Failure by Sweden to notify substantial state aid
13.3.2014
Question for written answer E-002961-14
to the Commission
Rule 117
Amelia Andersdotter (Verts/ALE)
In the state aid case No N 67/2008 (Poland — Google Poland Sp. z o. o.)[1], notified to the Commission by the Polish authorities in February 2008, the latter alerted the Commission to their intention of investing EUR 4 032 258 in facilities and equipment for Google Poland Sp. z o. o. The state aid was approved.
However, when the Swedish authorities granted an amount of SEK 100 million (or SEK 67 million) to Facebook for the establishment of a data centre in northern Sweden in 2012 — a sum equivalent in euros to an amount clearly larger than that notified by the Polish authorities — this was not notified to the Commission in any form that is searchable in the Commission’s databases on notifications and state aid cases.
The measure sparked controversy in Sweden[2]. Can the Commission establish that Sweden followed the applicable rules on state aid? What measures can the Commission undertake to remedy failures by Member States to follow the applicable rules on state aid?
- [1] http://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/cases/224203/224203_852543_35_1.pdf
- [2] http://op.se/lanet/ostersund/1.4752002-naringsdepartementet-forsvarar-sig-forstar-att-det-ar-tungt-att-florlora
OJ C 333, 24/09/2014