EC/Czech Republic Europe agreement: state aids and ECSC products

PURPOSE : to determine the position to be taken by the Community within the EU/Czech Republic Association Council with regard to the adoption of the necessary rules for the implementation of the provisions of the Europe Agreement concerning State Aid (i.e. Article 64 paragraph 1 and 2). COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Decision No 1/98 of the Association Council between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Czech Republic, of the other part adopting the implementing rules for the application of the provisions on state aid referred to in Article 64(1)(iii) and Article 64(2) pursuant to Article 64(3) of the European Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Czech Republic, of the other part, and in Article 8(1)(iii) and Article 8(2) of Protocol 2 on ECSC products to that Agreement. (98/440/EC, ECSC). CONTENT : this Decision provides that the granting of state aid shall be surveyed and assessed as to its compatibility with the Europe Agreement by the responsible monitoring authorities in the Community and the Czech Republic, respectively. The monitoring authority in the Community shall be the Commission of the European Communities ('The Commission'), and in the Czech Republic the Ministry of Finance. With regard to consultation and comity, whenever the Commission and the monitoring authority of the Czech Republic consider that the award of State aid on the territory for which the other authority is responsible is substantially affecting important interests of the Party, it may request that the other Party's monitoring authority initiate any appropriate procedures with a view to taking remedial action. Both parties shall ensure transparency in the domain of State aid by providing for appropriate publications and the exchange of information on State aid policy on a regular and reciprocal basis. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 11.07.1998.