2003/438/EC: Commission Decision of 16 October 2002 on the aid scheme C 50/2001 (ex NN 47/2000) — Finance companies — implemented by Luxembourg (notified under document number C(2002) 3741) (Text with EEA relevance)

• Articles: 2

Article 1

The tax scheme for finance companies implemented by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg by means of Circular LIR No 120 of 12 June 1989 constitutes State aid which is incompatible with the common market.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Done at Brussels, 16 October 2002.

For the Commission

Mario Monti

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ C 306, 31.10.2001, p. 2.

(2) OJ C 2, 6.1.1998, p. 1.

(3) OJ C 384, 10.12.1998, p. 3.

(4) See footnote 1.

(5) Transfer prices are the prices at which a company invoices goods or services to associated companies.

(6) Written Question No 1735/90 (OJ C 63, 11.3.1991, p. 37).

(7) See footnote 1.

(8) Case 730/79 Philip Morris v Commission [1980] ECR 2671.

(9) Case C-75/97 Belgium v Commission [1999] ECR I-3671, paragraph 25.

(10) See recital 31: argument put forward by Luxembourg.

(11) Joined Cases T-127/99, T-129/99 and T-148/99 Territorio Histórico de Álava - Diputación Foral de Álava and others v Commission, paragraph 157, and Joined Cases T-92/00 and T-103/00, paragraphs 39 and 40 and 49 and 50, not yet published.

(12) See footnote 1.

(13) OJ L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1.

(14) Case C-280/95 Commission v Italy [1998] ECR I-259, paragraph 23, and Case 378/98 Commission v Belgium [2001] ECR I-5107, paragraph 42.

(15) Case C-5/89 Commission v Germany [1990] ECR I-3437, paragraphs 18 and 19.

(16) Case C-265/85 Van de Bergh and Jurgens and others v Commission [1987] ECR 1155, paragraph 44.

(17) OJ L 60, 1.3.2001, p. 57.

(18) See footnote 6.