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 (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2001-12-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: State aid, application of EU law, control of State aid, small and medium-sized enterprises

C 374/62

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

29.12.2001

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

(2001/C 374/09)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XS/08/2001

Member State: Federal Republic of Germany

Region: Saarland

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Financing of business start-ups and growth (cid:151)
Joint scheme involving the Federal Government, Saarland, SIKB
and DtA

Legal basis: §§ 23 und 44 der Landeshaushaltsordnung des
Saarlandes in der jeweils g(cid:252)ltigen Fassung und der hierzu er-
gangenen Verwaltungsvorschriften (VV-LHO) im Rahmen der
Programmrichtlinie

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: It is
totalling
planned
maximum DEM 3 million per year

to make

subsidies

available

interest

Maximum aid intensity: 15 % in the case of small enterprises;
7,5 % in the case of medium-sized enterprises

Date of implementation: 1 May 2001

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

Other information: Where ERP equity loans and/or ERP
the Land budgetary resources are
start-up loans are used,
granted by the German Equalisation Bank in Bonn

Aid No: XS/10/2001

Member State: Germany

Region: Land of Lower Saxony, district of Vechta

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Grants to promote individual businesses in
Vechta

Legal basis: § 108 der Nieders(cid:228)chsischen Landkreisordnung
(NLO) in der Fassung vom 22.8.1996 (Nieders(cid:228)chsisches Ge-
setz- und Verordnungsblatt, S. 365) i. V. mit § 65 der Nieder-
s(cid:228)chsischen Gemeindeordnung (NGO)
in der Fassung vom
22.8.1996 (Nieders(cid:228)chsisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt,
S. 382)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
individual aid granted to the company:
amount of
EUR 256 000

Objective of aid:

The scheme involves horizontal aid:

Maximum aid intensity:

The aid amounts:

(cid:151) to secure the viability and diversity of

the Saarland
economy by promoting and consolidating self-employment

(cid:151) in the case of small enterprises, to up to 15 % and

(cid:151) in the case of medium-sized enterprises, to up to 7,5 %

(cid:151) to encourage individuals to set up in business on their own,
to take over a firm or practice or to acquire an active
holding

of eligible investment expenditure

(cid:151) to create new jobs

Economic sector(s) concerned: All economic sectors not
excluded under Community regulations or directives on the
granting of State aid in specific sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Saarl(cid:228)ndische Investitionskreditbank AG (SIKB)
Postfach 10 27 22
D-66027 Saarbr(cid:252)cken

The rules on the combination of aid are complied with

Date of implementation: 1 June 2001

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 1 June 2001
to 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: The aid is intended to promote the competi-
tiveness and adaptability of small and medium-sized enterprises
in the district of Vechta, to encourage the creation of new jobs
and help safeguard existing ones and thereby to bring about
structural improvements

29.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374/63

Rescue and restructuring aid for firms in difficulty (within the
meaning of the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing
and restructuring firms in difficulty: OJ C 288, 9.10.1999) is
not covered by the measure

Aid may be granted for the following types of
project:

investment

(cid:151) setting-up of an establishment

(cid:151) extension of an establishment if the number of long-term
jobs is increased by 15 % as compared with the situation
before the start of the investment

(cid:151) rationalisation, diversification or modernisation of an estab-
lishment if this serves to ensure the continued existence of
the business and the maintenance of most of the jobs

(cid:151) acquisition of an establishment

threatened with closure,

provided that this is done under market conditions

The long-term jobs created through the aid must be maintained
for at least two years after payment of the grant

The aid is granted in the form of investment grants

All depreciable fixed assets relating to physical and intangible
assets are eligible

Economic sector(s) concerned: Those entitled to apply are
SMEs in manufacturing, the craft sector, the distributive trades,
the hotel
firms and persons
working in the business-related professions whose place of
business is in the district of Vechta. Assistance to firms in
sensitive sectors is ruled out

industry, other service-sector

Name and address of the granting authority:

Landkreis Vechta
Ravensberger Stra(cid:223)e 20
D-49377 Vechta

Other information:

Mr Bernholt
Tel. (49-44 41) 898 26 00
Fax (49-44 41) 898 10 37
E-mail: wirtschaft@landkreis-vechta.de

Legal basis:

