EN Official Journal of the European Union C 184/2

Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 2204/2002 of 12 December 2002 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid for employment

(2005/C 184/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XE 2/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: England, Objective 3 map, Agreed Areas including Gibraltar: (All of England excluding the Objective 1 areas of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Merseyside and South Yorkshire)

Title of aid scheme: Objective 3 Operational Programme for England and Gibraltar 2000-06

Legal basis:

— Learning and Skills Act 2000

— Employment Act 1973, Sections 2(1) and 2(2), as substantiated by Section 25 of the Employment and Training Act 1998

— Sections 5 and 6, Regional Development Agencies Act 1998

— Section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1993

— Further and Higher Education Act 1992

— Regulations (EC) No 1260/1999 and (EC) No 1784/2000

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: Total expenditure over a five-year period: GBP 272 689 000

Annual expenditure

2003: GBP 35 793 000

2004: GBP 76 147 000

2005: GBP 79 288 000

2006: GBP 81 461 000

Maximum aid intensity:

Article 4 — Creation of employment

Permitted gross aid intensities

Outside assisted (Article 87(3)(c)) areas

— 15 % in the case of small enterprises

— 7,5 % in the case of medium-sized enterprises

Inside assisted (Article 87(3)(c)) areas

— 10 % above the permitted aid ceiling in Article 87(3)(c) areas, provided that the aid does not exceed 30 %

Article 5 — Recruitment of disabled and disadvantaged workers

(as defined in Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 2204/2002, paragraph (f)(i) — (xi) and paragraph (g)(i) — (ii))

— 50 % of wage costs over one year for disadvantaged workers

— 60 % of wage costs over one year for disabled workers

Article 6 — Additional costs of employment of disabled workers

— costs of employing staff for time spent solely on the assistance of the disabled worker or workers

— costs of adapting or acquiring equipment for their use

Additionally, in sheltered employment

— costs of administration and transport which result from the employment of disabled workers

No single enterprise or establishment will receive aid exceeding EUR 15 000 000 over a three-year period.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award:

Objective of the aid: The Objective 3 programme is a broad-based training, employment and development programme which aims to improve the employability of unemployed people including disadvantaged and disabled workers, to promote lifelong learning for those in and out of employment, to improve the skills base of the labour market and to reduce the level of disadvantage faced by women in the labour market.

Employment aid under this exemption covers those measures in the programme that provide for the creation of employment or the recruitment of disadvantaged or disabled workers.

For example:

creation of employment through the provision of wage subsidy schemes;

programmes that support the recruitment of disadvantaged or disabled workers, such as specialist training providers;

job trials (with the condition that the worker or workers must be entitled to continuous employment for a minimum of 12 months); and

supported job placements.

Economic sectors concerned: All sectors except coal, shipbuilding and aid for the creation of employment in the transport sector. Aid to export-related activity is excluded.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Department for Work and Pensions ESF Division Moorfoot Sheffield S1 4PQ 0114 267 7306

Other information: Contact:

Steve Briggs

0114 267 7306