Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 68/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to training aid

(2003/C 309/06)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XT 72/02

Member State: Italy

Region: The aid is granted by the central government.

The measures are applied in the areas eligible for exemption under Article 87(3)(a) and (c) of the EC Treaty, Objective 2 areas, Objective 1 and Objective 2 transitional support (phasing-out) areas and disadvantaged areas referred to in the Decree of the Minister of Labour and Social Security of 14 March 1995, published in Italian Official Gazette No 138 of 15 June 1995, as amended

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Incentives to entrepreneurship and self employment

Training aid

1. Measures to promote new entrepreneurship in the production of goods and services for businesses;

2. Measures to promote new entrepreneurship in the services sector;

3. Measures to promote social cooperatives

Legal basis: 1. Decreto legislativo n. 185 del 21.4.2000 adottato in attuazione della delega conferita dall'articolo 45, comma 1, della legge 17 maggio 1999, n. 144 (limitatamente al Titolo I, con esclusione dell'intero Capo III e delle disposizioni dei Capi I e IV relative ai progetti nel settore agricolo);

2. Regolamento di attuazione recante i criteri e le modalità di concessione delle agevolazioni previste dal Titolo I del decreto legislativo.

Il regime di aiuti conterrà l'esplicito riferimento al Regolamento (CE) n. 68/2001 della Commissione e tutti gli aiuti accordabili nell'ambito dello stesso soddisfano le condizioni previste dal regolamento medesimo

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 4000000

Maximum aid intensity: SMEs

- Specific training: 35 %

- General training: 70 %

In both cases the intensity is increased by:

- 5 percentage points for enterprises in areas which qualify for regional aid pursuant to Article 87(3)(c) of the Treaty;

- 10 percentage points for enterprises in areas which qualify for regional aid pursuant to Article 87(3)(a) of the Treaty.

The above maximum intensities are increased by 10 percentage points if the training is given to disadvantaged workers as defined in Article 2(g) of Regulation (EC) No 68/2001

Date of implementation: The aid available under this scheme may be granted as from the date of entry into force of the Regulation laying down the rules for the grant of incentives to promote entrepreneurship

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will end on 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: The aim of the scheme is to grant aid for general and specific training as defined in Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 68/2001, subject to the maximum intensities indicated above, to achieve the following priority objectives:

(a) promoting entrepreneurial training and professionalism among new entrepreneurs;

(b) promoting entrepreneurial training and professionalism among women entrepreneurs;

(c) promoting entrepreneurship and professionalism among disadvantaged workers

Economic sector(s) concerned: All economic sectors covered by Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 68/2001, with the exception of steel, shipbuilding, synthetic fibres, motor vehicles and activities relating to the production, processing or marketing of the products listed in Annex I to the Treaty

Name and address of the granting authority: Ministero dell'Economia e delle Finanze Via XX Settembre, 97 I - 00187 Roma

Other information: Detailed records of the aid granted under this scheme will be kept by the Italian Government for 10 years from the date on which the aid is granted.

The Italian Government will furthermore keep the records on the aid scheme for 10 years from the date on which the last individual aid is granted under the scheme.

Lastly, the Italian Government will forward to the Commission an annual report on the application of Regulation (EC) No 68/2001 using the periodic report form annexed to that instrument