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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2003/C 15/03)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Date of adoption of the decision: 16.10.2002

Member State: Germany (Brandenburg)

Aid No: N 361/02

Title: Aid in favour of Kunz Faserplattenwerk Baruth GmbH

Objective: Realisation of a large investment project under the Multisectoral Framework on regional aid for the construction of an MDF mill

Legal basis: Gemeinschaftsaufgabe "Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur"; Investitionszulagengesetz

Budget: EUR 72961000

Aid intensity or amount: EUR 25411000

Duration: 2000 to 2002

Other information: Commitment by Germany to comply with the obligations regarding ex post monitoring according to point 6 of the Multisectoral Framework on regional aid for large investment projects

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: 9.8.2002

Member State: Germany

Aid No: N 380/02

Title: Modification of the regional employment programme - Land of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Objective: Creation of new jobs for workers experiencing particular difficulties in entering the labour market

Legal basis: § 44 der Haushaltsordnung des Landes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Budget: 2002 to 2006: EUR 4,1 million per year

Duration: Limited until 31 December 2006

Other information: Germany submits an annual report on the implementation of the scheme

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: 13.11.2002

Member State: Finland

Aid No: N 468/02

Title: Kvaerner Masa Yard. Extension of three years delivery limit for a vessel

Objective: Shipbuilding

Legal basis: Kauppa- ja teollisuusministeriön asetus telakkateollisuuden kilpailuedellytysten turvaamiseen myönnettävästä valtion avustuksesta annetun kauppa- ja teollisuusministeriön päätöksen 8 §:n muuttamisesta, annettu Helsingissä 20 päivänä heinäkuuta 2000

Handels- och industriministeriets förordning om ändring av 8 § handels- och industriministeriets beslut om statligt understöd för tryggande av varvsindustrins konkurrensbetingelser, given i Helsingfors den 20 juli 2000

Aid intensity or amount: 6 % of the contract value of the vessel

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: 11.12.2002

Member State: Ireland

Aid No: N 504/02

Title: Finance Act, 2002 (Tonnage Tax)

Objective: Maritime transport - operating aid through tax relief to preserve competitiveness of the fleet and promote the maritime shipping in Ireland (employment of EC seafarers, preservation of maritime know-how in the EC and development of maritime skills and the improvement of safety)

Legal basis: Finance Act, 2002, that will add a new Part 24A and Schedule 18B tot the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997

Budget: EUR 0,38 million per year

Aid intensity or amount: Under the Tonnage Tax, the taxable profit will be determined for each qualifying ship is to be calculated by reference to a fixed rate per 100 net tons per day as follows:

- up to including 1000 net tons: EUR 1,00 per 100 NT

- between 1001 and 10000 net tons: EUR 0,75 per 100 NT

- between 10001 and 25000 net tons: EUR 0,50 per 100 NT

- more than 25000 net tons: 0,25 EUR per 100 NT

Duration: Entry into the regime possible over a three-year period

Other information: The Irish authorities have committed themselves to providing annual reports on the achievement of the objectives of the tonnage tax

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: 13.11.2002

Member State: Spain (Andalusia)

Aid No: N 516/02

Title: Cobre Las Cruces

Objective: Regional aid

Legal basis: Ley 50/1985 de 23 de diciembre de incentivos regionales

Aid intensity or amount: EUR 52770000 (13,5 % NGE)

Other information: Obligation to provide the Commission with a report on completion of investments before payment of aid

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: 4.10.2002

Member State: Germany

Aid No: N 554/02

Title: German Measures for the Establishment of a Fund "Aufbauhilfe" - Solidarity Law for the Victims affected by the Floods

Objective: Aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters

Legal basis: Maßnahmen der Bundesregierung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland zur Errichtung eines Fonds "Aufbauhilfe" (Flutopfersolidaritätsgesetz)

Aid intensity or amount: Compensation of damage

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: 2.12.2002

Member State: Ireland

Aid No: N 661/02

Title: Amendment to the Irish Seafarers' Income Tax Allowance Scheme

Objective: Maritime transport - operating aid through tax relief to preserve competitiveness of the fleet and promote the maritime shipping in Ireland (employment of EC seafarers, preservation of maritime know-how)

