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I Information

Commission

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Euro exchange rates (1)

8 September 2005

(2005/C 222/01)

1 euro= 

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(1)

Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

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EU-25 ethyl alcohol balance for 2004

(established on 15 July 2005 in accordance with Article 2 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2336/2003)

(2005/C 222/02)

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(1)  Commission Regulation (EC) No 2336/2003 of 30 December 2003 introducing certain detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EC) No 670/2003 laying down specific measures concerning the market in ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin (OJ L 346, 31.12.2003, p. 19).

(2)  Including 80 000 tonnes imported under CN 3824 90 99 used to produce fuel.

Sources: Communications from the Member States/Eurostat COMEXT.

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.3752 — Verizon/MCI)

(2005/C 222/03)

(Text with EEA relevance)

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(1)OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3855 — Webasto/Starck/Staxera)

(2005/C 222/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 1 September 2005, 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 German and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3729 — EDF/AEM/Edison)

(2005/C 222/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 12 August 2005, 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:

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3907 — Bertelsmann/Channel 5)

(2005/C 222/06)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 26 August 2005, 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:

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3820 — AVNET/MEMEC)

(2005/C 222/07)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 24 June 2005, 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:

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3908 — ABN AMRO/IMCD)

(2005/C 222/08)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 31 August 2005, 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:

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3831 — Oranje-Nassau Group/SHV Holding/Edinburgh Oil & Gas)

(2005/C 222/09)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 27 June 2005, 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:

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STATE AID — POLAND

State aid No C 19/2005 (ex PL 31/2004 and N 203/2005)

Restructuring aid to Szczecin Shipyard

Invitation to submit comments pursuant to Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty

(2005/C 222/10)

(Text with EEA relevance)

By means of the letter dated 1 June 2005 reproduced in the authentic language on the pages following this summary, the Commission notified Poland of its decision to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty concerning the abovementioned measure.

Interested parties may submit their comments to the measure in respect of which the Commission is initiating the procedure within one month of the date of publication of this summary and of the following letter, to:

These comments will be communicated to Poland. Confidential treatment of the identity of the interested party submitting the comments may be requested in writing, stating the reasons for the request.

TEXT OF SUMMARY

PROCEDURE

By letter of 27 April 2004, Poland notified under the interim mechanism procedure pursuant to the Accession Treaty measures extended in support of restructuring of Stocznia Szczecińska Nowa Sp. Z O.O. (New Szczecin Shipyard, Ltd, ‘Szczecin Shipyard’). By letter of 22 April 2005 Poland accepted that the Commission treats the latter notification also as a notification under Article 88(2) EC Treaty with regard to any measures which would be found to constitute new aid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BENEFICIARY AND THE AID MEASURES

The beneficiary is active in the shipbuilding sector (new-buildings, production of parts of vessels and steel parts, ancillary services). It was created on 25 June 2002 to take over the shipbuilding activities from Szczecin Shipyard Porta Holding S.A. (‘SSPH’) and its main shipbuilding subsidiary Szczecin Shipyard (‘SS’), which were declared bankrupt on 29 July 2002. The new yard was taken over by Agencja Rozwoju Przemysłu S.A.(Industrial Development Agency S.A., ‘ARP’, currently owning 97,7 % of the yard) and the State Treasury.

The company started its restructuring in 2002, immediately after its creation. The restructuring plan was drawn up for the period 2002-2004. The company's restructuring benefited from the support of various public authorities, both at the central and the local level.

Overall restructuring costs are estimated to amount to PLN 5,1 billion (EUR 1,3 billion). The restructuring consists mainly of debt restructuring and liquidity improvement. The total amount of State aid as calculated by the Polish authorities rises to PLN 1,061 billion (EUR 265 million).

The yard is in the process of organisational restructuring (reorganisation, automation) leading to productivity increase and cost saving. It will focus on the production of [...] (1) ships and special purpose vessels.

ASSESSMENT

On the basis of the information provided the Commission found that most of the measures in favour of the beneficiary were granted before accession of Poland to the European Union and are not applicable after accession. With regard to these measures, the Polish authorities demonstrated that the competent authorities committed themselves before accession by legally binding decisions to grant a determined amount of aid. These measures fall outside of the competence of the Commission to assess the compatibility of State aid pursuant to Article 88(2) EC Treaty.

With regard to the remaining measures, however, the Commission found on the basis of the available information that they were not granted before accession and were not yet granted. These measures therefore constitute new aid and their compatibility with the common market will be assessed by the Commission pursuant to Article 88(2) EC Treaty.

The Commission considers in respect to these measures that they constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) EC Treaty. The Commission has analysed this aid in light of the 1999 Guidelines on rescue and restructuring aid for firms in financial difficulties applicable at the time of the notification, 27 April 2004.

The Commission has decided to open the procedure under Article 88(2) EC Treaty because it has doubts that all the conditions for approving restructuring aid are fulfilled, and in particular that

Poland was asked for additional information permitting to allay these doubts.

TEXT OF LETTER

‘Komisja pragnie poinformować Polskę, że po przeanalizowaniu informacji przedstawionych przez polskie władze na temat wspomnianych powyżej środków pomocy państwa, zgłoszonych w ramach procedury przejściowej, o której mowa w załączniku IV sekcja 3 do Aktu Przystąpienia, podjęła decyzję, że szereg z nich zostało przyznanych przed przystąpieniem i nie ma zastosowania po przystąpieniu. Odnośnie gwarancji i niektórych innych środków opisanych poniżej oraz biorąc po uwagę pismo władz polskich z dnia 5 stycznia 2005 r., Komisja podjęła decyzję o wszczęciu procedury określonej w art. 88(2) Traktatu Wspólnot Europejskich.

