WRITTEN QUESTION E-3346/02 by Wolfgang Ilgenfritz (NI) to the Commission. EU aid for Hungary.
Date: 2002-11-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Hungary, accession to the European Union, leisure park

15.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 11 E/49

Under the current state of Community law, direct taxation falls essentially within the competence of
Member States. In the exercise of this competence, Member States have to respect their obligations under
the EC Treaty. It is for the Member States to design their national tax system with all its features (rates,
exemptions etc), as long as they do not discriminate on the basis of nationality or install or maintain
discriminations of nationals of other Member States who exercise their freedoms provided for in the EC
Treaty or apply unjustified or disproportionate restrictions to the freedoms of the EC Treaty. In general,
the Commission does not consider differences in the level of taxation between Member States to constitute
a restriction of the freedoms which is, as such, contrary to the EC Treaty. More particularly, the discription
given by the Honourable Member of the taxation of revenue from sale of television rights in the
Netherlands does not lead the Commission to conclude that there is an infringement of Community law.

According to the information available to the Commission, the Netherlands’ tax rules on the taxation of
foreign performing artists and professional athletes do not infringe the freedoms provided for by the EC
Treaty either.

(2004/C 11 E/051)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3346/02

by Wolfgang Ilgenfritz (NI) to the Commission

(26 November 2002)

Subject: EU aid for Hungary

At present there are plans to develop a holiday park covering 43 ha in Csörötnek, Hungary. The
investment costs will total some HUF 2,4 billion.

1.

Does EU aid for Hungary cover this project?

If so, from where can application forms for aid in developing a holiday park involving an estimated

2.
investment of HUF 2,4 billion be obtained and to which department or unit should they be submitted?

3. Who is providing liaison in connection with this project?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(13 January 2003)

The Commission is not aware of the plans to develop a holiday park in Csörötnek, and no aid has been
provided through PHARE or other pre-accession funds for preparatory studies or for the investment itself.

The Economic and Social Cohesion component of the 2002-2003 PHARE programme does not include
projects having among the eligible activities investments in holiday parks. Hence, up to accession, no
investment aid can be obtained from PHARE (or other pre-accession instrument) by the project in
question. It might be possible to obtain support for preparatory studies, through the joint small project
fund of the Austria/Hungary Cross Border Co-operation programme under PHARE, provided that the
project has a distinct Cross Border character. Additional information in that respect might be obtained
from the Hungarian authorities at the National Agency for Regional Development, 1016 Budapest,
Gellérthegy u. 30-32, Tel. +36 1 4887171, Fax. +36 1 4887188.

Upon accession, subject to the inclusion of a specific measure in the relevant programming documents
(currently under preparation), it might be possible to obtain support from Structural Funds for similar
projects, provided that they comply with the competition and other relevant Community rules, including
Article 29(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions
on the Structural Funds (1).

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.