(cid:151) Estatuto de Autonom(cid:237)a de la Regi(cid:243)n de Murcia

(cid:151) Decreto no 30/2000 de reorganizaci(cid:243)n de la administraci(cid:243)n

regional

(cid:151) Decreto legislativo 1/1999 de 2 de diciembre texto refun-

dido de la Ley de Hacienda de la Regi(cid:243)n de Murcia

(cid:151) Reglamento (CE) no 70/2001 de la Comisi(cid:243)n, de 12 de
enero de 2001, relativo a la aplicaci(cid:243)n de los art(cid:237)culos 87
y 88 del Tratado (CE) a las ayudas a las pequeæas y media-
nas empresas

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Appro-
priations of ESP 50 000 000 (EUR 300 506,05) intended for
capital grants to private enterprises to promote and encourage
e-commerce

Maximum aid intensity: The amount of the grants may not
exceed 40 % gross grant equivalent

The maximum aid intensity is 40 % net grant equivalent plus
15 percentage points gross grant equivalent

Date of implementation: 31 March 2001

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until
2001

July

Objective of aid: Aid for the development of e-commerce
projects by private firms which are SMEs

Economic sector(s) concerned: Private firms (SMEs) in any
sector of activity apart from those engaged in the production,
processing or marketing of products listed in Annex I to the EC
Treaty, and activities which encourage the use of domestic
products as opposed to imported products

Name and address of the granting authority:

Sr. Patricio Valverde Meg(cid:237)as
Consejero de Tecnolog(cid:237)as, Industria y Comercio
San Crist(cid:243)bal, 6
E-30071 Murcia

Aid No: XS/19/2001

Member State: Spain

Region: Autonomous community of the region of Murcia

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Grants to be awarded in 2001 to small and
medium-sized enterprises in Murcia to finance e-commerce
projects

Aid No: XS/20/2001

Member State: Spain

Region: Autonomous community of the Basque country

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Gauzatu-Industria

C 374/64

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Official Journal of the European Communities

29.12.2001

Legal basis: Orden de 27 de diciembre de 2000 del Consejero
de Industria, Comercio y Turismo de modificaci(cid:243)n de la Orden
de 28 de julio de 2000, del Consejero de Industria, Comercio y
Turismo, por la que se regula el programa Gauzatu-Industria,
de impulso a la creaci(cid:243)n y desarrollo de PYME de base tecno-
l(cid:243)gica y/o innovadoras (BOPV no 249 de 30 de diciembre de
2000) y Resoluci(cid:243)n de 27 de febrero de 2001 del Viceconse-
jero de Pol(cid:237)tica Industrial, por la que se hace pœblica la con-
vocatoria de concesi(cid:243)n de las mencionadas ayudas (BOPV no
43 de 1 de marzo de 2001)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
individual aid granted to the company:
EUR 47 395 814,55

Maximum aid intensity: 22,15 % for SMEs (ESB)

Date of implementation: From 2 March 2001

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Financial year
2001; deadline for applications: 29 june 2001

technologically based and/or

Objective of aid: To promote the establishment and devel-
opment of
innovative SMEs
which impact on job-creating investment via a strategy of
competitiveness paving the way for harmonious growth and
territorial balance with a view to revitalising the least-favoured
geographical areas (Margen izquierda and Oarsoaldea)

Economic sector(s) concerned: SMEs in industry, mining or
those providing ancillary technical services and
processing,
those active in the information society and the telecommuni-
cations industry. Under the scheme, the aid granted will be
subject to the sectoral rules issued by the European Union
for
fibres
industry and the automobile industry

industry (non-ECSC),

synthetic

steel

the

the

Name and address of the granting authority:

Sr. JosØ Ignacio Telletxea FernÆndez
Viceconsejero de Pol(cid:237)tica Industrial
Departamento de Industria, Comercio y Turismo
Gobierno Vasco
Donostia/San SebastiÆn, 1
E-01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz

Aid No: XS/22/2001

Member State: Spain

interØs estratØgico para el
creaci(cid:243)n de empresas de especial
desarrollo tur(cid:237)stico (BOPV no 249 de 30 de diciembre de 2000)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
individual aid granted to the company:
amount of
EUR 1 202 024,21

Maximum aid intensity: 22,15 % for SMEs (gge)

