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: 2004-01-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, State aid, United Kingdom, aid to undertakings, small and medium-sized enterprises

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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

(2004/C 9/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XS 106/02

Member State: Italy

Region: Campania

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: New aid scheme of the Campania Region (Inte-
grated Incentive Plan)

Legal basis: Delibera Giunta regionale n. 6214 del 15.11.2001;
delibera della Giunta regionale n. 4462 dell'8.10.2002; legge n.
341/95 e s.m. e i. di cui alla legge n. 266/97;
legge n.
1329/65;
legge n. 598/94; articolo 11; decreto legislativo n.
112/98, articolo 19; decreto legislativo n. 123/98; regolamento
CE n. 70 del 12.1.2001

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 20
million

Maximum aid intensity: The projected aid intensity is 35 %
nge + 15 % gge.

Date of implementation: 30 November 2002 (no aid will be
granted in any event before this summary has been notified to
the Commission)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 December
2006

Objective of aid: The aid in the form of a capital contribution
and a tax bonus is intended for expenditure on measures to set
up new plant, and to expand, modernise, restructure, convert,
reactivate and relocate production plant. The investments in
question will be made in the production cycle or ancillary
facilities. Road vehicles and means of transport entered in the
public register are not eligible for aid, with the exception of
those which, pursuant to Articles 85 and 114 of the Highway
Code (Codice della strada) and Article 298 of Presidential
Decree No 495 of 16 December 1992, are defined as public
works vehicles

Economic sector(s) concerned: SMEs operating in:

ISTAT classification of economic activities. The sectors
referred to in sub-sections DA and section G are eligible
for aid in accordance with the Community rules on the
production and distribution of
listed in
Annex 1 to the EC Treaty. Investments in ‘sensitive’ areas
pursuant to the Community rules are not eligible;

the products

— the telecommunications sector;

— service activities with the potential to have a favourable
above-mentioned
effect on the development of
productive activities,
in accordance with the limitations
concerning access to aid under Article 1(2) of Decree-Law
No 415 of 22 October 1992, converted into Law No 488
of 19 December 1992

the

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Campania
Assessorato
Centro Direzionale-Isola A6
I-80143 Napoli
Tel. 081/796 68 09
Fax 081/796 60 33

Other information: The aid scheme is not applicable to
investments in excess of EUR 1 million.

Firms are eligible for aid only in respect of
programmes
the
satisfy at
requirements:

least one of

that

investment
following

— they save energy;

— they are covered by certification systems (environmental,

product and process);

— they increase employment.

The aid scheme does not apply to export-related activities, i.e.
aid directly linked to the quantities exported, to the estab-
lishment and operation of a distribution network or to other
current expenditure linked to the export activity, and aid
contingent upon the use of domestic over imported goods.

— the extractive and manufacturing industries, the production
and distribution of electricity, gas and water, the building
and trade sectors in Sections C, D, E, F and G of the 1991

Only expenditure incurred since the date on which the aid
application was submitted is eligible.

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Only consultancy services that are not continuous or regular,
or connected with the normal operating expenses of the firm
are eligible for aid.

not support SMEs in other sensitive sectors, i.e. motor vehicles,
synthetic fibres and transport

Name and address of the granting authority:

A further precondition for the aid grant is that the investment
must be financed by a bank which has checked the firm's
creditworthiness and development prospects

Aid No: XS 41/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Sussex

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Sussex Early Growth Fund

Legal basis: Section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Over
two years the government will
invest GBP 250 000. Private-
sector partners will provide a further GBP 250 000. Funds
will be invested in approximately 10 businesses at an average
of GBP 50 000 per business. Early returns will be re-invested

Maximum aid intensity: Loans will be offered to businesses at
a minimum rate of 5 % over base rate, with the option of an
equity share also being taken in the company. The combined
effect of the interest rate and equity share is believed to take
the cost of the finance to any particular business above the
reference rate set for the UK. Where the rate is below the
reference rate, this will be taken into account in the calculation
of aid intensities. The maximum aid intensity will not exceed
15 % of investment costs in the case of small enterprises and
7,5 % in the case of medium-sized enterprises

Date of implementation: April 2003

Department of Trade and Industry
Small Business Service
St Mary's House
Moorfoot
Sheffield S1 4PQ
Contact: Ken Cooper
Tel. 0114 259 72 78

Other information: The Sussex Early Growth Fund is being
created to fill the gap identified in the financial and commercial
markets for supporting small and early-stage businesses that
require funding to enable them to maximise their commercial
potential.

Experience of assisting businesses in Sussex confirms that this
is the area of the capital market where new and small busi-
nesses find it hardest to obtain adequate support and funding
for their ventures. There is a need to stimulate the provision of
small amounts of risk capital
to start-ups and early-stage
growth businesses.

