• EL - ελληνικά
  • EN - English
Parliamentary question - E-002328/2014Parliamentary question
E-002328/2014

Commission investigation into forest land swap deals at Kom Peak, Perelik Peak and the Kamchia river mouth in Bulgaria

Question for written answer E-002328-14
to the Commission
Rule 117
Nikos Chrysogelos (Verts/ALE)

In early 2009 the Bulgarian Government was forced to end the notorious practice of swapping state-owned forest lands for private ones, owing to alleged violations of EU competition rules. According to an assessment by the For Nature NGO coalition, there was a big gap between the prices charged under the terms of the swap deals and the actual market value of the state‐owned forests. For Nature estimates that the total amount of the alleged unregulated state aid involved is no less than EUR 500 million.

In its answer, more than two years ago, to Written Question E-009334/2011 tabled by Michail Tremopoulos, the Commission stated on 29 November 2011 that it had ‘initiated a formal investigation procedure in order to assess whether the forest land swaps are consistent with EU state aid rules’. Mr Tremopoulos tabled further written questions on the swap deals at Kom Peak, Perelik Peak and Kamchia river mouth (E-4538/2010, E‐4540/2010 and E‐4539/2010).

Furthermore, the Commission stated that ‘the investigation will be closed by a final decision stating whether the measure under examination constitutes aid or not, and if yes, whether it is compatible or not with the internal market. If the Commission should find that the legislation is incompatible with the internal market, it will order Bulgaria, pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation 659/99, to recover the incompatible aid from the beneficiaries of the swaps, including interest at an appropriate rate fixed by the Commission.’

1. What is the Commission’s decision on the swap deals at Kom Peak, Perelik Peak and the Kamchia river mouth, as outlined in the written questions tabled by Mr Tremopoulos?

2. Did the measures under investigation constitute aid, or not?

3. Are the measures compatible with the internal market, or not?

4. Is Bulgaria required to recover incompatible aid from the beneficiaries of these swaps, or not?

5. What is the deadline for the Commission’s final decision?

OJ C 320, 17/09/2014