Date of implementation: 8 March 2001

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Financial year
2001; deadline for applications: 22 June 2001

Objective of aid: To promote the creation of and investment
in enterprises of special interest for the harmonious growth of
the tourist industry and to contribute to territorial balance with
a view to revitalising the least-favoured geographical areas
(Margen Izquierda and Oarsoaldea)

Economic sector(s) concerned: SMEs
in tourism: hotel
accommodation in tourist towns and in rundown areas, rural
hotels, non-hotel accommodation and activities for tourists in
the nature, leisure or health sector

Name and address of the granting authority:

Sr. Juan Bautista MendizÆbal Juaristi
Director de Promoci(cid:243)n Tur(cid:237)stica
Departamento de Industria, Comercio y Turismo
Gobierno Vasco
Donostia/San SebastiÆn, 1
E-01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz

Aid No: XS/36/2001

Member State: Netherlands

Region: The provinces of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe
are responsible for implementing the aid scheme. They have
decided to entrust actual implementation to the Samenwerk-
ingsverband Noord-Nederland (North Netherlands Cooperation
Association), a public body set up under the Wet Gemeen-
schappelijke Regelingen (Joint Arrangements Law)

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Subsidy scheme under the Northern Innovation
Support Facility 2000 (version 2001)

Region: Autonomous community of the Basque country

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Gauzatu-Turismo

Legal basis: Besluit van de drie noordelijke Provinciale Staten
d.d. 31 mei 2000 en besluit van het Dagelijks Bestuur van het
Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland d.d. 27 maart 2001

Legal basis: Orden de 27 de diciembre de 2000, del Consejero
de Industria, Comercio y Turismo, por la que se regula el
programa Gauzatu-Turismo de ayudas a la inversi(cid:243)n y a la

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: The
annual budget is EUR 5 899 143 (NLG 13 million)

29.12.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374/65

Maximum aid intensity: Small enterprises: 50 % gross;
medium-sized enterprises: 50 % gross

Name and address of the granting authority:

Date of implementation: Aid under Commission Regulation
(EC) No 70/2001 will be granted as from 15 March 2001

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

Objective of aid: To contribute to the costs of enlisting
external expertise in the field of new technologies, products
and processes, and potential markets

The costs of permanent or recurrent services are excluded, as is
normal business expenditure, e.g. on routine tax advice, regular
legal services or advertising

Economic sector(s) concerned: All
the
primary sector. This means that agriculture, fisheries and aqua-
culture are excluded from the scheme. The rules enacted for
the following sectors will continue to be applied in full:

sectors

except

(cid:151) the processing and sale of agricultural products, as referred

to in Annex I to the EC Treaty

(cid:151) the processing and sale of

fisheries and aquaculture

products, as referred to in Annex I to the EC Treaty

(cid:151) the transport sector

(cid:151) the iron and steel sector, as referred to in Commission
Decision No 2496/96/ECSC of 18 December 1996 estab-
lishing Community rules for State aid to the steel industry
(OJ L 218, 1997) and the framework for certain steel sectors
not covered by the ECSC Treaty (OJ C 320, 1988)

28 December

(cid:151) the coal sector, as referred to in Commission Decision No
establishing
3632/93/ECSC of
1993
Community rules for State aid to the coal
industry (OJ
L 329, 1993) and Commission Decision No 341/94/ECSC
of
implementing Decision No
3632/93/ECSC establishing Community rules for State aid
to the coal industry (OJ L 49, 1994)

February

1994

8

(cid:151) shipbuilding, as referred to in Council Regulation (EC) No
1540/98 of 29 June 1998 establishing new rules on aid to
shipbuilding (OJ L 202, 1998)

(cid:151) the synthetic fibres sector, as referred to in the code on aid
to the synthetic fibres industry (96/C 94/07) and the notice
on the extension of the period of its validity (OJ C 24,
1999)

(cid:151) the motor vehicle industry, as referred to in the Community
framework for State aid to the motor vehicle industry (OJ
C 279, 1997)

Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland
c/o Postbus 779
9700 AT Groningen
Netherlands

Aid No: XS/37/2001

Member State: Netherlands

Region: The provinces of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe
are responsible for implementing the aid scheme. They have
decided to entrust actual implementation to the Samenwerk-
ingsverband Noord-Nederland (North Netherlands Cooperation
Association), a public body set up under the Wet Gemeen-
schappelijke Regelingen (Joint Arrangements Law)

