WRITTEN QUESTION E-1941/03 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Stamp duty exemption scheme.
Date: 2003-06-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: State aid, United Kingdom, aid to undertakings, less-favoured region, regional aid, stamp duty, tax exemption, tax system, urban area

C 84 E/12

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

STOP Programme and AGIS Programme

On 29 November 1996,
the Council adopted an incentive and exchange programme for persons
responsible for combating trade in human beings and the sexual exploitation of children (STOP) to
support measures such as training, exchange programmes, organisation of multidisciplinary meetings and
seminars, studies and research as well as dissemination of information. A second phase of the programme
was established for the period from 2001 to 2002 paying particular attention to the involvement of the
applicant countries.

Tables containing more detailed information concerning the STOP and STOP II programmes are sent direct
to the Honourable Member and the Parliament’s Secretariat.

On 22 July 2002, the Council adopted the AGIS framework programme on police and judicial cooperation
in criminal matters. AGIS is also foreseen, among other issues, for the financial support of projects aimed
at combating trafficking in human beings and the sexual exploitation of children. Such projects, however,
might appear under different objectives of the annual programmes (training of police and magistrates,
preventive actions towards third countries, studies and systems for the exchange of information and
collection of statistics in this particular area). Therefore, the financial support for such projects in 2003 is
not strictly limited to EUR 800 000. The exact amount will be determined taking into account the nature
and quality of all applications received.

(1) OJ C 62 E, 27.2.2001.
(2) OJ L 79, 26.3.2003.
(3) COM(2002) 169.

(2004/C 84 E/0011)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1940/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 June 2003)

Subject: Stamp duty exemption scheme

In approving the UK stamp duty exemption scheme for disadvantaged areas, as announced in DN; PP/03/
8.9 dated 21 January 2003, can the Commission indicate why it regards wards containing more than one
fifth of the population of the UK as ‘small areas of severe deprivation’ and what the reporting obligations
and the timescale are for these reports from the UK authorities on the input of the scheme on the physical
regeneration of the eligible areas?

(2004/C 84 E/0012)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1941/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 June 2003)

Subject: Stamp duty exemption scheme

1. Will the Commission publish the letter dated 21 December 2001 from the UK authorities and
registered by the Commission on 9 January 2002?

2. What submissions and evidence did the UK authorities put forward in response to the doubts
expressed by the Commission and recorded in the Official Journal of 27 April 2002 about whether the list
of ‘designated disadvantaged areas’ would in effect lead to a significant widening of the UK regional aid
map? What allayed the Commission’s doubts about whether the sale of non-residential property and the
creation of new leases for such property constitutes in all circumstances ‘initial investment’ as defined in
the guidelines? What allayed the Commission’s doubts about whether the aid intensity of the scheme
would exceed 4 % What allayed the Commission’s doubts about the restrictions of aid in the deprived

3.4.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/13

urban area guidelines to small companies only and solely to beneficiaries who carried on their principal
economic activity in deprived urban areas and reserved at least 20 % of the new jobs created for persons
resident in the deprived area?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1940/03 and E-1941/03
given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(14 July 2003)

The Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that its Decision on the aid scheme
entitled: ‘Stamp duty exemption for non-residential properties in disadvantaged areas’ was published in the
Official Journal of the European Union (1). The Commission Decision contains a detailed response to the
two written questions mentioned above. The Commission would, therefore, like to refer to its Decision on
the matter.

Concerning the notification of the scheme, which was sent by the British authorities on 21 December
2001, the Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that Council Regulation (EC) No 659/
1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 (now Article 88) of
the EC Treaty (2) does not provide for the publication of notifications from the Member States in the
Official Journal of the European Union. A description of the facts contained in the notification is to be
found, in particular, in Section II (description of the aid) of Commission decision ‘Stamp duty exemption
for non-residential properties in disadvantaged areas.’

(1) OJ L 149, 17.6.2003.
(2) OJ L 83, 27.3.1999.

(2004/C 84 E/0013)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1974/03

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Rehabilitation of earthquake victims in Attica

(5 June 2003)

There are serious social problems in the areas of Attica affected by the earthquakes of 1999, in particular
housing and unemployment. The National Action Plan for social
integration incorporates retraining
schemes to promote the employment of earthquake victims who were unemployed or lost their jobs
owing to the damage caused by the 1999 earthquake. Moreover, unemployed earthquake victims were
entitled to places on the new jobs programme with higher benefit.

What is the take-up rate for the above programmes and how effective have the measures been? Does the
Commission know how many participants managed to obtain employment after training? Is it satisfied
with the policy pursued by the Greek Government?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(4 July 2003)

A National Action Plan for Social Integration is drawn up every two years by each Member State under the
open method of coordination. The objective is to set out an overall strategy embracing all measures aimed
at minimising social exclusion and promoting the integration of disadvantaged people.

An Action Plan therefore does not constitute a programme in the Structural Funds sense and is not part-
financed by the European Union, although specific activities under it may be part-financed if they are
included in a Community Support Framework (CSF) currently being implemented.

Vocational training and employment assistance measures for victims of the 1999 Athens earthquake part-
financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) were included in the ‘Social Exclusion’ programme under the
second Community Support Framework (CSF II) 1994-1999. This programme has been wound up with a
take-up rate of 97,77 %.