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 on State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises

(2003/C 52/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XS 17/02

Member State: Italy

Region: Marche

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: SPD Obj. 2 2000-2006 - Measure 1.4 Infrastructure for the productive system; submeasure 1 Improvement of innovative and advanced services for firms - measure (a)

Legal basis: Docup Ob. 2, 2000-2006

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

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Maximum aid intensity: In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 70/2001, the following rates of aid will be applied: 15 % gge for small firms and 7,5 % gge for medium-sized firms. In the areas exempted under Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty, the aid will be 20 % gge, with a maximum of 8 % nge + 10 % gge, for small firms and 15 % gge for medium-sized firms, with a maximum of 8 % nge + 6 % gge. The minimum investment eligible for financing is EUR 330000,00

Date of implementation: Date of publication of the notice inviting applications (January 2002)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The application of the scheme is currently limited to 2002

Objective of aid: The measure is intended to enhance and improve the operational infrastructure of research and test laboratories and innovation and technology transfer centres through improvements in the regional supply of services for the productive system, with particular reference to strategic and cutting-edge services

Economic sector(s) concerned: Services

Name and address of the granting authority: Regione Marche Servizio Industria e Artigianato Via Tiziano 44 I - 60100 Ancona Tel. (39) 071 80 61

Aid No: XS 22/02

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Wales

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Investment grant

Legal basis: Industrial Development Act 1982 (Sections 7 and 8)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: GBP 3 million per annum. Maximum award per project is GBP 50000. Estimated number of SME beneficiaries per year is 80

Maximum aid intensity: In Article 87(3)(a) assisted areas - 35 % net + 15 % gross.

In Article 87(3)(c) assisted areas - 15 % net + 10 % gross.

In non-assisted areas 15 % gross (small enterprises)

7,5 % gross (medium-sized enterprises).

All other public aid will be taken into account in ensuring that the limits are not breached

Date of implementation: 1 April 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 2006

Objective of aid: To improve competitiveness and job-creation capabilities of SMEs throughout Wales by encouraging investment in good-quality projects

Economic sector(s) concerned: Manufacturing and services, excluding retail and local services. Sensitive sectors will be excluded

Name and address of the granting authority: Economic Development Department The National Assembly for Wales Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ United Kingdom

Other information: The form of assistance will be a direct grant. The scheme will allow capitalisation of leases, subject to the same limitations as set out in the Regional Selective Assistance Scheme (and in the Commission's letter dated 13 September 2001 (D/53731) with regard to N 791/99 - Enterprise Grant Scheme)

Aid No: XS 23/02

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Wales

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Farming Connect: subsidised planning consultancy advice for farm businesses

Legal basis: Agriculture Act 1986, Section 1

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: GBP 250000

Maximum aid intensity: 50 %

Date of implementation: January 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 2006

Objective of aid: To subsidise planning consultancy costs incurred by farm businesses in seeking planning permission for non-agricultural diversification projects eligible for EC development and farm diversification grants

Economic sector(s) concerned: Other services, i.e. farm businesses

Examples include:

- tourism and recreation including farmhouse accommodation, horse riding, adventure holidays, sport facilities including motor sports, theme parks, etc.

- craft workshops, motor repairs, etc.

- storage of furniture, caravans, etc.

- small-scale retail activities

- office space and IT

Name and address of the granting authority: NAFW

FFD3

Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ United Kingdom

Aid No: XS 29/02

Member State: Germany

Region: Bavaria

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Guidelines for implementing the Bavarian regional aid programme for industry and commerce

Legal basis: Artikel 23, 44 Bayerische Haushaltsordnung (BayHO)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: 2002: EUR 100,9 million (gross, according to budget plan); 2003-2006: EUR 115,9 million per year (gross, according to medium-term finance plan)

Maximum aid intensity: 15 % in the case of small enterprises; 7,5 % in the case of medium-sized enterprises

Date of implementation: 22 February 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 30 June 2007 in accordance with European Commission requirements

Objective of aid: Regional aid for SMEs:

- to establish a standard of living and a level playing field for competition that are as far as possible the same in all parts of Bavaria;

- to strengthen the productivity and competitiveness of the economy, especially in economically weak areas, rural areas and areas facing special labour-market problems;

- to create new jobs and to safeguard existing ones

Economic sector(s) concerned: Commercial and industrial enterprises. However, under the sectoral aid rules, the aid is limited in certain sectors and may be granted only with the approval of the European Commission

