate case from that in respect of which a
formal investigation had previously been initiated under Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty (2) and on which the
Commission adopted a final decision (absence of aid and compatible aid) on 2 August 2002.

(1) Letter from Mr Monti dated 5 February 2002.
(2) OJ C 300, 26.10.2001.

(2003/C 110 E/025)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1979/02

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Accommodation of nomadic people in European cities

(8 July 2002)

The accommodation of groups of nomadic people has become a pressing problem in many European
cities. Large groups of such people often stay for long periods, which inevitably causes problems as regards
logistics and their coexistence with the resident population. Lack of appropriate facilities and integration
problems can lead not only to growing intolerance but also to serious health emergencies among these
groups.

Can the Commission say:

1. Whether there are examples of good practice with regard to accommodating nomadic groups in

European cities?

2. Whether there are any studies or research on the phenomenon of migrant populations in Europe?

3. Whether it can express a general opinion on the subject?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(14 October 2002)

Promotion and protection of minority rights is an integral part of EU human rights policy. The Roma
1.
people, of whom there are some six million in the applicant countries, are the focus of particular attention.
The Commission’s communication to the Council and Parliament on the European Union’s role in
promoting human rights and democratisation in third countries identifies combating racism, xenophobia
and discrimination against minorities as a funding priority for 2002-2004 (1). On this basis, a call for
proposals focussing specifically on this area was issued in April 2002 under the European initiative for
democracy and human rights (EIDHR). EIDHR has played an active role in supporting the rights of the
Roma people. Several projects conducted jointly with the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and non-governmental organisations such as Minorities Rights Group
International and Caritas are currently under way (2).

Between 1998 and 2001 the Commission funded preparatory measures to combat and prevent social
exclusion. The aim of these programmes was to promote exchange and learning between Member States
on ways of combating social exclusion. Under these programmes, support was given to many initiatives
concerned with the integration of migrant peoples in general and in some cases specifically with nomadic