EC requests Belgium and the UK to implement Transparency Directive
30 June 2009
Member States were required to implement the Directive in national law by 19 December 2006. Neither UK nor Belgium have enforced the Entry, forcing the EC to request them to implement the measures.
On 7 November 2007 the Commission sent letters of formal notice under EC Treaty infringement procedure (Article 226) to Belgium and the UK. In these letters the Commission sought information on whether Belgium and the UK had adopted the necessary measures to ensure that companies receiving state compensation for the discharge of a public service while exercising commercial activities keep separate accounts, as required by the financial transparency Directive. Neither Belgium nor the UK has informed the Commission of the entry into force of the necessary implementing measures.
Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said: "It is clearly in the interest of European citizens that the Commission is in a position to verify that public money is used to provide public services and not to subsidise commercial activities. The UK and Belgium are the only Member States that have not complied with their financial transparency obligations and they must do so promptly."
© European Commission