Commercial lenders and investors continue to shun or find it
difficult
to support companies that require relatively small
amounts of risk capital and a significant amount of commercial
opportunity is not being developed as a result.

The Sussex Early Growth Fund seeks to address this area of the
market with the intention of initially providing direct support
to such companies and demonstrating to the market that this is
an area of business activity that
is viable and able to be
supported commercially in the longer term

Aid No: XS 45/03

Member State: Italy

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 30 June 2007

Region: Lazio

Objective of aid: The Early Growth Fund is working with the
private sector. The aim of the Fund is to provide risk capital to
start up young, growth-oriented businesses. The aid will be
calculated on the basis of the costs of specific investments in
land, buildings, machinery, equipment and the acquisition of
to demonstrate to
new technology. The Fund also aims
investors
from
investment in early-growth businesses, as there is a current
lack of
this type of small-scale finance. Any aid element
would be the minimum necessary to encourage investment
from the private-sector partners

can be made

commercial

returns

that

Economic sector(s) concerned: All sectors. The scheme does
not preclude restricted sectors but the project will not support
SMEs in agriculture or fisheries and it is expected that it will

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Law No 598/94, Article 11 — Investment
environmental
subsidies
for
protection, organisational
innovation
and safety at work

innovation,
innovation, commercial

technological

Legal basis:

— Legge 27.10.1994, n. 598, articolo 11 — come modificato
ed integrato da Legge 8.8.1995, n. 341, articolo 3; Legge
23.12.1998, n. 488, articolo 54; Legge 5.3.2001, n. 57,
articolo 15;

— Decreto legislativo 31.3.1998, n. 112, articolo 19;

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— Decreto legislativo 31.3.1998, n. 123;

— the innovative and original nature of the know-how to be

acquired;

— Regolamento CE n. 70 del 12.1.2001;

— Delibera Giunta regionale n. 1670 del 13.12.2002

— the value of that know-how to innovative products and
increase competitiveness and encourage

that

processes
development;

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
individual aid granted to the company:
amount of
EUR 2 500 000

— the relevance to programme implementation of the costs

listed;

Maximum aid intensity: Up to the ceilings laid down by
Community law

Date of implementation: 1 January 2003 (no aid will be
granted in any event before this summary has been notified
to the Commission)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 December
2006

Objective of aid: The aid is intended to assist investment
programmes aimed at technological innovation, environmental
protection, organisational and commercial
innovation, and
safety at work

Economic sector(s) concerned: SMEs operating in certain
sectors listed in Sections C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, M and O of
the 1991 Italian Statistical Office (ISTAT) classification of
economic activities, with the exclusions and restrictions laid
down in the Community rules for the steel, shipbuilding,
synthetic fibres, motor vehicle and transport industries.

linked to the
The scheme does not apply to activities
production, processing or marketing of products listed in
Annex I to the EC Treaty

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Lazio
Direzione regionale sviluppo economico
Via Cristoforo Colombo, 212
Tel. 06 51 68 32 10
Fax 06 51 68 32 29

Other information: Investments in excess of EUR 1,5 million
are not eligible.

The aid scheme does not apply to export-related activities, i.e.
aid directly linked to the quantities exported, to the estab-
lishment and operation of a distribution network or to other
current expenditure linked to the export activity, and aid
contingent upon the use of domestic over imported goods.

Only expenditure incurred since the date on which the aid
application was submitted is eligible.

The aid is granted following a technical, economic and
financial assessment aimed at checking:

— the feasibility of the results projected by the proposer.

Only consultancy services that are not continuous or regular,
or connected with the normal operating expenses of the firm
are eligible for aid.

A further precondition for the aid grant is that the investment
must be financed by a bank which has checked the firm's
creditworthiness and development prospects

Aid No: XS 54/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: North East of England

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Romag Ltd — Leadgate Industrial Estate,
Consett, Co. Durham DH8 7RS

Legal basis: Regional Development Agency Act 1998

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

— GBP 400 000 grant

— Total project value GBP 2 365 445

Maximum aid intensity: All aid granted will fall within the
ceilings expressed in Article 4, points 2 & 3 of the SME Block
Exemption for investment aid according to the Assisted Areas
map for the North East of England.

A maximum aid intensity of 30 % of the total eligible costs of
investment will be provided

Date of implementation: 8 April 2003

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 March
2004

Objective of aid: The North East has a Regional Economic
Strategy to remedy its comparative disadvantage to most other
EU regions in terms of economic performance and competi-
tiveness.