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Investment premium scheme for non-assisted
municipalities 2001

Legal basis: Besluit van de drie noordelijke Provinciale Staten
d.d. 14 maart 2001

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: The
annual budget is EUR 1 815 121 (NLG 4 million)

Maximum aid intensity: Small enterprises: 15 % gross;
medium-sized enterprises: 7,5 % gross

Date of implementation: Aid under Commission Regulation
(EC) No 70/2001 will be granted as from 15 March 2001

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
will end on 31 December 2002

Objective of aid: To promote investment in fixed capital for
expanding an existing plant or launching an activity which will
entail a fundamental change in the production process of a
particular plant

Economic sector(s) concerned: All
the
primary sector. This means that agriculture, fisheries and aqua-
culture are excluded from the scheme. The rules enacted for
the following sectors will continue to be applied in full:

sectors

except

(cid:151) the processing and sale of agricultural products, as referred

to in Annex I to the EC Treaty;

(cid:151) the processing and sale of

fisheries and aquaculture

products, as referred to in Annex I to the EC Treaty

(cid:151) the transport sector

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Official Journal of the European Communities

29.12.2001

(cid:151) the iron and steel sector, as referred to in Commission
Decision No 2496/96/ECSC of 18 December 1996 estab-
lishing Community rules for State aid to the steel industry
(OJ L 218, 1997) and the framework for certain steel sectors
not covered by the ECSC Treaty (OJ C 320, 1988)

28 December

(cid:151) the coal sector, as referred to in Commission Decision No
establishing
3632/93/ECSC of
1993
Community rules for State aid to the coal
industry (OJ
L 329, 1993) and Commission Decision No 341/94/ECSC
of
implementing Decision No
3632/93/ECSC establishing Community rules for State aid
to the coal industry (OJ L 49, 1994)

February

1994

8

(cid:151) shipbuilding, as referred to in Council Regulation (EC) No
1540/98 of 29 June 1998 establishing new rules on aid to
shipbuilding (OJ L 202, 1998)

(cid:151) the synthetic fibres sector, as referred to in the code on aid
to the synthetic fibres industry (96/C 94/07) and the notice
on the extension of the period of its validity (OJ C 24,
1999)

(cid:151) the motor vehicle industry, as referred to in the Community
framework for State aid to the motor vehicle industry (OJ
C 279, 1997)

Name and address of the granting authority:

Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland
c/o Postbus 779
9700 AT Groningen
Netherlands

Aid No: XS/40/2001

Member State: United Kingdom

Maximum aid intensity:

This scheme does not apply to:

1. activities linked to the production, processing or marketing

of products listed in Annex I to the Treaty

2. aid to export-related activities, namely aid directly linked to
the quantities exported, to the establishment and operation
of a distribution network or to other current expenditure
linked to the export activity

3. aid contingent upon the use of domestic goods rather than

imported goods

INVESTMENT IN TANGIBLE AND NON-TANGIBLE ASSETS IN
CONNECTION WITH BUSINESS START-UP OR EXPANSION

Aid levels would be offered to beneficiaries in gross terms.
They would be calculated individually in terms of the circum-
stances of
the development, and recalculated in net grant
equivalent (nge) terms as appropriate in order to check that
they do not exceed the following maximum nge or nge and
gross level combinations. Proposed aid levels would then be
corrected if necessary to conform with the maximum aid levels
defined below (definitions as in Regulation (EC) No 70/2001):

Table: Investment aid intensity limits

Qualifying criteria for beneficiary

Maximum aid level

In 87(3)(c) areas qualifying under sparsity of
population

30 % nge

In 87(3)(c) areas not qualifying under sparsity
of population qualifying as a 20 % under UK
Assisted Area definition

In 87(3)(c) areas limited to 10 % maximum nge
under UK assisted area definition

20 % nge + 10 %
gross

10 % nge + 10 %
gross

Region: Highlands and Islands of Scotland: Highlands and
Islands of Scotland defined in NUTS II nomenclature as area
UKM4 plus the parts the Moray Council area which are not in
NUTS II UKM4. The latter area is a smaller part of the NUTS III
area UKM11