Name and address of the granting authority: Regierung von Oberbayern, Maximilianstraße 39, D - 80538 München Regierung von Niederbayern, Regierungsplatz 540, D - 84028 Landshut Regierung der Oberpfalz, Emmeramsplatz 8, D - 93047 Regensburg Regierung von Oberfranken, Ludwigstraße 20, D - 95444 Bayreuth Regierung von Mittelfranken, Promenade 27, D - 91522 Ansbach Regierung von Unterfranken, Peterplatz 9, D - 97070 Würzburg Regierung von Schwaben, Fronhof 10, D - 86152 Augsburg

Aid No: XS 42/02

Member State: Spain

Region: Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Aid for the implementation of projects exploiting renewable energy resources and demonstration projects promoting energy-saving and efficiency

Legal basis: Estatuto de Autonomía de la Región de Murcia.

Decreto del Consejo de Gobierno n° 1/2002 de reorganización de la administración regional.

Decreto legislativo 1/1999, de 2 de diciembre, texto refundido de la Ley de Hacienda de la Región de Murcia.

Orden de 7 de enero de 2002, de la Consejería de Ciencia, Tecnología, Industria y Comercio, reguladora de las bases y convocatoria de las ayudas con destino a la ejecución de proyectos de explotación de recursos energéticos renovables y de ahorro y eficiencia energética para el año 2002.

Orden de 14 de marzo de 2002, por la que se modifica la orden de 7 de enero de 2002, reguladora de las bases y convocatoria de las ayudas con destino a la ejecución de proyectos de explotación de recursos energéticos renovables y de ahorro y eficiencia energética para el año 2002.

Orden de 16 de abril de 2002, por la que se complementa y aclara la orden de 14 de marzo de 2002, por la que se modifica la orden de 7 de enero de 2002, de ejecución de proyectos de explotación de recursos energéticos renovables y de ahorro y eficiencia energética para el ejercicio 2002.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the aplication of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Aid allocated to private firms (SMEs): EUR 240405

Maximum aid intensity: This may not be less than 30 % or more than 50 % of the eligible expenditure planned by the applicant.

In the case of private firms, not more than 40 % gross grant equivalent may be granted in respect of eligible costs

Date of implementation: The Order came into force on 15 January 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The aid may be granted until 30 September 2002

Objective of aid: Aid to local authorities, private firms (SMEs) and to non-profit making families and institutions for implementing projects to exploit renewable energy resources and demonstration projects promoting energy-saving and efficiency.

Use of the energy arriving from the following renewable sources:

- solar,

- thermal,

- photovoltaic,

- wind,

- biomass,

- geothermal,

- municipal solid waste,

- biofuels

Economic sector(s) concerned: Private firms (SMEs)

Name and address of the granting authority: D. Patricio Valverde Megías Consejero de Ciencia, Tecnología, Industria y Comercio c/ San Cristóbal, 6 E - 30071 Murcia

Aid No: XS 43/02

Member State: Spain

Region: Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Aid to be granted in 2002 for presenting information society products and services at the SICARM 2002 Business Innovation Days

Legal basis: Estatuto de Autonomía de la Región de Murcia.

Decreto del Consejo de Gobierno n° 1/2002, de 15 de enero, de reorganización de la administración regional.

Decreto legislativo 1/1999, de 2 de diciembre, texto refundido de la Ley de Hacienda de la Región de Murcia.

Orden de 7 de enero de 2002, de la Consejería de Ciencia, Tecnología, Industria y Comercio, reguladora de las bases y convocatoria de las ayudas a la exposición de productos y servicios de la sociedad de la información en las Jornadas Técnicas Empresariales SICARM 2002, para el ejercicio 2002.

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

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Aid allocated to private firms (SMEs): EUR 30000

Maximum aid intensity: Not more than 50 % gross grant equivalent of eligible costs

Date of implementation: The Order came into force on 18 April 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The aid may be granted until 24 May 2002

Objective of aid: Aid to be granted in 2002 to private firms (SMEs) based in the Region of Murcia for presenting information society products and services at the SICARM 2002 Business Innovation Days

Economic sector(s) concerned: Private firms covered by the definition of SMEs set out in the Commission Recommendation of 3 April 1996

Name and address of the granting authority: D. Patricio Valverde Megías Consejero de Ciencia, Tecnología, Industria y Comercio c/ San Cristóbal, 6 E - 30071 Murcia

