1.3.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L 60/57 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 31 October 2000 on Spain's corporation tax laws (notified under document number C(2000) 3269) (Only the Spanish text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/168/ECSC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, and in particular Article 4(c) thereof, Having regard to Commission Decision No 2496/96/ECSC of 18 December 1996 establishing Community rules for State aid to the steel industry ('), and in particular Article 6(5) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provisions cited above (?), and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE By letter dated 16 April 1996 the Commission, having been alerted by competitors of Spanish steel firms, requested the Spanish authorities to supply information enabling it to assess the scope and effects of Article 34 of Act 43/1995 of 27 December 1995 on corporation tax (%). By letter dated 7 August 1997 the Commission informed the Spanish Government that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 6(5) of Commission Decision No 2496/96/ECSC (‘the Steel Aid Code’) in respect of that measure. Since the provisions of Article 34 of Act 43/1995 were applied in the same terms by the Provincial Council of Vizcaya (Article 43 of Provincial Act 3/96 of 26 June 1996 (¥), the Provincial Council of Guiptzcoa (Article 43 of Provincial Act 7/ 1996 of 4 July 1996 (%)) and the Provincial Council of Alava (Article 43 of Provincial Act 24/1996 of 5 July 1996 (), those bodies enjoying autonomous taxation L 338, 28.12.1996, p. 42. C 329, 31.10.1997. E No 310, 28.12.1995. B No 135, 11.7.1996. OG No 133, 10.7.1996 and No 138, 17.7.1996 (corrected text). OTHA No 90, 9.8.1996. powers, the Spanish authorities were informed that the Commission decision to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 6(5) of the Steel Aid Code also covered those three Articles. The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communi- ties (7). The Commission invited other Member States and interested parties to submit their comments on the matter. The Spanish Government responded by letter of 13 October 1997. Unesid (Unién de Empresas Sidertrgicas), Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl and CEOE (Confederacion Espafiola de Organizaciones Empresariales) submitted observations to the Commission by letters dated 27 November 1997, 1 December 1997 and 27 November 1997 respectively. Spain replied to the comments received from third parties by letter dated 16 March 1998. II. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE AID Article 34 of Act 43/1995, entitled ‘Deduction for export activities, provides that businesses engaged in export activities are entitled to tax credits amounting to 25 % of: (a) investments made in the creation of branches or permanent establishments abroad as well as the acquisition of shares in foreign companies or the setting-up of subsidiaries directly associated with the export of goods or services or the sale of tourism services in Spain; () See footnote 2.