Sale of dams from EDP to Engie
5.5.2021
Question for written answer E-002432/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Lídia Pereira (PPE), Paulo Rangel (PPE), José Manuel Fernandes (PPE), Maria da Graça Carvalho (PPE), Álvaro Amaro (PPE)
In 2007, for a fee of EUR 704 million and without any public tendering process, the Portuguese Government extended concessions with the company EDP for 27 dams. The Commission had confirmed beforehand that this did not constitute illegal state aid, although there remain questions as to its compliance with EU rules on public procurement and concession contracts.
In 2020, EDP sold six of these dams to Engie in a deal worth around EUR 2.2 billion. The difference in prices shown that the value of the dams has risen sharply, thus raising well-founded doubts about the sums involved. Moreover, EDP took advantage of an amendment to Article 60(6) of the Statute of Tax Benefits[1] of the 2020 Portuguese state budget[2] to justify its failure to pay a particular tax, something the government claims it is not entitled to do[3].
Given the foregoing and since this is essential infrastructure:
Is the Commission considering initiating a procedure to look into the 2007 and 2020 deals to ascertain their compliance with EU competition, public procurement and concession contract legislation?
Supporter[4]
- [1] https://dre.pt/web/guest/legislacao-consolidada/-/lc/151865215/202104221634/73933126/diploma/indice
- [2] https://dre.pt/home/-/dre/130893436/details/maximized
- [3] https://www.portugal.gov.pt/download-ficheiros/ficheiro.aspx?v=%3d%3dBQAAAB%2bLCAAAAAAABAAzNDQxNQcAGtMaKwUAAAA%3d
- [4] This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Cláudia Monteiro de Aguiar (PPE)