Aid No: XS 47/02

Member State: Spain

Region: Autonomous Community of the Basque Country

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Gauzatu foreign establishments

Legal basis: Orden de 27 de diciembre de 2000, del Consejero de Industria, Comercio, y Turismo de modificación de la orden de 28 de junio de 2000, del Consejero de Industria, Comercio, y Turismo, por la que se regulan el programa Gauzatu implantaciones exteriores, de impulso a la creación y desarrollo de implantaciones de empresas vascas en el exterior (BOPV n° 249 de 30 de diciembre de 2000)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 6010121,04

Maximum aid intensity: 5,32 % for small firms and 4,43 % for medium-sized firms

Date of implementation: From 19 March 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 2001-2004, pursuant to Decree 121/2000

Objective of aid: To support the consolidation of Basque SMEs by increasing productive investment in the export market as a way of enhancing their competitiveness and hence their future viability

Economic sector(s) concerned: SMEs in industry, mining or processing and those providing ancillary technical services. Under the scheme, the aid granted will be subject to the sectoral rules issued by the European Union for the steel industry (non-ECSC), the synthetic fibres industry and the automobile industry

Name and address of the granting authority: Sr. José Ignacio Telletxea Fernández Viceconsejero de Innovación y Desarrollo Industrial Departamento de Industria, Comercio y Turismo Gobierno Vasco c/ Donostia - San Sebastián, 1 E - 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz

Aid No: XS 48/02

Member State: Spain

Region: Autonomous Community of the Basque Country

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Gauzatu foreign establishments

Legal basis: Orden de 27 de diciembre de 2000, del Consejero de Industria, Comercio, y Turismo de modificación de la orden de 28 de junio de 2000, del Consejero de Industria, Comercio, y Turismo, por la que se regulan el programa Gauzatu implantaciones exteriores, de impulso a la creación y desarrollo de implantaciones de empresas vascas en el exterior (BOPV n° 249 de 30 de diciembre de 2000)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 6010121,04

Maximum aid intensity: 5,32 % for small firms and 4,43 % for medium-sized firms

Date of implementation: From 19 March 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 2001-2004, pursuant to Decree 121/2000

Objective of aid: To support the consolidation of Basque SMEs by increasing productive investment in the export market as a way of enhancing their competitiveness and hence their future viability

Economic sector(s) concerned: SMEs in industry, mining or processing and those providing ancillary technical services. Under the scheme, the aid granted will be subject to the sectoral rules issued by the European Union for the steel industry (non-ECSC), the synthetic fibres industry and the automobile industry

Name and address of the granting authority: Sr. José Ignacio Telletxea Fernández Viceconsejero de Innovación y Desarrollo Industrial Departamento de Industria, Comercio y Turismo Gobierno Vasco c/ Donostia - San Sebastián, 1 E - 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz

Aid No: XS 49/02

Member State: Spain

Region: Basque Country

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Name of company: Grupo Innovalia, SL

Legal basis: Decreto 121/2000, de 27 de junio de 2000 (BOPV 30.6.2000), por el que se establecen distintas líneas de ayudas con fines de promoción económica: programa de proyectos estratégicos

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

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Maximum aid intensity: Non-repayable grant of EUR 2565524,14, equivalent to a gross aid intensity of 14,915 %

Date of implementation: The aid will be granted in financial 2002 and relates to the investment carried out in 2001-2004

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Aid to be granted in 2002 (under a grant application procedure).

Implementation period: 2002-2004.

Paymenet: annual; overdue instalments: last payment 2005 for investment carried out in 2004

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to promote investment to be carried out by the SMEs that make up the Grupo Innovalia, an industrial group with local capital, in order to compete at global level, using the synergies resulting from the technological development of each of the firms making up the group. The group as a whole is also an SME.

The aid is conditional on the effective implementation of the investment, its continued presence on the assets side of the firm's balance sheet for five years and the generation of 293 jobs in the period 2001-2004.

So that the project can be regarded as strategic, account has also been taken of the considerable R& D effort that will be carried out, which is assessed at EUR 13120094,24 for the period 2001-2004.

In short, we consider that the objective of the aid is wholly consistent with recital 5 of Regulation (EC) No 70/2001, in as much as it facilitates the development of the economic activities of small and medium-sized enterprises, which perform a crucial function as regards job creation and, more generally, are a factor of social stability and economic dynamiasm

Economic sector(s) concerned: All industrial sectors

- manufacture and marketing of calibration and measuring equipment,

- computational vision systems,

- testing software,

- telematics engineering.

