WRITTEN QUESTION E-1940/03 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