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For SMEs, the strategy seeks to develop targeted programmes
that address failures in:

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

— transfer of

technology & knowledge,

innovation, R & D
levels and investment in areas of high growth potential.
Working with regional universities to exploit the region's
science base;

— GBP 5 million in 2003/2004 under SME block exemption,

— GBP 7,25 million in 2004/2005 under

SME block

exemption,

— stimulating and establishing a new entrepreneurial culture

in renewable energies.

— GBP 10 million in 2005/2006 under SME block exemption

OneNorthEast will deliver this to SMEs through establishing
funds to finance:

— Investment aid.

area,

— This project will allow Romag, an SME in an Article
87(3)(c)
to develop capacity to produce glass
laminated solar panels. The company is working with
it can take
regional and national government so that
advantage of
in the
renewable market. This has been supported by a regional
university offering a strong academic base.

the new market opportunities

— The assistance to Romag is to be provided in order to assist
in relation to land,
investment costs

with the initial
buildings, machinery and equipment.

Maximum aid intensity: The scheme will support consultancy
and technology transfer for SMEs. The maximum aid intensity
for
will not
consultancy.

individual project

exceed 50 % of

costs

For
intangible assets in terms of
maximum aid intensity will not exceed:

technology transfer

the

— In non-assisted regions — 15 % for small firms and 7,5 %

for medium-sized firms

— In Article 87(3)(a) regions — up to 50 % for SMEs

— In Article 87(3)(c) regions — up to 30 % for SMEs

Date of implementation: April 2003

— Also, the project will enable the company to provide 76

new jobs

Duration of
2003-March 2006

scheme or

individual aid award: April

Economic sector(s) concerned: The new and renewable
energy market

Objective of aid:

Name and address of the granting authority:

Fergus Mitchell
State Aid Coordinator
OneNorthEast
Great North House
Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ND
Tel. 0191 204 22 57

Aid No: XS 66/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Wales

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Knowledge Exploitation Fund

Legal basis: Section 68 of the Further and Higher Education
Act 1992

— The primary purpose of the Knowledge Exploitation Fund
is to aid SMEs to develop their technology through access
to the knowledge and resources in academic institutions to
create a high-value, sustainable knowledge economy in
Wales.

— The KEF scheme will provide improved access to tech-
nology transfer and consultancy support from academic
institutions for product development and the introduction
of new technologies in SMEs; and consultancy support
from academic institutions to assist in the development of
intellectual property in SMEs

Economic sector(s) concerned: All
prejudice to those sectors governed by other specific rules

sectors — without

Name and address of the granting authority:

Derek Adams
Head of Higher Education Division
Department for Training & Education
National Assembly for Wales
Cathays Park
Cardiff CF10 3NQ

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Aid No: XS 87/02

Tangible investments

Member State: Italy

Region: Marche

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: SPD 2000-2006 — Measure 1.2 Financial
engineering services, sub-measure 1.2.2 Improved access for
SMEs to risk capital

Legal basis: Docup Ob. 2 2000-2006 — bando di accesso ai
contributi di cui alla DGR n. 1367 approvata dalla giunta
regionale in data 23 luglio 2002

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Call for
applications 2002:

— planning and civil engineering, consultancy costs relating to
econo-financial
impact
studies, building permits and statutory inspections (not
exceeding 7 % of eligible investment)

environmental

feasibility

and

— acquisition of land, its development and geological surveys
— there should be a specific link between the acquisition of
the land and the objectives of the part-financed project (up
to 10 % of the eligible investment)

— connection with infrastructure networks with a close link
with the machinery and equipment up to a maximum of
20 % of costs

— property to be used for the productive activity — there
must be a specific link between the acquisition of existing
property in the event of reoccupation or earlier rental,
construction,
extension — excluding
administrative expenditure

restructuring or

— new unregistered machinery, plant and mobile equipment

— EUR 805 648,50 for Objective 2 areas

— EUR 352 309 for phasing-out areas

— business IT systems.

Intangible investments

Maximum aid intensity: In accordance with Regulation (EC)
No 70/2001, the following rates of aid will be applied: 15 %
gge for small firms and 7,5 % gge for medium-sized firms. In
the areas qualifying for exemption under Article 87(3)(c) of the
EC Treaty the rate will be 8 % nge + 10 percentage points gge
for small firms and 8 % nge + 6 percentage points gge for
medium-sized firms. State aid may not exceed 20 % of
paid-up risk capital, and in any event may not exceed
EUR 160 000

Date of implementation:
In accordance with Commission
guidelines, aid will be granted for costs incurred by the final
for
recipient
applications

from the date of publication of

the call

— costs incurred in the acquisition of patent,

licence and
knowhow rights and the granting of unpatented technical
knowledge and software

Economic sector(s) concerned: Firms operating in the
following sectors and fields are not eligible:

— steel products listed in Annex 1 to the ECSC Treaty (NACE

221)

— shipbuilding and ship repair (NACE codes 361.1, 361.2)

— manufacture of synthetic fibres (NACE code 260)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
will be applied in 2002

— motor vehicle industry (NACE 351)

— processing and marketing of agricultural products

Objective of aid: The aid is intended for independent or
affiliated SMEs whose main activity is classified in sections C,
D, E or F of the ISTAT 1991 Code, and SMEs that are engaged
in service activities closely connected and related to the devel-
opment of the above-mentioned productive activities and are
set up as companies or corporations.

