22.2.2008 Official Journal of the European Union L 49/1 Il (Acts adopted under the EC Treaty/Euratom Treaty whose publication is not obligatory) DECISIONS COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 22 June 2006 on the ad hoc financing of Dutch public service broadcasters C 2/2004 (ex NN 170/2003) (notified under document number C (2006)2084) (Only the Dutch text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2008/136/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Whereas: Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) thereof, 1) Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 62(1)(a) thereof, ) Having called on interested parties to submit their comments @ pursuant to the provisions cited above (1), Having regard to their comments, () OJ C 61, 10.3.2004, p. 8. L PROCEDURE AND BACKGROUND 1 PROCEDURE In the course of 2002 (%) and 2003 (}) the Commission received several complaints alleging that the public funding system in place for Dutch public broadcasters constitutes unlawful and incompatible state aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty. In the course of the preliminary investigation of the complaints, the Commission received additional informa- tion from the complainants (*), as well as the Dutch authorities (°). By letter of 24 May 2002 from CLT-UFA S.A. and the associated subsidiaries RTL/Holland Media Groep S.A. and Yorin TV BV; by letter of 10 October 2002 from SBS Broadcasting; by letter of 28 November 2002 from VESTRA. By letter of 3 June 2003 from the Dutch Newspaper Publishers Association and by letter of 19 June 2003 from publishing company De Telegraaf. By letters of 29 June 2002, 28 October 2002, 21 February 2003 and two letters dated 19 June 2003. By letters of 12 September 2002 and 18 September 2002, in response to an information request from the Commission of 24 June 2002.