Germany

[DE] Financial Transparency Directive Transposed

IRIS 2001-9:1/32

Alexander Scheuer

Institute of European Media Law (EMR), Saarbrücken/Brussels

Through an Act of 16 August 2001, the Federation transposed into German law Commission Directive 2000/52/EC amending Directive 80/723/EEC on the transparency of financial relations between Member States and public undertakings.

The Act's provisions are applicable to undertakings that are granted special or exclusive rights, as described in Article 86 of the EC Treaty, or entrusted with the operation of services of general economic interest and, for that purpose, granted State aid that was not fixed following an open, transparent and non-discriminatory procedure (Article 1.1).

If the undertakings concerned also carry out other economic activities, they are obliged to keep separate accounts for their public service tasks and their other commercial activities.