L 180/52 Official Journal of the European Union 18.7.2003 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 17 February 2003 on the State aid implemented by the Netherlands for international financing activities (notified under document number C(2003) 568) (Only the Dutch text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/515/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) thereof, 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 (') and having regard to their comments, Whereas: 1. PROCEDURE In 1997, with a view to tackling harmful tax competi- tion, the Ecofin Council approved a code of conduct for business taxation () and set up an ad hoc group to assess the tax measures that might be covered by it. In accordance with the code of conduct, in 1998 the Commission issued a notice on the application of the State aid rules to measures relating to direct business taxation (¥) in which it emphasised its commitment to the strict application of the rules, subject to the principle of equal treatment. The Commission has begun investi- gating those measures regarded as harmful by the code of conduct group on the basis of the State aid rules. The Commission points out that the activities of the code of conduct group serve the same purpose as the European 06, 31.10.2001, p. 6. 0jC3 0] C2,6.1.1998, p. 1. 0JC3 84,10.12.1998, p. 3. Union's State aid policy: both are designed to bring an end to measures which distort or threaten to distort competition in the internal market. The Commission has also taken note of progress in combating harmful tax competition, and in particular the steps taken by the Member States to abolish the measures identified by the code of conduct group or to deal with the harmful aspects thereof. By letter dated 12 February 1999 the Commission asked the Dutch authorities for information on the scheme concerning international financing activities (group financing activities, hereinafter referred to as the ‘gfa scheme’). The Netherlands provided the requested infor- mation by letter dated 8 March 1999. The Commission notified the Dutch authorities by letter dated 11 July 2001 of its decision to institute the proce- dure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty. The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Commu- nities (). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid measure. The Commission received comments from interested parties and forwarded them to the Netherlands for comments. The Dutch authorities responded by letter dated 30 January 2002. (*) See footnote 1.