Press Release: State aid: Commission amends transitional measures for changing the tax system applicable to Belgian coordination centres

The European Commission has amended the transitional measures that it had applied to Belgian coordination centres in 2003 (see IP/03/242) to enable them to adapt to changes in the tax system. This decision follows a judgment of the European Court of Justice partially overturning the Commission Decision of 17 February 2003 and was issued following consultation with the Belgian authorities and interested third parties (see IP/07/370). The decision allows those centres whose authorisation expired between 17 February 2003 and 31 December 2005 to benefit from the system until 31 December 2005. The Commission also considers that the Belgian law of 27 December 2006, under which new authorisation renewal decisions would prolong the coordination centre system beyond 31 December 2005, is incompatible with the common market.