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

(2004/C 87/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XS 30/02

Member State: Netherlands

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Subsidies for technical assistance in emerging markets

Legal basis: Artikel 3 van de Kaderwet EZ-subsidies

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 6000000

Maximum aid intensity: - Management support projects: EUR 275000

- Training projects: EUR 90000

Date of implementation: 7 March 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Indefinite; the subsidy ceiling is set every year

Objective of aid: To contribute to the transition of emerging markets and the positioning on those markets of small and medium-sized enterprises based in the Netherlands, by subsidising management support and training projects run by firms in emerging markets with Dutch participation

Economic sector(s) concerned: All industries not excluded by special Community regulations or directives on the granting of state aid in specific industries. The scheme also excludes (Article 2(2)) firms making military goods, fur farms, and firms engaging in activities prohibited in the Netherlands

Name and address of the granting authority: On behalf of the Ministry of Finance: Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden NV (FMO) Koningskade 40 Postbus 93060 2509 AB Den Haag Nederland

Aid No: XS 59/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: North East of England

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Hartlepool Grants Package

Legal basis: Section 126 of Housing, Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: - 2003: GBP 168072

- 2004: GBP 208950

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid density will be 30 % (assisted area 20 % for Hartlepool under Article 87(3)(c) + 10 % in areas covered by Article 87(3)(c) to reach the maximum aid intensity of 30 %)

Date of implementation: 21 February 2003

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: End 31 December 2004

Objective of aid: The project will provide grant assistance to 135 start-up and expanding businesses in Hartlepool. The grant will subsidise the purchase of capital equipment. This project aims to encourage investment by SMEs to create jobs for local residents (Hartlepool suffers from a very low level of economic activity and high unemployment). The need for the project has been explored by the sponsor through focus groups with SMEs who have previously received grant assistance from the Council

Economic sector(s) concerned: All eligible industry sectors without prejudice to special rules concerning State aid in certain sections

Name and address of the granting authority: ERDF contact: Kay Goodinson European Programme Secretariat Government Office North East Wellbar House

Gallowgate

Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 4TD United Kingdom Sponsor contact: Mr M. Emerson Hartlepool Borough Council Bryan Hanson House

Hanson Square

Hartlepool TS24 7BT United Kingdom

Aid No: XS 112/02

Member State: Italy

Region: Lombardy

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Priority 1, improving the competitiveness of the economic system in Lombardy

- Measure 1.1.B, assistance for investment in technological innovation and environmental protection under Article 5 of Act No 598/94

- Measure 1.2.A, assistance for investment in organisational and commercial innovation and safety in the workplace under Article 11 of Act No 598/94

Legal basis: Legge 598/94 articolo 11 - "Agevolazioni per investimenti per l'innovazione tecnologica, la tutela ambientale, l'innovazione organizzativa e commerciale e la sicurezza sui luoghi di lavoro" come modificata ed integrato 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 legislativo 31.3.1998, n. 112, articolo 19;

- Decreto legislativo 31.3.1998, n. 123;

- Docup Obiettivo 2 2000-2006 Lombardia;

- Approvato con decisione C(2878) del 10.12.2001

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

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Maximum aid intensity: - 15 % gge in the case of small enterprises;

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

Date of implementation: 27 August 2002 (no aid will be granted in any event before this summary has been notified to the Commission)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: Interest subsidies are provided to assist programmes of investment aimed at technological innovation, environmental protection, organisational and commercial innovation and safety in the workplace.

The measures are designed in line with the definitions in Article 2(c) and (d) and Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 70/2001

Economic sector(s) concerned: SMEs operating in mining and quarrying and in manufacturing (Sections C, D, E and F in the 1991 Italian Statistical Office (ISTAT) classification of economic activities), with the exclusions and restrictions laid down in the Community rules for the steel, shipbuilding, synthetic fibres, motor vehicle and transport industries.

The scheme does not apply to activities linked to the production, processing or marketing of products listed in Annex I to the Treaty

Name and address of the granting authority: Regione Lombardia Struttura Sviluppo produttivo e Incentivi DG Industria, PMI, Cooperazione e Turismo Via Taramelli 20 I - Milano

Aid No: XS 123/02

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: North East

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Investment incentives for businesses - Derwentside District Council

Legal basis: Local Government Act 2000

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: - 2002: GBP 136500

- 2003: GBP 126000

Maximum aid intensity: Individual SMEs will receive 15 % of eligible project costs

Date of implementation: 18 November 2002

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 December 2003

Objective of aid: The project will provide grant assistance to 53 start-up and expanding businesses in Derwentside (a 20 % Article 87(3)(c) assisted area) to allow them to invest in new premises.

The eligible costs of the project will be within the scope of tangible investment as outlined in Article 4(5) of the Regulation.

SMEs in Derwentside find it difficult to identify suitable and affordable premises for the purpose of expanding the business because of the rural concentration of Derwentside. These grants will ensure that the SMEs will be able to afford new and suitable accommodation that is essential if they are to survive and flourish

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

Name and address of the granting authority: ERDF Contact: Kay Goodinson European Programme Secretariat Government Office North East Wellbar House

Gallowgate

Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 4TD United Kingdom Sponsor Contact: Mr K Robinson Derwentside District Council Civic Centre Consett Co Durham DH8 5JA United Kingdom

Aid No: XS 127/02

Member State: Germany

Region: Bavaria

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Guidelines on aid for the provision of foreign trade advice for small and medium-sized enterprises

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

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: 2003-2006: some EUR 600000 (gross estimates according to medium-term fiscal plans)

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 50 % of the eligible consulting costs

Date of implementation: 1 January 2003

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

Objective of aid: Support for small and medium-sized enterprises within the meaning of the Commission's definition in making use of external consultancy services:

- reduction in existing competitive disadvantages for small and medium-sized enterprises, establishment and maintenance of equality of opportunity

- provision of foreign-trade-related information and expert knowledge

Economic sector(s) concerned: All branches of industry, the craft sector, the services sector and the professions. Firms not exempted under Article 1 of the Regulation on state aid for small and medium-sized enterprises are not eligible

Name and address of the granting authority: - Industrie- und Handelskammer für Aschaffenburg, Postfach 17, D - 63701 Aschaffenburg

- Industrie- und Handelskammer für Augsburg und Schwaben, Postfach 10 18 80, D - 86008 Augsburg

- Industrie- und Handelskammer für Oberfranken Bayreuth, Postfach 10 06 53, D - 95406 Bayreuth

- Industrie- und Handelskammer zu Coburg, Postfach 20 43, D - 96409 Coburg

- Industrie- und Handelskammer Lindau/Bodensee, Postfach 13 65, D - 88103 Lindau

- Industrie- und Handelskammer für München und Oberbayern, D - 80323 München

- Industrie- und Handelskammer Nürnberg, Postfach, D - 90271 Nürnberg

- Industrie- und Handelskammer für Niederbayern in Passau, Postfach 17 27, D - 94030 Passau

- Industrie- und Handelskammer Regensburg, Postfach 11 03 55, D - 93016 Regensburg

- Industrie- und Handelskammer Würzburg-Schweinfurt, Postfach 58 40, D - 97008 Würzburg