Budget: EUR 0,20 million per year

Aid intensity or amount: The aid, as a tax allowance, is available to qualifying seafarers who are in the Irish tax net and who have a tax liability. The allowance can only be used to reduce an existing tax liability. The allowance is deducted from the seafarer's total gross income to arrive at a taxable income, which is taxed at the applicable tax rate. The value of the allowance to the seafarer will be a percentage of EUR 6350 based on the marginal income tax rate payable

Duration: No limit

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: 2.12.2002

Member State: France

Aid No: N 662/02

Title: Amendment of the scheme for refunding the maritime part of the trading income tax (Aid N 593/2000)

Objective: To transform the refund to commercial shipping companies of the maritime part of the trading income tax into relief. The amount of aid, its purpose and the conditions of eligibility are unchanged. This scheme is still inteded to boost the competitiveness of French shipping vis-à-vis competition from outside the European Union

Legal basis: Article 1467 ter du code général des impôts

Budget: Some EUR 15 million per annum

Aid intensity or amount: Equal to the ratio of the value of vessels and seafarer's wages to the taxable basis of the trading income tax (on average 85 %)

Duration: Unlimited

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: 2.12.2002

Member State: The Netherlands

Aid No: N 745/01

Title: Environmental Technology Scheme

Objective: Research and Development

Legal basis: Ministeriële regeling op grond van artikel 15.13, eerste tot en met derde lid, van de Wet milieubeheer

Budget: Not changed

Aid intensity or amount:

>TABLE>

Duration: Not changed/unlimited 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

Date of adoption of the decision: 3.9.2002

Member State: Italy (Sicily)

Aid No: N 756/01

Title: Aid for tourism

Objective: Regional development

Legal basis: Legge regionale 23.12.2000, n. 32 (articoli 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 13 et 198) e sue disposizioni attuative

Budget: EUR 60000000

Aid intensity or amount: 35 % gge for grants and 12,02 % gge for interest subsidies

Duration: Until 31 December 2006

Other information: Annual report to be submitted to the Commission

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: 13.8.2002

Member State: Germany (Land of Saxony-Anhalt)

Aid No: N 96/02

Title: Scheme of the Land of Saxony-Anhalt for the award of loans to technology-orientated enterprises

Objective: The scheme aims at viable innovative SMEs; under the notified subprogrammes soft loans are awarded to support either 1. research and development activities, 2. recruitment of highly qualified staff or 3. unexpected financial bottlenecks arising from large orders

Legal basis: Mittelstandsförderungsgesetz des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt und § 44 der Haushaltsordnung des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt

Budget: Loans are granted from resources of a Land owned Fund, the basis capital of the Fund amounts to EUR 27023000

Duration: The duration of the overall scheme is limited for a period of five years after the Commission's approval

Other information: Germany has to submit an annual report on the implementation of the scheme

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: 8.10.2002

Member State: Germany (Freistaat Thüringen)

Aid No: N 97/02

Title: Programme of the Land of Thuringia in favour of technology transfer

Objective: The scheme aims at recreating and maintaining an efficient regional R & D potential and at stimulating research and development activities of SMEs in the Land of Thuringia

Legal basis: §§ 23 und 44 der Thüringer Landeshaushaltsordnung, Richtlinie des Landes Thüringen zur Förderung des Technologietransfers in der Thüringer Wirtschaft

Budget: The budget amounts to EUR 5 million for the year 2002 and to EUR 8 million for the year 2003, the financial planning provides EUR 10 million for the years 2004 to 2006

Duration: The duration of the scheme is limited until 31 December 2006

Other information: Germany has to submit an annual report on the implementation of the scheme

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: 16.10.2002

Member State: Germany (Brandenburg)

Aid No: NN 85/02

Title: Aid in favour of CargoLifter AG

Objective: Rescue Aid

Legal basis: Ad hoc

Aid intensity or amount: EUR 4148000

Duration: 6 months

Other information: Commitment of Germany to communicate to the Commission, within six months after authoritisation of the rescue measure, a restructuring plan or a liquidation plan or proof that the loans has been reimbursed in full amount

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