I.   PROCEDURA

II.   OPIS

1.   Podmiot

2.   Proces restrukturyzacji

2.1.   Trudności finansowe oraz plan restrukturyzacji

2.2.   Koszty restrukturyzacji

2.3.   Finansowanie restrukturyzacji

2.4.   Środki kompensujące

III.   OCENA

1.   Określenie kompetencji Komisji

1.1.   Procedura przejściowa

1.2.   Zastosowanie do bieżącej sprawy

Środki przyznane przed przystąpieniem i nie mające zastosowania po przystąpieniu

Środki pomocy nie udzielone przed przystąpieniem do Unii Europejskiej

1.3.   Wnioski

2.   Pomoc publiczna w rozumieniu art. 87(1) Traktatu Wspólnot Europejskich

3.   Wyłączenia na mocy art. 87(2) i art. 87(3) Traktatu Wspólnot Europejskich

4.   Zgodność pomocy restrukturyzacyjnej

1.1.   Kwalifikowanie się przedsiębiorstwa

1.2.   Przywrócenie rentowności

1.3.   Zapobieganie zakłóceniom konkurencji

1.4.   Pomoc ograniczona do minimum

1.5.   Znaczący wkład beneficjenta

IV.   DECYZJA

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(1)  Confidential information.

(2)  Formalnie rzecz biorąc firma, która przejęła wcześniejszą aktywność stoczniową była firmą-córką SSPH, utworzoną już w 1989 r., Allround Ship Services Sp. z o.o. (“ASS”). Według Polski ASS została wybrana, ponieważ posiadała liczne niezbędne pozwolenia i certyfikaty konieczne do kontynuacji produkcji. ASS została natychmiast wykupiona przez ARP a jej nazwa została zmieniona na “Stocznia Szczecińska Nowa Sp. z o.o.”

(3)  Informacja ze stycznia 2004, polskie władze odwołują się do Clarkson Research Studies w pismie z dnia 27 kwietnia 2004 r., str. 7.

(4)  Średnia produkcja w okresie 1995-1999 wynosiła 250 000 CGT.

(5)  Informacje poufne.

(6)  Koszty restrukturyzacji włączając koszty zakupu aktywów produkcyjnych od bankrutujących SSPH i SS.

(7)  Korporacja Ubezpieczeń Kredytów Eksportowych.

(8)  Zgodnie z pismem z dnia 12 kwietnia 2005 r. (Aneks 11) gwarancje Skarbu Państwa wynosiły 2 935 454 900 PLN. Niemniej jednak Polska zgłosiła gwarancje jedynie w wysokości podanej w tabeli powyżej.

(9)  Wysokość podana przez polskie władze.

(10)  Orzeczenie Sądu Pierwszej Instancji z dnia 14 stycznia 2004 r. w sprawie T-109/01, Fleuren Compost v Komisja Europejska, paragraf 74.

(11)  Zespół ARP do spraw Przemysłu Stoczniowego jest zupełnie innym organem niż Zespół Przemysłu Stoczniowego.

(12)Dziennik Urzędowy C 317 z 30.12.2003, str. 11.

(13)Dziennik Urzędowy C 244 z 1.10.2004, str. 2.

(14)Dziennik Urzędowy C 288 z 9.10.1999, str. 2.

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ZAŁĄCZNIK

ŚRODKI POMOCY PUBLICZNEJ UDZIELONEJ STOCZNI SZCZECIŃSKIEJ

CZĘŚĆ A

Środki pomocy udzielone przed przystąpieniem polski do unii europejskiej nie mające zastosowania po przystąpieniu

CZĘŚĆ B

Środki pomocy, które według dostępnych informacji stanowią nową pomoc

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List of approved firms

Article 92(3) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1623/2000 (sale of wine alcohol for use as bioethanol in the fuel sector within the European Community)

(2005/C 222/11)

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.3937 — CVC/Minit Group)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(2005/C 222/12)

(Text with EEA relevance)

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(1)OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

(2)OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.

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III Notices

Commission

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS — DG EAC No 44/05

EU-Australia Cooperation in Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training

Notice of publication of a call for proposals on the Internet

(2005/C 222/13)

1.   OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION

The general objective of the call for proposals is to promote better understanding and interaction between the peoples of the EU Member States and of Australia, including a broader knowledge of their languages, cultures and institutions, and to improve the quality of higher education and vocational education and training in the EU and in Australia. There are two types of action under this call:

2.   ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Submission of grant requests under this call is open to higher education institutions and to vocational education and training institutions. For Complementary Activities, the call is also open to other organisations such as accreditation agencies, education agencies or organisations, private companies, industry and business groups, non-governmental organisations, research institutes and professional bodies. Eligible applicants must be established in one of the 25 countries of the European Union.

3.   BUDGET AND PROJECT DURATION

The budget available for the co-financing of projects is estimated at EUR 1 million. Financial assistance from the Commission cannot exceed 75 % of the total eligible costs. The maximum grant will be EUR 300 000 for Joint Consortium projects and EUR 75 000 for Complementary Activities. Activities must start between 1 February 2006 and 1 May 2006. The duration for each of the different actions is, as a general rule, limited to 36 months for Joint Consortia Projects, and to 24 months for complementary activities.

4.   DEADLINE

Applications must be sent to the Commission no later than 30 November 2005.

5.   FURTHER INFORMATION

The full text of the call for proposals and the application forms are available on the following website:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/eu_others/australia/call_en.html.

For more information, you may write to:

eac-3C-cooperation@cec.eu.int

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