Granting subsidies under a de minimis regime

9.7.2014

Question for written answer E-005683-14
to the Commission
Rule 130
Olga Sehnalová (S&D)

The current system for granting subsidies under a de minimis regime in the Czech Republic is set up in such a way that the price entered into the de minimis register remains valid until the date on which the agreement on the granting of the subsidy is signed by the subsidy applicant and the provider. Once the agreement has been signed, the applicant organises a call for tenders to find a contractor for a specific project. The price tendered is often lower that the amount set out in the agreement.

The de minimis register therefore contains the initial amounts, not the genuine tendered amounts. The subsidy provider only learns the real price from the payment request. The discrepancies between individual entities are in the order of several hundred thousand euros, and these entities are then prevented from drawing on further subsidies under the de minimis regime since the EUR 200 000 limit over three years has been reached, even though the entire amount has not been drawn upon.

The agreements on the granting of subsidies contain a reference to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1998/2006 of 15 December 2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to de minimis aid.

Is the interpretation, according to which the price set out in the agreement is used for the entry into the register, used only in the Czech Republic, or is the procedure the same in all EU Member States?

Is the Commission considering amending this practice in order to ensure the more efficient take‐up of unused funds?