----

----

I Information

Commission

----

Euro exchange rates (1)

4 December 2006

(2006/C 295/01)

1 euro= 

----

(1)

Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

----

----

NOTICE TO IMPORTERS

Imports into the Community of textile and clothing products following the enlargement of the European Union of Bulgaria and Romania on 1 January 2007

(2006/C 295/02)

By the present notice, Community operators are informed that from 1 January 2007, the new Member States, namely Bulgaria and Romania, will apply the Common Commercial Policy, including the quota and surveillance regime on imports of textile and clothing products from certain third countries.

To this end, the Community will publish in the Official Journal of the European Union a new regulation as an amendment to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 (1) with the quota levels applicable as from 1 January 2007. Shipments of textile and clothing products into the enlarged European Union released for free circulation as from 1 January 2007 shall comply with the quota and surveillance management system under the provisions of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93.

The release for free circulation in one of the new Member States acceding to the European Union on 1 January 2007, of textile and clothing products, which are subject to quantitative limits or to surveillance in the Community and which have been shipped from the supplier countries to the new Member States before 1 January 2007 and enter the new Member States on or after 1 January 2007 shall be subject to presentation of an import authorisation containing the elements prescribed in Annex III of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 (surveillance document). Such import authorisation will be granted automatically and without EU quantitative limitation by the competent authorities of the new Member State concerned, upon adequate proof, such as the bill of lading, that the products have been shipped before 1 January 2007. Such import authorisation shall be communicated to the Commission by the competent authorities of the new Member State concerned.

The release for free circulation in one of the new Member States acceding to the European Union on 1 January 2007, of textile products, which are subject to quantitative limits in the Community, and shipped outside one of the new Member States before 1 January 2007 for the purpose of outward processing traffic and destined to be re-imported in the same new Member State on or after 1 January 2007, shall not be subject to Community quantitative limits or import authorisation requirements, upon adequate proof, such as the export declaration, that the products have been shipped out of the new Member States before 1 January 2007 for the purpose of processing and subsequent re-importation into the same Member State. The competent authorities of the Member State concerned shall provide information on those imports to the Commission.

An updated list of competent national authorities, including those in the new Member States, is published separately on the same day as this Notice in the C Series of the Official Journal of the European Union.

----

(1)OJ L 275, 8.11.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 35/2006 (OJ L 7, 12.1.2006, p. 8).

----

----

List of the national competent authorities as provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 of 12 October 1993 (1) on common rules for imports of certain textile products from third countries

(2006/C 295/03)

Section A:   List of the competent national authorities in the current Member States

Section B:   List of the competent national authorities in the Acceding countries

----

(1)OJ L 275, 8.11.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 35/2006 (OJ L 7, 12.1.2006, p. 8).

----

----

Guidelines on National Regional aid for 2007-2013 (1) — National regional State aid map: Germany

(2006/C 295/04)

N 459/2006 — GERMANY

National regional State aid map 1.1.2007-31.12.2013

(Approved by the Commission on 8.11.2006)

----

(1)OJ C 54, 4.3.2006, p. 13

(2)  For investment projects with eligible expenditure not exceeding EUR 50 million, this ceiling is increased by 10 percentage points for medium sized companies and 20 percentage points for small companies as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (OJ L 124, 20.5.2003, p. 36). For large investment projects with eligible expenditure exceeding EUR 50 million, this ceiling is subject to adjustment in accordance with paragraph 67 of the Guidelines on national regional aid for 2007-2013.

(3)  Subject to a review in 2010 the aid intensity will be 20% from 1.1.2011 to 31.12.2013.

(4)  A NUTS region, which is underlined and in italics indicates that not the entire region is eligible for regional aid but only the indicated sub-parts at NUTS II, III, LAU2 or below.

(5)  An increased aid intensity of 16% applies from 1.1.2007 to 31.12.2010.

(6)  The eligible areas are designated on the basis of the statistical unit ‘Verkehrszelle’. The eligible Verkehrszellen are indicated in this table. The detailed list showing the attribution of Berlin streets to ‘Verkehrszellen’ can be found under: www.berlin.de/sen/waf/index.html

(7)  For investment projects with eligible expenditure not exceeding EUR 50 million, this ceiling is increased by 10 percentage points for medium sized companies and 20 percentage points for small companies as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (OJ L 124, 20.5.2003, p. 36). For large investment projects with eligible expenditure exceeding EUR 50 million, this ceiling is subject to adjustment in accordance with paragraph 67 of the Guidelines on national regional aid for 2007-2013.

