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EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY DECISION

No 41/04/COL

of 17 March 2004

amending for the fortyfourth time the procedural and substantive rules in the field of state aid by introducing a new chapter 24b: framework on state aid to shipbuilding

(2006/C 221/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY,

HAVING REGARD TO the Agreement on the European Economic Area (1), in particular to Articles 61 to 63 and Protocol 26 thereof,

HAVING REGARD TO the Agreement between the EFTA States on the establishment of a Surveillance Authority and a Court of Justice (2), in particular to Article 24, Article 5 (2) (b) and Article 1 in Part I of Protocol 3 thereof (3),

Whereas under Article 24 of the Surveillance and Court Agreement, the EFTA Surveillance Authority shall give effect to the provisions of the EEA Agreement concerning State aid,

WHEREAS under Article 5 (2) (b) of the Surveillance and Court Agreement the EFTA Surveillance Authority shall issue notices or guidelines on matters dealt with in the EEA Agreement, if that Agreement or the Surveillance and Court Agreement expressly so provides or if the EFTA Surveillance Authority considers it necessary,

RECALLING the Procedural and Substantive Rules in the Field of State Aid (4) adopted on 19 January 1994 by the EFTA Surveillance Authority (5),

WHEREAS, on 30 December 2003, the Commission of the European Communities (hereinafter the EC Commission) published a new framework on state aid to shipbuilding (6),

WHEREAS this framework is also of relevance for the European Economic Area,

WHEREAS a uniform application of the EEA State aid rules is to be ensured throughout the European Economic Area,

WHEREAS, according to point II under the heading ‘GENERAL’ at the end of Annex XV to the EEA Agreement, the EFTA Surveillance Authority is to adopt, after consultation with the EC Commission, acts corresponding to those adopted by the EC Commission,

HAVING consulted the EC Commission,

RECALLING that the EFTA Surveillance Authority has consulted the EFTA States in a multilateral meeting on 3 February 2004 on the subject,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Done at Brussels, 17 March 2004

For the EFTA Surveillance Authority

Hannes Hafstein

President

Einar M. Bull

College Member

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(1)  Hereinafter referred to as the EEA Agreement.

(2)  Hereinafter referred to as the Surveillance and Court Agreement.

(3)  Protocol 3 to the Surveillance and Court Agreement as amended by the EFTA States on 10 December 2001. The amendments entered into force on 28 August 2003.

(4)  Hereinafter referred to as the State Aid Guidelines.

(5)  Initially published in OJ L 231, 3.9.1994, and in the EEA Supplement thereto No 32 on the same date, last amended by College Decision No 40/04/COL of 17.3.2004, not yet published.

(6)  Framework on State Aid to Shipbuilding, OJ C 317, 30.12.2003, p. 11.

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ANNEX I

24B.   STATE AID TO SHIPBUILDING (1)

24B.1.   Introduction

24B.2.   Definitions

24B.3.   Applicable provisions

24B.3.1.   Scope

24B.3.2.   Application of Horizontal Provisions

24B.3.3.   Specific Provisions

24B.3.3.1.   Aid to research, development and innovation

24B.3.3.2.   Closure aid

24B.3.3.3.   Employment aid

24B.3.3.4.   Export credits

24B.3.3.5.   Development aid

24B.3.3.6.   Regional aid

24B.4.   Notification obligation

24B.5.   Monitoring

24B.6.   Overlapping aid from different sources

24B.7.   Application of this framework

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(1)  This Chapter corresponds to Community Framework on State Aid to Shipbuilding (OJ C 317, 30.12.2003, p. 11).

(2)OJ L 202, 18.7.1998, p. 1.

(3)OJ No L 35, 10.2.2000 and EEA Supplement No 7, cf. point 1b of Annex XV to the EEA Agreement.

(4)OJ L 32, 2.2.2001, p. 1. Decision as amended by Decision 2002/634/EC (OJ L 206, 3.8.2002, p. 16).

(5)OJ C 375, 30.12.1994, p. 1. Of the EFTA countries, only Norway is party to the 1994 Agreement.

(6)OJ L 172, 2.7.2002, p. 1.

(7)OJ L 38, 13.2.2002 and the EEA Supplement No 9. cf. point 1ca of Annex XV to the EEA Agreement.

(8)OJ L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1.

(9)  Protocol 3 to the Surveillance and Court Agreement as amended by the EFTA States on 10 December 2001. The amendments entered into force on 28 August 2003. The amended Protocol 3 can be found on the Authority's website under State aid — Legal texts: www.eftasurv.int

(10)OJ L 10, 13.1.2001, p. 20.

(11)OJ L 266, 3.10.2002 and EEA Supplement No 49, cf. point 1d of Annex XV to the EEA Agreement.

(12)OJ L 10, 13.1.2001, p. 30.

(13)OJ L 266, 3.10.2002 and EEA Supplement No 49, cf. point 1e of Annex XV to the EEA Agreement.

(14)OJ L 10, 13.1.2001, p. 33.

(15)OJ L 266, 3.10.2002 and EEA Supplement No 49, cf. point 1f of Annex XV to the EEA Agreement.

(16)OJ L 172, 2.7.2002, p. 1.

(17)OJ L 38, 13.2.2002 and the EEA Supplement No 9. cf. point 1ca of Annex XV to the EEA Agreement.

(18)  EFTA Surveillance Authority's State Aid Guidelines Chapter 16 (OJ No L 274, 26.10.2000 and EEA Supplement No 48). These guidelines correspond to the European Community Guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (OJ C 288, 9.10.1999, p. 2).

(19)  EFTA Surveillance Authority's State Aid Guidelines Chapter 15 (OJ No L 21, 24.1.2002 and EEA Supplement No 6). These guidelines correspond to the European Community guidelines on Aid for environmental protection (OJ C 37, 3.2.2001, p. 3).

(20)  EFTA Surveillance Authority's State Aid Guidelines Chapter 14 (OJ No L 245, 26.9.1996 and EEA Supplement 43). These guidelines correspond to the European Community Guidelines on State aid for research and development (OJ C 45, 17.2.1996, p. 5).

(21)OJ L 337, 13.12.2002, p. 3.

(22)OJ L 257, 9.10.2003 and EEA Supplement No 51, cf. point 1g of Annex XV to the EEA Agreement.

(23)  See above in paragraphs 12 (b), (c), (d) and 22.

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