medlemsstaters graduering af punktafgifter er ikke statsstøtte i henhold til EF-traktatens artikel 87, stk. 1: Økofin-Rådets konklusioner af 19. marts 2003 — ifølge hvilke undtagelser fra den generelle beskatningsordning eller differentiering inden for denne ordning begrundet med arten eller generelle træk af skatteordningen ikke indebærer statsstøtte — bekræfter på afgørende vis, at Fællesskabets afgiftsmyndigheder har den primære beføjelse; de ville derfor have givet oplysninger om ordningens art og overordnede principper til omtalte afgiftsmyndigheder, så snart sidstnævnte havde anmodet herom
adjustments to excise duties by Member States did not constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the Treaty. The conclusions of the Ecofin Council of 19 March 2003, according to which derogations from a general tax system or differences within it that were justified by the nature or general characteristics of the tax system did not constitute State aid, were a decisive factor confirming the primacy of the powers of the Community’s financial authorities. Accordingly, they would send information on the nature or general characteristics of the system to those financial authorities as soon as the latter requested them to do so;