Till May 1, 2004, the control over implementation of Stat aid control rules was provided by the State Aid Surveillance Commission (hereinafter – SASC). It had intensive powers to carry out its control functions. SASC examined aid programmes and individual aid projects on the basis of:

  1. an application of potential grantor of aid;
  2. a complaint of an interested person;
  3. the initiative of the SASC itself.

In order to assess and evaluate all aid programmes [aid programme – a regulatory enactment that provides for granting of individual aid  to commercial companies according to procedures prescribed by regulatory enactments, aid programme is limited in time] and individual aid projects [individual aid project – aid provided for a particular commercial company outside the aid programme or within the scope of the aid programme, but to which a requirement for a prior notification of aid applies], the SASC was entitled to request and receive necessary information, as well as reports regarding implementation of the aid programmes and individual aid projects. Every planned aid programme or an individual aid project had to be submitted to the SASC prior to the commencement of the implementation thereof. This condition applied both to the planned aid programmes or individual aid projects and the planned amendments to existing aid programmes or individual projects.

The duties of the SASC’s secretariat were performed by the State Aid Control Department of the Ministry of Finance.