Other services

- advisory,

- innovation management,

- communication and multimedia

Name and address of the granting authority: Gobierno Vasco c/ Donostia - San Sebastián, 1 E - 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Tel. (945) 01 82 63 Fax (945) 01 82 53 e-mail: pol-ind@ej-gv.es

Other information: The project was submitted to the Commission for prior authorisation as special aid. The notification was withdrawn, with the Commission's consent, since the proposed aid was covered by Regulation (EC) No 70/2001.

The aid is incompatible with any other investment aid for the same reason. The eligibility requirements for the expenditure should be met both at group level and by each of the firms making up the group.

The aid is being implemented under Commission Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 of 12 January 2001, since it meets all the requirements laid down.

The authority gives an undertaking to the Commission that it will meet all the requirements in Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 concerning the transparency and monitoring of the implementation of and follow-up to the planned aid

Aid No: XS 52/01

Member State: Germany

Region: Lower Saxony, rural district of Lüneburg

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Rules (Richtlinie) on the approval of grants to individual SMEs in the rural district of Lüneburg

Legal basis: 108 der Niedersächsischen Landkreisordnung (NLO) in der Fassung vom 22.8.1996 (Niedersächsisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt, S. 365) i. V. mit 65 der Niedersächsischen Gemeindeordnung (NGO) in der Fassung vom 22.8.1996 (Niedersächsisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt, S. 382)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: 150000 EUR

Maximum aid intensity: The aid amounts:

- in the case of small enterprises, to no more than 15 %,

- and in the case of medium-sized enterprises, to no more than 7,5 %;

of eligible investment expenditure.

The rules on the combination of aid are complied with

Date of implementation: 1 July 2001

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: From 1 July 2001 to 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: The aid is intended to promote the competitiveness and adaptability of small and medium-sized enterprises in the rural district of Lüneburg, to encourage the creation of new jobs and help safeguard existing ones and thereby to bring about structural improvements.

Rescue and restructuring aid to firms in difficulty (within the meaning of the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty: OJ C 288, 9.10.1999) is not covered by the measure.

Aid may be granted for the following types of investment project:

- setting-up of an establishment,

- extension of an establishment if the number of long-term full-time jobs is increased by 15 % as compared with the situation before the start of the investment,

- rationalisation, diversification or modernisation of an establishment if this serves to ensure the continued existence of the business and the maintenance of most of the jobs,

- acquisition of an establishment threatened with closure, provided that this is done under market conditions.

The long-term jobs created through the aid must be maintained for at least two years after payment of the grant.

The aid takes the form of investment grants.

All depreciable fixed assets relating to physical and intangible assets are eligible

Economic sector(s) concerned: Those entitled to apply are SMEs in manufacturing, the craft sector, the distributive trades, the hotel and restaurant industry, other service-sector firms and persons starting new businesses in these sectors whose place of business is in the Amt Neuhaus and Bleckede municipalities or in the Dahlenburg integrated municipality.

Aid may not be granted to firms in sensitive sectors.

Name and address of the granting authority: Landkreis Lüneburg Auf dem Michaeliskloster 4 D - 21335 Lüneburg

Other information: Mr Dutzmann Tel. (041 31) 20 82 20 Fax (041 31) 20 82 10

Aid No: XS 57/01

Member State: Germany

Region: Brandenburg

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Rules (Richtlinie) introduced by the Brandenburg Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Women's Affairs on the approval of grants for devising and implementing innovative arrangements which can serve as models to ensure that jobs and technologies comply with safety concerns (Brandenburg Official Gazette, No 18, 2 May 2001)

Legal basis: - Verordnung (EG) Nr. 70/2001 der Kommission vom 12. Januar 2001 über die Anwendung der Artikel 87 und 88 EG-Vertrag auf staatliche Beihilfen an kleinere und mittlere Unternehmen

- Landeshaushaltsordnung Brandenburg (LHO); W zu §§ 23 und 44 LHO

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

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Maximum aid intensity: EUR 200000 or up to 50 % in the assisted area under Article 87(3)(a) of the EC Treaty (Brandenburg outer development area) or up to 20 % net plus 10 % gross in the assisted area under Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty (Berlin labour market region)

Date of implementation: 1 July 2001

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Up until 30 April 2003, the rules can be extended until 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: Brandenburg's objective in introducing the rules is to provide grants towards the investment costs of implementing innovatory projects which can serve as models for organising jobs and work processes in small and medium-sized firms.

