Information communicated by Member States regarding state aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises

(2003/C 229/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XS 102/02

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Wales

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Strategic Direction Programme

Legal basis: Welsh Development Agency Act 1975, as amended

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The scheme will provide funding to support SMEs over a 31/2 year period as follows:

2002/03: GBP 67000

2003/04: GBP 200000

2004/05: GBP 200000

2005/06: GBP 133000

The funding will support a maximum of 80 SMEs which meet the definition in Annex 1 to the SME Block Exemption

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity will be 45 % of the consultancy costs. It is estimated that no one SME will receive more than GBP 10000 worth of aid

Date of implementation: 10 September 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 March 2006

Objective of aid: The scheme will assist SMEs to clarify their objectives and provide support, through specialist consultancy, to implement strategy and strategic change.

The development and monitoring/change of strategy is essential for the success of all companies. Many companies, in particular smaller companies, benefit from the wider perspective that external consultants can bring to this process

Economic sector(s) concerned: All sectors, without prejudice to special rules in regulations and directives concerning state aid in certain sectors

Name and address of the granting authority: Mike Firth Welsh Development Agency Principality House

The Friary

Cardiff CF10 3FE United Kingdom

Other information: Larger companies may be provided with similar support under the de minimis rule

Aid No: XS 103/02

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Wales

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Winning Business Programme

Legal basis: Welsh Development Agency Act 1975, as amended

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The scheme will provide funding to support SMEs over a three-year period as follows:

2002/03: GBP 70000

2003/04: GBP 200000

2004/05: GBP 200000

The funding will support a maximum of 156 SMEs which meet the definition in Annex 1 to the SME Block Exemption

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity will be 50 % of the consultancy costs. It is estimated that no one SME will receive more than GBP 4750 worth of aid

Date of implementation: 1 October 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 March 2005

Objective of aid: The scheme is intended to provide tactical sales and marketing support to SMEs, increasing sales and profitability through consultancy support.

The scheme will not support advertising costs.

Many SMEs with otherwise sound strategies experience difficulty in attracting new business and supporting short/medium-term profitability. Consultancy will focus on brand development, account management and development, internet usage and other areas

Economic sector(s) concerned: All sectors, without prejudice to special rules in regulations and directives concerning state aid in certain sectors

Name and address of the granting authority: Mike Firth Welsh Development Agency Principality House

The Friary

Cardiff CF10 3FE United Kingdom

Other information: Larger companies may be provided with similar support under the de minimis rule.

This scheme will be partly funded by ERDF Objective 1 and WAG Pathway to Prosperity support

Aid No: XS 66/02

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: West Midlands Objective 2

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Growth Sector Support in Lichfield 2002-05

Legal basis: Section 2 of Local Government Act 2000/Industrial Development Act 1982, Sections 7 and 11

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: 2002: GBP 26912

2003: GBP 41621

2004: GBP 41436

2005: GBP 20135

Maximum aid intensity: 50 % of the cost of consultancy support. No one SME will receive more than GBP 100000 in aid

Date of implementation: 1 July 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2005

Objective of aid: To provide SMEs with consultancy services in the tourism, leisure and creative industries sectors in order to enable them to expand their business opportunities and to create and safeguard jobs in an industry typically comprising micro businesses. These businesses are normally too small to be able to afford the necessary consultancy advice which they need in order to be sustainable

Economic sector(s) concerned: Other services (tourism, leisure and creative sectors). Without prejudice to special rules in regulations and directives concerning state aid in certain sectors

Name and address of the granting authority: Contact Sue Smith Lichfield District Council District Council House

Frog Lane,

Lichfield Staffordshire WS13 6YZ United Kingdom Tel. (44-1543) 30 87 70 Fax (44-1543) 30 98 99

Other information: Also monitored by: Tom Blackmore Government Office West Midlands 77 Paradise Circus Birmingham B1 2DT United Kingdom

Aid No: XS 72/02

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. Art. 87(3)(a) assisted area

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Economic Development Grants

Legal basis: Local Government and Housing Act 1989

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: GBP 265000 (2002/03)

GBP 305000 (2003/04)

GBP 325000 (2004/05)

Maximum aid intensity: Not exceeding 50 %

Date of implementation: 5 August 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 August 2005

Objective of aid: As a result of a council pilot scheme and drawing on best practice from other local authorities in the region, the scheme aims to support indigenous SMEs through the provision of finance. In particular, finance will be available (where market failure exists) for capital investment projects via the capital assets, tourism and energy efficiency grants and for consultancy via the web and business planning grants. The programme aims to encourage growth and improve the survival rate of businesses in the County Borough of Merthyr Tydfil

Economic sector(s) concerned: Other manufacturing and other services.

