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I Information

Commission

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Euro exchange rates (1)

19 September 2005

(2005/C 230/01)

1 euro= 

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(1)

Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

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Commission communication in the framework of the implementation of Directive 2000/9/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 relating to cableway installations designed to carry persons

(2005/C 230/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(Publication of titles and references of harmonised standards under the directive)

NOTE:

More information about harmonised standards on the Internet at

http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/newapproach/standardization/harmstds/

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(1)  ESO: European Standardisation Organisation:

(2)OJ L 204, 21.7.1998, p.37.

(3)OJ L 217, 5.8.1998, p. 18.

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3929 — Barclays Private Equity/Neumayer)

(2005/C 230/03)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 5 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 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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Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2005/C 230/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: Sweden

Aid No: N 75/2005

Title: Aid to Volvo Trucks

Objective: Environmental Protection

Aid intensity or amount: SEK 85 000 000 (EUR 9 000 000)

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: Ireland

Aid No: N 264/2004

Title: Extension to the scheme of reliefs for the renewal of certain urban areas (Ex N 270/2002)

Objective: Promote regional development

Legal basis: Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 as amended by Finance Act 2004 section 26(1)(b)

Budget: EUR 40 million in 2005, EUR 50 million in 2006

Aid intensity or amount: In accordance with regional aid map 2000-2006

Duration: 31.12.2004 until 31.7.2006

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: Latvia

Aid No: N 360/2004

Title: Amendments to the State aid Programme ‘Risk Capital Financing for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises’

Objective(s): Risk Capital for SMEs

Legal basis: Vienotais programmdokuments Latvijai laika posmam no 2004.-2006. gadam un Programmas papildinÿjums vienotajam programmdokumentam Latvijai laika posmÿ no 2004.-2006. gadam

Budget: The total funding of the Programme for the period 2004-2006 will be LVL 10,3 million (approx. EUR 15,4 million)

Duration: 

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: France (Limousin)

Aid No: N 382/04

Title: Setting-up of a high-speed infrastructure in the Limousin region

Objective: Financing of a service of general economic interest

Legal basis: Article 1425-1 du Code Général des Collectivités territoriales (JO no 143 du 22 juin 2004. Loi no 2004-575 du 21 juin 2004 pour la confiance dans l'économie numérique)

Budget: The total amount of public funding for the proposed project is EUR 38 400 000

Aid intensity or amount: Measure not constituting State aid

Duration: 20-year concession

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: Lithuania

Aid No: N 425/2004

Title: Kaunas Free Economic Zone

Objective: Regional aid

Legal basis: Lietuvos Respublikos laisvųjų ekonominių zonų pagrindų įstatymas (Žin., 1995, Nr. 59-1462); Lietuvos Respublikos Kauno laisvosios ekonominės zonos įstatymas (Žin., 1996, Nr. 109-2474

Budget: Estimated at EUR 205 million

Aid intensity or amount: 50 % NGE, can be raised with a top-up to 15 % GGE for SMEs

Duration: The term of activity of the zone shall be 49 years. State aid to each individual undertaking shall be terminated as soon as the limits of State aid intensity under the scheme are reached

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: Germany

Aid No: N 441/2003

Title: Programme for waste management in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Objective: Environmental Aid

Legal basis: Richtlinie zur Förderung von Maßnahmen der Kreislaufwirtschaft und der umweltverträglichen Beseitigung von Abfällen iVm § 44 Landeshaushaltsordnung

Budget: Ca. EUR 333 400 per year

Intensity or amount: Up to 50 %

Duration: 1.1.2004 until 31.12.2006

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

Aid No: N 503/2004

Title: Irish Language Broadcast Fund

Objective: To promote the production of films and other audiovisual works

Legal basis: Educational and Library Services Etc. Grants Regulation (Northern Ireland) 1994

Budget: Overall amount GBP 12 million

Aid intensity or amount: Maximum of 75 % of production costs

Duration: 4 years

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: The Netherlands

Aid No: N 580/2004 (prolongation of aid N 746/2001 and N 530/2003)

Title: Film Production Support Scheme

Objective: Cinema and Audiovisual

Legal basis: Wet Inkomstenbelasting 2001.

Wijziging van enkele belastingwetten (Belastingplan 2005 — artikel XXXIA)

Budget: EUR 45 million

Aid intensity or amount: variable, in any case minor than 50 %

Duration: 1.1.2005 until 30.6.2007

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: Greece

Aid No: N 596/2003

Title: Extension of delivery deadline for a passenger cruise vessel

Objective: Shipbuilding

Legal basis: Υπουργική απόφαση 6157/248 της 1ης Απριλίου 2002

Aid intensity: < 9 %

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: United Kingdom

Aid No: N 601/2003

Title: Special Purpose Equity Vehicle (‘SPEV’)

Objective(s): Risk Capital for SMEs

Legal basis: The Industrial Development Act 1982 (Section 8), the Local Government Act 2000 (Section 2), the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 (Sections 5 and 6) and the Leasehold Reform, Housing and the Urban Development Act 1993 (Part 3 — Section 126)

Budget: The intended size of the fund is GBP 10 million

Duration: The initial investment phase of the SPEV fund will be for 4,75 years from the date of its creation

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision: 

Member State: The Netherlands

Aid No: NN 24/2005

Title: Environmental investment deduction scheme (Milieu-investeringsaftrek — MIA)

Objective: Stimulate investments in environment-friendly material assets

Legal basis: Aanwijzingsregeling milieu-investeringsaftrek 2005

Budget: EUR 83 million per year

Aid intensity or amount: Maximum 21 %

Duration: Not limited in time

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

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III Notices

Commission

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS — DG EAC No 25/05

‘Promotion of active European Citizenship’

Support to town twinning actions citizens' meetings 2006

(2005/C 230/05)

1.   OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION

The objective of this call for proposals is to support citizens' meetings in the framework of town-twinning, which:

The citizens' meetings should include the following three aspects:

(1)   Commitment to European integration

The citizens' meetings should reinforce the participants' commitment to European integration.

(2)   Friendships in Europe

The meetings should foster mutual understanding and friendship between people from the twinned towns.

(3)   Active participation

Citizens' meetings should be an experiment on active civic participation. Therefore the meetings should be based on large local participation and on active involvement of the participants in all activities.

2.   ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

The applicant must be the municipality, in which the meeting takes place or its twinning association/twinning committee with a legal status (legal personality).

Applicants must be established in one of the following countries:

3.   BUDGET AND PROJECT DURATION

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at EUR 7,5 million.

The grants are calculated based on flat rates. Each grant will amount to between EUR 2 000 and EUR 20 000.

Activities must start between 15 March and 31 December 2006. The maximum accepted duration of meetings is 21 days.

4.   DEADLINES

First phase: until 15 November 2005 for actions beginning between 15 March and 31 May 2006;

Second phase: until 1 February 2006 for actions beginning between 1 June and 31 July 2006;

Third phase: until 3 April 2006 for actions beginning between 1 August and 30 September 2006;

Fourth phase: until 1 June 2006 for actions beginning between 1 October and 31 December 2006.

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/towntwinning/call/call_en.html

Applications must comply with the requirements set out in the full text of the call and be submitted using the form provided.

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(1)  Furthermore an EEA/EFTA country or a candidate country Turkey will be eligible if, by the deadline for submission of grant applications, an agreement on participation in the programme has been concluded between the Country in concern and the Commission.

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