The relevant investment measuresare intended to ensure that technology takes account of human requirements. Assistance is granted primarily to investment in small and medium-sized firms for the reduction of undue safety and health risks and in complex business projects aimed at organising jobs in such a way that work-related health risks or stress are avoided or reduced.

By using the economic aspects of labour protection, the aim is, through the aid, to create jobs and/or improve their competitiveness, to stimulate ongoing investment by small and medium-sized firms in particular and to enhance the attractiveness of the region

Economic sector(s) concerned: All economic sectors

Not eligible for aid:

- activities relating to the manufacture, processing and marketing of goods listed in Annex I to the EC Treaty;

- aid for export-related activities, i.e. aid which is directly related to the exported quantities, the setting-up and operation of a distribution network or current expenditure on an export activity;

- aid which is conditional on the use of indigenous products rather than imported goods

Name and address of the granting authority: InvestitionsBank des Landes Brandenburg Postfach 90 02 61 D - 14438 Potsdam

Other information: Landesinstitut für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin Postfach 90 020 36 D - 14438 Potsdam Tel. 049-(0)331-8 68 31 52 Fax 049-(0)331-86 43 35 E-mail: liaa.verwaltung@liaa.brandenburg.de

Aid No: XS 83/01

Member State: Italy

Region: Calabria

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Measure to promote innovative business structures and processes

Legal basis: Legge 27.10.1994, n. 598, articolo 11, commi 2 e 2 bis, come modificati ed integrati da:

- Legge 8.8.1995, n. 341, articolo 3

- Legge 23.12.1999, n. 488, articolo 54

- Legge 5.3.2001, n. 57, articolo 15.

Decreto del ministro dell'Industria, del commercio e dell'artigianato del 18.9.1997.

Decreto del ministro dell'Industria, del commercio e dell'artigianato del 27.10.1997.

Decreto legislativo 31.3.1998, n. 112, articolo 19.

Decreto legislativo 31.3.1998, n. 123.

Legge Regionnale 2.5.2001, n. 7, articolo 31 quater.

Delibera di Giunta della Regionne Calabria del 31.5.2001, n. 471

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

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Maximum aid intensity: 50 % gross grant equivalent

Date of implementation: 5 September 2001

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: The aid is intended to assist investment in existing innovative business structures and processes through the construction of new buildings, the extension of existing buildings or the commencement of a related activity involving substantial modification of products or processes in the existing plant, in particular through rationalisation, restructuring or modernisation.

The scheme covers investments in connection with the purposes described above either in tangible assets (machinery, equipment, finishing work) or in intangible assets (acquisition of technology), and in services supplied by outside consultants. The services must not be continuous or regular or be connected with the normal running of the firm. The aid in question guarantees the financial soundness of the investment

Economic sector(s) concerned: The aid is intended only for small and medium-sized enterprises within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 and does not include investment in the following:

- iron and steel,

- shipbuilding,

- fisheries,

- transport,

- farming,

- production, processing or marketing of the products listed in Annex I to the EC Treaty (see Article 1(1) of Regulation No 70/2001),

- export-related activities (see Article 1(2) of Regulation No 70/2001),

- manufacture of synthetic and artificial fibres.

The investments in activities in the motor vehicle sector (34.10, 34.20 and 34.30) are subject to the limitations provided for in the framework for state aid in the motor vehicle sector (97/C 279/01, OJ C 279, 15.9.1997)

Name and address of the granting authority: Regionne Calabria Via Massara n. 2 I - 88100 Catanzaro

Other information: This aid scheme does not apply to investments that reach one of the two following thresholds:

(a) the total eligible costs of the whole project are at least EUR 25 million and the net aid intensity is at least 50 % of the net aid ceiling as determined in the regional aid map for the area concerned; or

(b) the total gross aid amounts to at least 15 million EUR.

The aid scheme is not contingent upon the use of domestic as opposed to imported goods.

Only expenditure incurred since the date on which the aid application was submitted is eligible.

Only costs relating to the period 2001-2004 may be taken into account as regional cofinancing is provided for the period ending 31 December 2004.

As soon as the necessary measures have been adopted to provide cofinancing for 2005-2006, the appropriate documents will be sent