Without prejudice to special rules in the regulations and directives concerning state aid in certain sectors

Name and address of the granting authority: Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Civic Offices

Castle Street

Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8AN United Kingdom Contact for queries: Lesley Kirkpatrick

Economic Development Officer

Tel. (44-1685) 72 51 61 e-mail: lesley.kirkpatrick@merthyr.gov.uk

Aid No: XS 74/02

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: West Midlands Objective 2

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Black Country Learning Network SME support - (Objective 2/O2/1/1.04.1.05.1.06)

Legal basis: Industrial Development Act 1982, Section 11/Industrial Development Act 1982, Section 7/Learning Skills Council Act 2000

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: 2002/03: GBP 81000

2003/04: GBP 66160

2004/05: GBP 67180

2005/06: GBP 67180

2006/07: GBP 66160

2007/08: GBP 66160

2008/09: GBP 66160

Total: GBP 480000

Maximum aid intensity: Aid for consultancy and the dissemination of knowledge up to 50 % gross

Date of implementation: 1 August 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 1 August 2002-30 June 2007, in accordance with the current Regulation. Following this, the scheme will comply with the regulations then in force

Objective of aid: Consultancy support will be given to SMEs to identify general training programmes that benefit both the SME and its employees.

No money will be given to fund training directly

Economic sector(s) concerned: All sectors, without prejudice to the rules governing sensitive sectors

Coalmining, steel, shipbuilding, synthetic fibres, motor vehicles, transport, financial services, fisheries, aquaculture or agriculture

Name and address of the granting authority: Jaine Clarke Black Country Learning and Skills Council Black Country House

Rounds Green Road

Oldbury West Midlands B69 2DG United Kingdom Tel. (44-121) 345 47 90

Aid No: XS 75/02

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: West Midlands Objective 2

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Coventry City Council - assistance for SMEs

Legal basis: Industrial Development Act 1982, Sections 7 and 11/Local Government Act 2000, Section 2

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Total public expenditure: GBP 530000

2002: GBP 100000

2003: GBP 100000

2004: GBP 100000

2005: GBP 100000

2006: GBP 100000

2007: GBP 30000

Total: GBP 530000

Maximum aid intensity: Max. 50 %. Not exceeding 50 % for consultancy. Not exceeding 25 % for direct capital grants as per the ceiling for Article 87(3)(c) areas

Date of implementation: 2 September 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 March 2007 in accordance with Commission requirements

Objective of aid: The consultancy will be used to improve marketing and support continuous improvement of the business. Capital grants will be made to support improvements in internal systems where necessary, e.g. IT equipment.

This will improve the survival of SMEs in the area and safeguard jobs

Economic sector(s) concerned: All manufacturing - excluding, steel manufacture, shipbuilding, synthetic fibre production and motor vehicle production.

Also other services - ICT-related businesses only

Name and address of the granting authority: Coventry City Council (CCFI) John Sinclair House

Coventry Canal Basin

Coventry CV1 4LY United Kingdom

Other information: Geoff Hyde Tel. (44-24) 768 32 61

Aid No: XS 90/02

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Entire country

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: University Innovation Centre in B2B

Legal basis: Industrial and Development Act 1982, Sections 7 and 11, and Industrial Development Act 1988, Reference Section 8

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The scheme will provide the following funding to support SMEs over the period 2002-06:

2002: GBP 1375000

2003: GBP 2750000

2004: GBP 2750000

2005: GBP 2750000

2006: GBP 1375000

Total: GBP 11000000

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity will be 50 %. The maximum aid to a single SME will not exceed GBP 100000

Date of implementation: 15 September 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 1 December 2006

Objective of aid: The scheme will provide consultancy in order to ensure the effective adoption of business-to-business (B2B) in internal and supply chain processes, which is essential to the survival and growth of SMEs. B2B e-commerce can radically change how organisations communicate, share, cooperate and make decisions both internally and across the supply chain and network. The Warwick Manufacturing Centre will provide a range of advice to SMEs to enable them to understand the opportunities afforded by the rapid emergence of e-business. Without assistance SMEs would lack the technical skills and expertise required to exploit the e-business opportunity. This will in turn safeguard the jobs of SMEs in the region and encourage innovation and diversification

Economic sector(s) concerned: All manufacturing and other services, without prejudice to special rules, regulations and directives concerning state aid in certain sectors

Name and address of the granting authority: Government Office for the West Midlands 77 Paradise Circus

Queensway

Birmingham B1 2DT United Kingdom Tel. (44-121) 212 50 68

Other information: Denis Pelych Warwick Manufacturing Group University of Warwick United Kingdom Tel. (44-24) 76 57 42 53 e-mail: Denis.Pelych@warwick.ac.uk