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

(2002/C 72/03)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XS/11/2001

Member State: Germany

Region: Land of Lower Saxony, district of Wittmund

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Promotion of productive investment by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Wittmund

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: EUR 150000

Maximum aid intensity: The whole of the rural district of Wittmund lies within the national regional aid map approved by the Commission.

The aid amounts to up to 15 % 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: 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 district of Wittmund, to encourage the creation of new jobs and help safeguard existing ones and thereby to bring about structural improvements.

Rescue and restructuring aid for 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 is granted in 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 small firms in manufacturing, the craft sector, the distributive trades, the hotel and restaurant industry, other service-sector firms with fewer than 50 employees and persons starting new businesses in these sectors whose place of business is in the district of Wittmund.

Persons working in the professions may not receive aid.

Aid may not be granted to firms in sensitive sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Landkreis Wittmund

Am Markt 9

D - 26409 Wittmund

Other information:

Mr Stigler

Tel. (49-4462) 86 11 03

Fax (49-4462) 86 11 25

E-mail: wirtschaftsfoerderung@lk.wittmund.de