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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2003/C 145/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Date of adoption of the decision: 20.3.2003

Member State: Spain (Autonomous Community of Castile-La Mancha)

Aid No: NN 112/02 (ex N 477/02)

Title: Aid for gas and electricity grids

Objective: To extend the gas and electricity grids

Legal basis: Convenios de colaboración entre la Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha y distintas empresas

Budget: EUR 13436165 (electricity) and EUR 14239340 (gas)

Aid intensity or amount: Up to 40 % net (30 % net in the Province of Guadalajara)

Duration: 2000 to 2006

Other information: Annual report

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: 11.2.2003

Member State: Italy (Aosta Valley)

Aid No: N 248/02

Title: Aid scheme to promote the development of industrial and craft firms

Objective: Part A: regional development

Part B: development of SMEs

Part C: environmental protection

Legal basis: Disegno di legge regionale n. 153: interventi regionali per lo sviluppo delle imprese industriali e artigiane; disposizioni per l'applicazione della legge regionale recante interventi regionali per lo sviluppo delle imprese industriali e artigiane

Budget: EUR 30 million

Aid intensity or amount: Part A (investment):

(i) non-assisted areas eligible for Article 87(3)(c) derogation: SMEs - 7,5 % gge and 15 % gge;

(ii) Article 87(3)(c) areas: large enterprises - 8 % nge (plus 10 percentage points gge for small enterprises and 6 percentage points gge for medium-sized enterprises).

Part B (consultancy and trade fairs): 50 % gge;

Part C (environment):

(iii) SME investment to comply with new Community standards: 15 % gge;

(iv) investment enabling firms to improve on standards applicable: 30 % gge (35 % gge if in Article 87(3)(c) areas);

(v) energy investment: 40 % gge (45 % gge if in Article 87(3)(c) areas).

The aid intensity ceilings at (iv) and (v) are increased by 10 percentage points gross in the case of SMEs.

Duration: Until 31 December 2006 for parts A and B; until 31 December 2007 for part C.

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: 5.2.2003

Member State: Italy (Sicily)

Aid No: N 268/02

Title: Aid to Sicilian publishing firms

Objective: Publishing sector

Legal basis: Articolo 37 della Legge Regionale n. 32/2000, Regione Sicilia

Budget: 40 billion (EUR 20658276)

Aid intensity or amount: One-off grant of maximum ITL 1,5 billion (EUR 774685) per beneficiary

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: 24.2.2003

Member State: Germany (Brandenburg)

Aid No: N 535/02

Title: Impulse-programme of the Land of Brandenburg

Objective: The programme aims at assisting the development of the economic activities of SMEs by providing them with aid for external consultancy services

Legal basis: §§ 44 der Landeshaushaltsordnung des Landes Brandenburg, Impulsprogramm zur Stärkung von Branchenkompetenzen in den Regionen Brandenburgs

Budget: The overall budget amounts to EUR 4,9 million

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: 4.4.2003

Member State: Austria

Aid No: N 677/02

Title: Fund for the participation in the equity of SMEs in Burgenland

Objective: Address the lack of equity for SMEs in the Austrian Land of Burgenland

Legal basis: Beschluss der Burgenländischen Landesregierung vom 17. Dezember 2002

Budget: EUR 30 million

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