DG State Aid – Control and Regeneraton of Deprived Urban ... - REVIT

NN114/2000
Individual cases of application based
on the English Heritage Scheme
The scheme is usually known as the Historic Buildings, Monuments, Parks and Gardens
Grant Scheme and as its title suggests, the scheme targets the repair of England’s most
important historic buildings, monuments, parks and gardens. Having received a grant, these
heritage attractions must then be open to the general public during certain days of the year.
Projects that can be targeted under this scheme are secular monuments, parks,
gardens and buildings. These assets must either be listed or registered at a specific
heritage grade for the repair works to proceed under this scheme.
This scheme provides support in the form of a grant for the costs of immediate repairs that
are necessary to prevent loss or damage to important architectural, archaeological or
landscape features. In addition to the costs for immediate repairs, incidental costs arising
from these repairs are also classed as eligible for support.
The Commission had difficulty in assessing this case as this scheme was not able to
distinguish between the various situations that may require support. For many of the projects
supported under this scheme, the Commission agreed with the UK authorities that not all of
the conditions of Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty were fulfilled so state aid was not involved.
However, there were some cases where the Commission could not exclude the fact that this
support may advantage undertakings active in sectors in which there is trade between Member
States. Further investigation into this scheme led the Commission to note that the eligible
projects are selected by using standards based on heritage conservation. As the aid awarded
under this scheme is limited to covering the additional heritage related costs, the Commission
found that such aid promotes heritage conservation without affecting trade and competition to
an extent contrary to the common interest in the meaning of Article 87(3)(d) of the EC Treaty.
Therefore, the Commission found the English Heritage Scheme to be compatible with Article
87(3)(d) of the EC Treaty.
For Further Information:
Decision:
http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/comp-2000/nn114-00-corr.pdf
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