WRITTEN QUESTION E-3470/02 by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission. Shortfall in revenue from electricity sales in Spain — possible illegal state aid?.
Date: 2002-12-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, State aid, control of State aid, electrical energy, fixing of prices

7.11.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 268 E/35

(2003/C 268 E/039)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3470/02

by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission

(6 December 2002)

Subject: Shortfall in revenue from electricity sales in Spain (cid:1) possible illegal state aid?

According to the Spanish Government’s proposals concerning electricity tariffs, the electricity companies’
revenue shortfall will be made good (during the 2003-2010 period) by means of a new tariff component
which the companies will be legally entitled to charge.

These proposals may well constitute a new attempt by the Spanish Government to allocate indirect aid to
Spanish electricity companies by granting the official authorisation which it was required to withdraw in
the case of power and heat supply stations, on account of the Commission’s unequivocal stance on the
matter.

Does the Commission not consider that such proposals may involve the provision of illegal state aid to
Spain’s electricity companies?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2003)

On 25 July 2001 the Commission decided, in the light of the state aid rules, not to raise any objection to
the transitional scheme for competition transition costs (CTCs) on the electricity market in Spain (1).

It has not been informed of the definitive version of the new system of electricity tariffs in Spain. However,
according to the preliminary explanations provided by the Spanish authorities, the new system does not at
the moment entail any substantial change in the CTC scheme, particularly as regards either total CTCs or
the maximum duration of
the scheme in line with
the scheme. Accordingly,
Article 88(3) of the EC Treaty does not seem necessary.

fresh notification of

In any event, the Commission is determined to ensure that the conditions laid down in its decision of
25 July 2001 are complied with by the Spanish authorities and, in this connection, it will examine the
annual reports on the application of that decision that they are required to send to the Commission and
any legislative or regulatory change in the way CTCs are applied.

(1) Decision of 25 July 2001 in Case NN 49/59 Spain (OJ C 268, 22.9.2001). The full text of the decision is available

at the following Internet site: http:/europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state/_aids.

(2003/C 268 E/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3474/02

by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 December 2002)

Subject: Strange conditions in notice of recruitment of officials in Greece

A notice has been published in Greece announcing the recruitment of agronomists and economists for an
indefinite period by Opekepe, the organisation for payment and control of Community aid from the
EAGGF, which comes under the Greek Ministry for Agriculture. Among the qualifications for recruitment,
reference is made to ‘the availability and use of a car for official journeys outside the place of employment’.
The posts concerned involve travelling to olive-producing regions in Greece at least three weeks a month.
Moreover, Opekepe is a supervisory body working on behalf of the Greek Government and the European
Union, which jointly finance the programmes for monitoring the use of Community aid.