L 34/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 9.2.2000 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 20 July 1999 concerning State aid, financed by parafiscal charges, which the Netherlands intends to grant for promoting ornamental plants (notified under document number C(1999) 3440) (Only the Dutch text is authentic) (2000/116/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) thereof, Having regard to Regulation (EEC) No 234/68 of the Council of 27 February 1968 on the establishment of a common organisation of the market in live trees and other plants, bulbs, roots and the like, cut flowers and ornamental foliage (), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3290/94 (3), The parties concerned having been given notice, in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) of the Treaty, to submit their comments (}), and having regard to those comments, Whereas: . Procedure (1)  In accordance with Article 88(3) of the Treaty, the Dutch authorities notified the above aid measure to the Commission by letter of 9 December 1996, registered on 12 December 1996. Further information was supplied by letter of 4 March 1997, registered on 5 March 1997. (2) By letter SG(97) D/4124 of 30 May 1997 the Commis- sion informed the Dutch Government of its decision to initiate the procedure, under Article 88(2) of the Treaty, in respect of the notified aid measure. () O] L 55, 2.3.1968, p. 1. () O] L 349, 31.12.1994, p. 105. () O] C 227, 26.7.1997, p. 5. (3)  The Commission's decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communi- ties (¥). The Commission asked the interested parties to submit their comments on the aid in question. It passed the comments received on to the Dutch authorities and gave them the opportunity to react. The Netherlands informed the Commission of its comments by letter of 22 June 1998. (4)  Further information was supplied at a meeting between representatives of the Dutch Government and the producer organisation on 23 November 1998. II. Detailed description of the aid measure (5)  The notification concerns altering a parafiscal charge levied in order to finance an existing aid scheme for promotional activities. The new provision would allow a charge to be applied to products imported from other Member States, but would ensure that the resulting revenue was channelled back to the representative promotional organisations. (6)  The existing aid is granted for sales promotion in the ornamental plant sector (aid measure No 766/95). The promotional activities are carried out by the Bloemen- bureau Holland. The aid is financed from a parafiscal charge which the former Productschap voor Sierge- wassen (PVS) — now the Productschap Tuinbouw — levies on sales, in the Netherlands, of ornamental plants or their propagating material. The charge is based on the value of the products sold and must be paid by all growers and importers of ornamental plants. Products imported from other Community Member States are expressly exempt from the charge. (*) See footnote 3.