EN Official Journal of the European Union C 168/15

EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY DECISION

No 40/04/COL

of 17 March 2004

amending for the fortythird time the procedural and substantive rules in the field of State aid by amending chapter 26A: ‘multisectoral framework on regional aid for large investment projects’ and proposal for appropriate measures

(2006/C 168/07)

THE EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY,

HAVING REGARD TO the Agreement on the European Economic Area (1), in particular to Articles 61 to 63 and Protocol 26 thereof,

HAVING REGARD TO the Agreement between the EFTA States on the establishment of a Surveillance Authority and a Court of Justice (2), in particular to Article 24, Article 5 (2) (b), Article 1 in Part I of Protocol 3 and Articles 18 and 19 in Part II of Protocol 3 thereof (3),

WHEREAS under Article 24 of the Surveillance and Court Agreement, the EFTA Surveillance Authority shall give effect to the provisions of the EEA Agreement concerning State aid,

WHEREAS under Article 5 (2)(b) of the Surveillance and Court Agreement the EFTA Surveillance Authority shall issue notices or guidelines on matters dealt with in the EEA Agreement, if that Agreement or the Surveillance and Court Agreement expressly so provides or if the EFTA Surveillance Authority considers it necessary,

RECALLING the Procedural and Substantive Rules in the Field of State Aid (4) adopted on 19 January 1994 by the EFTA Surveillance Authority (5),

WHEREAS, on 1 November 2003, the Commission of the European Communities (hereinafter the EC Commission) published a communication on the modification of the Mutlisectoral Framework on regional aid for large investment projects (2002) with regard to the establishment of a list of sectors facing structural problems and on a proposal of appropriate measures pursuant to Article 88 paragraph 1 of the EC Treaty, concerning the motor vehicle sector and the synthetic fibres sector (6),

WHEREAS this framework is also of relevance for the European Economic Area,

WHEREAS a uniform application of the EEA State aid rules is to be ensured throughout the European Economic Area,

WHEREAS, experience gathered in recent years and information available on the current situation of the relevant sectors have led the Authority to decide that limitations currently applying to regional investment aid in the motor vehicle sector and in the synthetic fibres sector should be maintained,

WHEREAS, the EFTA Surveillance Authority has decided not to include the shipbuilding sector within the scope of the Multisectoral Framework,

WHEREAS, the EFTA Surveillance Authority has decided to introduce a technical correction to the wording of the transitional rules to the motor vehicle sector, to become applicable for aid awarded after 31 December 2003,

WHEREAS, according to point II under the heading ‘GENERAL’ at the end of Annex XV to the EEA Agreement, the EFTA Surveillance Authority is to adopt, after consultation with the EC Commission, acts corresponding to those adopted by the EC Commission,

HAVING consulted the EC Commission,

RECALLING that the EFTA Surveillance Authority has consulted the EFTA States in a multilateral meeting on 3 February 2004 on the subject,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

1. Chapter 26A of the State Aid Guidelines is amended as described in Annex I to this decision and appropriate measures, contained in Annex I, are proposed.

2. The EFTA States shall be informed by means of a letter, including a copy of this Decision and including Annex I. The EFTA States shall be requested to signify their agreement to the appropriate measures within one month from receipt of this proposal.

3. The EC Commission shall be informed, in accordance with point (d) of Protocol 27 of the EEA Agreement, by means of a copy of this Decision, including Annex I.

4. The Decision, including Annex I, shall be published in the EEA Section of and in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union.

5. In case the EFTA States accept the proposal for appropriate measures, a summary notice shall be published in the EEA Section of and in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union (attached in Annex 2).

6. The Decision is authentic in the English language.

Done at Brussels, 17 March 2004. For the EFTA Surveillance Authority President Hannes HAFSTEIN College Member Einar M. BULL

(1) Hereinafter referred to as the EEA Agreement.

(2) Hereinafter referred to as the Surveillance and Court Agreement.

(3) Protocol 3 to the Surveillance and Court Agreement as amended by the EFTA States on 10 December 2001. The amendments entered into force on 28 August 2003.

(4) Hereinafter referred to as the State Aid Guidelines.

(5) Initially published in OJ L 231, 3.9.1994, and in the EEA Supplement thereto No 32 on the same date, last amended by College Decision No.39/04/COL, of 17.3.2004, not yet published.

(6) OJ C 263, 1.11.2003, p. 3.