La Commission a donné un mois aux autorités espagnoles pour répondre aux observations formulées sur les questions fondamentales ainsi soulevées et leur a simultanément demandé de faire parvenir dans un délai de 10 jours ouvrables la notification de la suspension des versements d'aides d'Etat.
It was strongly felt that such a time span was inappropriate for interested parties to prepare and submit proposals effectively, and that the competition had therefore been unfair. Following this complaint, the Commission informed the Spanish authorities, by letter of 5 March 1998, of its decision to initiate the procedure provided for in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in relation to the above-m
entioned contract concluded between the Spanish State and Compañía Trasmediterránea on 20 January 1998. The Commission gave the Spanish authorities a month to reply to the observations formulated on the basic substantive issues at stake and at the
...[+++] same time requested the Spanish authorities to confirm within 10 working days of notification of the letter that State aid payments had been suspended.