In non-assisted areas for small enterprises (1 to
49 jobs)

15 % gross

Medium-sized enterprises in non-assisted areas
(50 to 250 jobs)

7,5 % gross

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Highlands and Islands Enterprise SME scheme

NB:

Legal basis: Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990, as
amended by Scottish Statutory Instrument 2001 No 126,
which extends the operational area of HIE into the remaining
parts of the Moray Council area not previously covered

1. These are maximum levels equal to maximum nge and SME
supplements as per the AA map approved in July 2000 for
the UK. Actual levels of aid offered are set at the minimum
level necessary to enable the project
to proceed with a
viable three-year business plan

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
individual aid granted to the company:
Maximum annual budget during the period 2000-2006
should not exceed GBP 25 million (sterling)

2. NGE would be calculated for control purposes by computer
on each project using the procedures in the Annex to the
guidelines on national regional aid (OJ ref. 98/C 74/9)

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374/67

3. These ceilings will be replaced by the specific limits for
certain sectors when special EU rules are in force. At the
commencement of this scheme, these sectors were: ship-
building, coal, steel, synthetic fibres, motor vehicles and
transport

(cid:151) in areas which qualify for regional aid,

the net aid
intensity is at
the net aid ceiling as
determined in the UK national assisted areas map, or

least 50 % of

2. The gross aid amount is at least EUR 15 million

A condition of aid under this scheme is that it will be main-
tained in the highlands and islands for at least five years

Date of implementation: 8 February 2001

The ceilings in the table apply to intensity of the aid calculated
either as a percentage of the investment’s eligible costs or as a
percentage of the wage costs of employment created by the
carrying out of an investment, or a combination thereof,
provided that the aid does not exceed the most favourable
amount resulting from the application of either calculation

AID FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICES AND EXHIBITIONS

Maximum aid intensity is 50 % gross towards eligible costs

Eligible costs are:

(cid:151) Outside consultants. The activities on which the consultants
shall be employed will be towards specific business devel-
opment objectives and not of a continuous or ongoing
nature. They will not provide services in connection with
the normal operating expenditure such as management,
supervision, tax or financial processing, legal services and
advertising

(cid:151) Participation for the first time at a particular trade fair or
to normal
exhibition. Eligible costs are those additional
business operations, and specifically costs
incurred in
renting a stand or space, setting up, and running the
presence at the event

MAXIMUM SCALE OF PROJECT AND AID

Individual awards under this scheme will become ineligible for
aid if either of
the following limits applies to the project
proposal:

1. The total eligible cost of the project is at least EUR 25

million and:

(cid:151) in areas which do not qualify for regional aid under the
current UK national assisted area map, the gross aid
intensity is at
least 7,5 % gross for small enterprises
and 3,75 % for medium-sized enterprises (EU definitions
of size, as in Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 Annex I)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Scheme ends
31 December 2006

Objective of aid: The strategic aim of HIE is to enhance the
quality of life for the local people in a sustainable way. The
economy of the H & I region suffers from below-average GDP
and personal income. The development of the economy via the
growth and diversification of SMEs is a key objective. The
activities of this scheme allow HIE to assist in a coordinated
way both the development of new business opportunities (via
the use of specialists in such areas as efficiency and the devel-
opment of new markets) and to assist with the investment
required to create new jobs as a result

HIE also considers that it is also necessary to assist larger firms
when they offer particular opportunities to develop the local
economy. HIE therefore hopes to operate a scheme in future to
assist with initial
investment and job creation via business
start-up and expansion for both large and small firms. In the
event that European Commission approval has been granted
for such a scheme, then this SME scheme would be amended to
reduce its scope to consultancy and trade fairs/exhibitions only.
SME investment aid would then operate via the notified scheme

Economic sector(s) concerned: All sectors may be assisted,
but with the specific exceptions of the activities as in Article 1
of Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 concerning Treaty Annex I
goods, export-related aid and aid contingent upon the use of
domestic goods. In addition, any special restrictions contained
within specific sectoral rules via Community Directives or
Regulations will apply when these sectors are assisted under
this scheme

Name and address of the granting authority:

Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Bridge House
20 Bridge Street
Inverness IV1 1QR
United Kingdom

Contact: Melvyn Waumsley, European Affairs Unit, Strategy
Group