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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2002/C 45/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Date of adoption of the decision: 15.1.2002

Member State: Ireland

Aid No: N 553/01

Title: Aid to promote renewable energy sources (RES) in Ireland

Objective: Environment - production of green electricity

Legal basis: Electricity Regulation Act 1999

Budget: Operating aid to compensate the overcost of RES electricity production of 500 MW in Ireland through 15-year guaranteed price contracts awarded through open tendering procedures

Duration: No invitations to tender will be made after 2002. Contracts will last for a period of 15 years or until 2019, which ever comes first

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: 15.1.2002

Member State: Germany (Thuringia)

Aid No: N 557/01

Objective: Change to the aid scheme for research bodies directly serving industry

Legal basis: Richtlinien zur Förderung wirtschaftsnaher Forschungseinrichtungen des Landes Thüringen

Budget: EUR 45 million

Aid intensity or amount: Weighting intensity:

- 50 % maximum in the case of new research institutes (20 % industrial research, 80 % pre-competitive development activities)

- 70 % maximum in the case of fundamental research (25 %), industrial research (45 %) and pre-competitive development activities (30 %)

- 40 % maximum in the case of pre-competitive development activities

Duration: Until 31 December 2005

Other information: The scheme was initially authorised by the Commission for the period from 1997 to 2002 (OJ C 130, 1998 and OJ C 351, 1998)

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: 20.12.2001

Member State: United Kingdom

Aid No: N 649/01

Title: Freight facilities grant

Objective: To encourage companies to take heavy lorries off the roads by helping them to invest in coastal/short-sea shipping freight facilities

Legal basis: For the extension to coastal/short sea shipping, Transport Act 2000, Section 272. In Scotland, Section 71 of the Transport Act 2001

Budget: 2001/2002: GBP 12,8 million

2002/2003: GBP 22,3 million

2003/2004: GBP 14,6 million

Aid intensity or amount: 50 % of the total project cost for facilities accessible on non-discriminatory terms for all existing and potential operators. When access to infrastructure is limited to one or more specific operators, those will be chosen through a transparent, fair and non-discriminatory public tendering procedure

Duration: Ten years, standard annual reports will set out grants paid and environmental benefit gained

Other information: The Port of Rosyth project has been notified to the Commission and an individual assessment has been made with the FFG 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