Authorization of State aid pursuant to Article 61 of the EEA Agreement and Article 1 (3) of Protocol 3 to the Surveillance and Court Agreement EFTA Surveillance Authority decision not to raise objections (94/C 366/04)

Date of adoption: 5. 8. 1994

EFTA State: Finland

Aid No: 94-010

Title: Venture capital guarantee scheme of the Finnish Guarantee Board

Objective: Improve availability of risk capital for SMEs

Legal basis: Act on State guarantees for risk capital (Laki valtion riskipääomatakuista (594/92)); Government proposal on amending the act on State guarantees for risk capital (Laki valtion riskipääomatakuulain muuttamisesta (HE 64))

Budget: Fmk 500 million

Duration: 1992 to 1996

Conditions: Notification obligations for specific sectors; detailed annual report

Date of adoption: 21. 9. 1994

EFTA State: Finland

Aid No: 94-032

Title: Management aid for venture capital funds

Objective: Venture capital funds offer management assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in order to select, evaluate and develop new SMEs in which the funds make an equity investment

Legal basis: Decision of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, 30. 6. 1994 (Kauppa- ja teollisuusministeriön päätös riskisijoitusyhteisöjen management-tuesta)

Budget: 1994 and 1995: Fmk 5 million

Aid intensity: 50 %

Duration: Unlimited period of time

Conditions: Simplified annual report

Date of adoption: 28. 9. 1994

EFTA State: Austria

Aid No: 94-030

Title: Aid to iR3 Video International GmbH, Vienna (Philips)

Objective: To support the only European producer of key video technologies in the field of research and development of innovations. Project involves R& D activities in the area of digital video technology, product and process development of VHS/SVHS video technology and development of existing VHS video recorders

Legal basis: Garantiegesetz (1977), Forschungsförderungsfondsgesetz (1982), Wiener Innovations- und Technologieförderungsaktion, ERP-Fonds-Gesetz 1962

Forms of aid: Grant and soft loans

Budget: Maximum öS 225 million

Aid intensity: 25 % for applied research; 15 % for product and process development

Duration: Until end of 1995

Conditions: Simplified annual report

Date of adoption: 26. 10. 1994

EFTA State: Austria

Aid No: 94-021

Title: Tourism impulse programme (Oberösterreich)

Objective:

Investment projects in the tourism sector:

(a) hotels and pensions, restaurants and catering (new establishments or quality improvements of existing facilities)

(b) indoor sports and recreation facilities connected with businesses under (a) and

(c) supplementary and auxiliary investment like outdoor sports and recreation facilities, lodging for employees, connection to computerized information and reservation systems, waste avoidance and energy saving

Legal basis: Richtlinien für das Tourismusimpuls-Programm (TIP)

Budget: öS 90 million (1994 to 1996)

Aid intensity:

- 15 to 20 % net in assisted areas as defined in EFTA Surveillance Authority Decision 38/94/COL of 11 May 1994 (94.005)

- 7,5 % gross for medium-sized

- 15 % gross for small enterprises outside assisted areas

Duration: 31. 12. 1996

Conditions: Simplified annual report

Date of adoption: 9. 11. 1994

EFTA State: Austria

Aid No: 94-028

Title: Aid scheme under the Business Structure Improvement Act (Supplement - new items B.8 and B.9)

Objective:

1. Investment aid for the improvement of forwarding facilities (Speditionsanlagen) and individual logistic equipment (individuelle Logistikeinrichtungen)

2. Improvement of conditions to process and market agricultural products (authorization restricted to products listed in Table I and II of Protocol 3 of the EEA Agreement)

Legal basis: Amendments of June 1994 to the Richtlinien für die Gewährung von Förderungen nach dem Gewerbestrukturverbesserungsgesetz 1969 vom 18. November 1991

Budget: Overall budget for the scheme öS 469,92 million (estimate for 1994), part of it being used for the new supplement concerning aid to forwarding agents and the food and beverages industry

Aid intensity:

- 11,8 % gross; in cases of cumulation with aid from other sources; 20 % gross for the food and beverages industry

- forwarding agents: cumulation prohibited

Duration: 31. 12. 1994

Conditions: Simplified annual report

Date of adoption: 9. 11. 1994

EFTA State: Austria

Aid No: 94-029

Title: TOP-Eurofit Programme

Objective: Improvement of conditions to process and market agricultural products (authorization restricted to products listed in Table I and II of Protocol 3 of the EEA Agreement)

Legal basis: Richtlinien für das TOP-Eurofit Programm

Budget: Overall budget for the existing TOP schemes (TOP 2 and TOP FÜ) öS 400 million (1994), part of it being reallocated to the new TOP Eurofit scheme

Aid intensity: 11,8 % gross; in cases of cumulation with aid from other sources: 20 % gross

Duration: 31. 12. 1996

Conditions: Detailed annual report