WRITTEN QUESTION E-1761/99 by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission. Proceedings opened in relation to state aid in the Spanish electricity sector.
20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/95 The Commission accepts the urgent need to reinforce local information structures so that they can fully play their role as neighbourhood centres and serve the general public as efficiently as possible. It is also aware of the need to better publicise the existence of these structures and to ensure that their activities are better publicised. Although steps have been taken in this direction, more remains to be done. A site presenting the information relays is now available on the Europa server ü under the heading The European Union near youí, it gives the addresses of local information relays. Links with sites developed by the relays themselves are planned. The Europe Directí service, which gathers together requests for information from citizens of all the Member States, systematically informs correspondents in every reply of the existence of the nearest information centre. The Commission representations do the same. Other approaches could be explored, such as publicity campaigns in local media. However, these would require a considerable investment in terms of funding and human resources. (2000/C 170 E/109) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1761/99 by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission (11 October 1999) Subject: Proceedings opened in relation to state aid in the Spanish electricity sector DG IV has opened state aid proceedings in relation to the fact that the cost of transition to competition (CTC) for Spanish electricity companies has been set at PTA 1 300 000 million. According to press reports in Spain, the Vice-President, Mrs Loyola de Palacio, is seeking to be granted competence with regard to state aid in the energy sector, a development which is being viewed with some concern given that Mrs de Palacio was a member of the government which approved the state aid in question. Will the Commission continue the above state aid proceedings under the responsibility of the Commissioner for competition, or will the case be transferred to the Vice-President responsible for energy? (2000/C 170 E/110) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1889/99 by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission (14 October 1999) Subject: Possible conflict of interests in proceedings in relation to state aid Spanish press coverage of the proceedings in relation to the state aid granted to Spanish electricity companies to cover the costs of transition to competition have highlighted the fact that the services working for Commissioners Monti and de Palacio are collaborating on setting the amount of these costs. It has even been reported that the Spanish Commissionerís position on the granting the subsidies áto alleviate costs arising from liberalisationí is favourable. The fact that Mrs de Palacio was a member of the government which approved the state aid in question (which put up Spanish consumersí electricity bills by 4,5 %) does not appear to constitute any obstacle to her passing judgement, in her new role, on decisions which she took in her former role. Does the Commission believe that Commissioner de Palacio should refrain from involvement in proceed- ings investigating the compatibility with the Treaty of state aid which she had been involved in granting? Joint answer to Written Questions E-1761/99 and P-1889/99 given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (17 November 1999) Regarding price developments in the electricity sector in Spain, the data sent to the Commission by Spainís national electricity commission show that the amount billed to Spanish consumers of electricity fell, in terms of the real percentage paid by households, by 3,1 % in 1996, 2,9 % in 1997 and 4,4 % in 1998, and is set to fall by 5,6 % in 1999