EC launches investigation into state aid for Polish industry

The buyer shall pay the Treasury zł.991 million and settle zł.3.4 billion worth of PHS' debts. This is the first time the Commission has ruled on whether a sale of a Polish company does not violate the terms of competition on the single market. In related news, Rzeczpospolita daily reports that the Commission has also begun investigating several dozen cases of public aid recently granted to enterprises. Among those being scrutinized for compliance with EU competition rules, is last year's famous liabilities write-off program, created by the then finance minister Grzegorz Kołodko, under which companies could have their tax and social security liabilities reduced to just 15% of their value. (Parkiet, p. 7; Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) T.J.