(8)  This ceiling is increased by 10 percentage points for medium sized companies and 20 percentage points for small companies as defined in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (OJ L 124, 20.5.2003, p. 36). No aid may be awarded for investment projects with eligible expenditure exceeding EUR 25 million.

----

----

Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 295/05)

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

----

----

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.4348 — PKN/Mazeikiu)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 295/06)

On 7 November 2006, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

----

----

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.4370 — EBN/COGAS Energy)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 295/07)

On 28 September 2006, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

----

III Notices

Commission

----

Youth in Action Programme 2007-2013 — Conditional publication of the Programme Guide

(2006/C 295/08)

Introduction

The Commission's proposal relating to the Youth in Action programme for the period 2007-2013 is scheduled to be adopted by the European legislator soon. To enable prompt implementation of this programme and to enable potential beneficiaries of Community grants to prepare their proposals the Commission has decided to publish a provisional version of the Programme Guide including detailed information on the implementation of the programme.

I.   Precautionary Clause

The Programme Guide does not legally bind the Commission. It may be cancelled and another version of the Programme Guide with different specifications may be issued, with appropriate reply periods, if there is a substantial change in the basic act by the European legislator.

More generally, the implementation of Youth in Action Programme in 2007 as envisaged in the Programme Guide is subject to the following conditions, the meeting of which is not dependent on the Commission:

Furthermore, the references in the Programme Guide to the EAC Executive Agency are subject to the adoption of a decision of the Commission, extending the mandate of the EAC Executive Agency in order to cover the Programmes of new generation.

II.   Objectives and Description

The general objectives stated in the legal basis of the Youth in Action Programme are the following:

These general objectives shall be implemented at project level taking into consideration the following permanent priorities.

1)   European citizenship

Making young people aware that they are European citizens is a priority of the Youth in Action Programme. The objective is to encourage young people to reflect upon European topics including European citizenship and to involve them in the discussion on the construction and the future of the European Union.

On this basis, projects should have a strong European dimension and stimulate reflection on the emerging European society and its values.

2)   Participation of young people

A main priority of the Youth in Action Programme is the participation of young people in democratic life. The overall objective for participation is to encourage young people to be active citizens. This objective has the three following dimensions, laid down in the Council resolution on the common objectives for participation by and information for young people (1):

Projects funded under the Youth in Action Programme should reflect these three dimensions by using participation as a pedagogical principle for project implementation.

3)   Cultural Diversity

The respect for cultural diversity together with the fight against racism and xenophobia are priorities of the Youth in Action Programme. By facilitating joint activities of young people from different cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds, the Programme aims to develop the intercultural learning of young people.

As far as the development and implementation of projects is concerned, this means that young people participating in a project should become aware of its intercultural dimension. Intercultural working methods should be used to enable project participants to participate on an equal basis.

4)   Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities

An important priority for the European Commission is to give young people with fewer opportunities access to the Youth in Action Programme.

Youth groups and organisations should take appropriate measures to avoid exclusion of specific target groups. The Youth in Action Programme is a programme for all and efforts should be made to include young people with special needs.

In close cooperation with the National Agencies and the SALTO Resource Centres, the European Commission has established a strategy for the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities in the Youth in Action Programme targeting in particular young people from a less-privileged educational, socio-economic, cultural or geographical background, or with disabilities.

Structure of the Youth in Action Programme

In order to achieve its objectives, the Youth in Action Programme foresees five operational Actions.

III.   Eligible Applicants

Young people between the ages of 13 and 30 are encouraged to get involved (main target group: 15 to 28 years), subject to the requirements of specific projects, and special attention is given to individuals with fewer opportunities.

IV.   Budget and Duration

The Programme has an overall budget of EUR 885 million for the period 2007-2013. The annual budget is subject to decision of the budgetary authorities.

V.   Further Information

Further information, including the details of deadlines for grant applications, may be found in the Youth in Action Programme Guide on the following websites:

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.html

http://eacea.cec.eu.int/static/en/overview/Youth_overview.htm

----

(1)  Council Resolution (2003/C 295/04) of 25 November 2003, OJ C 295, 5.12.2003, pp. 6-8.

----