The objective of the aid is to assist investment and consultancy
costs incurred by SMEs in Objective 2 and phasing-out areas in
Marche.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Marche, Servizio Industria e Artigianato
Via Tiziano, 44
I-60100 Ancona
Persona da contattare: Dott. Fabio Belfiori
Tel. (39-07) 18 06 36 24

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Aid No: XS 92/02

Member State: Italy

Region: Liguria

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Measure 3.2 ‘Upgrading of port areas’ —
Submeasure B ‘Aid to improve tourism facilities
in port
areas’ — Objective 2 single programming document (SPD),
Liguria 2000-2006

Legal basis:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 December
2006 (Objective 2 areas and areas exempted under Article
87(3)(c))

Objective of aid: The submeasure is intended to promote
investments in improving tourism facilities for pleasure boats
by supporting the Territorial Coordination Plan for Coastal
Areas of Liguria

Economic sector(s) concerned: Tourism operators covered
by the 1991 ISTAT Code I.63.22.D.
tourist
harbours, shipping harbours, pleasureboat centres), either indi-
vidually or in association, including cooperatives entered in the
register of businesses, and covered by the Community defi-
nition of SMEs, as provided for in the Decree of 27 October
1997 of the Ministry for Production Activities

(tourist ports,

— Docup Obiettivo 2 Regione Liguria 2000-2006 approvato
con Decisione Commissione Europea C(2001) 2044 del
7.9.2001;

— Complemento di Programmazione del Docup Obiettivo 2
Regione Liguria 2000-2006, approvato con Deliberazione
Giunta regionale n. 1404 del 30.11.2001;

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Liguria
Dipartimento Sviluppo Economico
Settore Politiche di Sviluppo Industria e Artigianato
Via Fieschi, 15
I-16121 Genova

— Modifiche al Complemento di Programmazione del Docup
Obiettivo 2 Regione Liguria 2000-2006, approvate con
Deliberazione Giunta regionale n. 694 del 2.7.2002;

— Bando della Misura 3.2 «Riqualificazione aree portuali» —
Sottomisura B «Aiuti per la valorizzazione a fini turistici
delle aree portuali», approvato con Deliberazione della
Giunta regionale n. 923 del 8.8.2002

Aid No: XS 95/02

Member State: Italy

Region: Apulia

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Total
expenditure:
the programme,
the
EUR 18 040 435, in annual instalments;

entire period of

for

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Services to promote the technological competi-
tiveness of SMEs

— to

finance

the

invitation

to

tender

for

2002,

EUR 5 721 441 of public expenditure

Legal basis:

Maximum aid intensity:

— Non-repayable
equivalent
small
excluding VAT

investment

intensity
to 15 % gge of eligible investment costs for
for medium-sized firms,

grant with

firms and 7,5 % gge

an

— non-repayable investment grant with an intensity equivalent
to 8 % nge of eligible investment costs + 10 percentage
points gge for small firms and 8 % nge + 6 percentage
in
points gge for medium-sized firms, excluding VAT,
areas qualifying for exemption under Article 87(3)(c) of
the EC Treaty

Date of implementation: 16 September 2002

— Legge 27.10.1994, n. 598, articolo 11 come modificato ed
integrato da Legge 8.8.1995, n. 341, articolo 3; Legge
23.12.1999, n. 488, articolo 54; Legge 5.3.2001, n. 57,
articolo 15;

— Decreto Legislativo 31.3.1998, n. 112, articolo 19;

— Decreto Legislativo 31.3.1998, n. 123;

— Regolamento CE n. 70 del 12.1.2001;

— Delibera Giunta regionale n. 1376 del 5.10.2001

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
individual aid granted to the company:
EUR 7 746 853,48

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Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity for the
Region of Apulia on the European regional aid map (35 % nge
+ 15 % gge)

Date of implementation: No aid will be granted in any event
before this summary has been notified to the Commission

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 December
2006

Objective of aid: The aid, in the form of interest subsidies and
capital contributions, is intended for expenditure on services to
promote the technological competitiveness of SMEs

Economic sector(s) concerned: SMEs entered in the register
of businesses, excluding investment aimed at
the following
economic activities:

— farming;

— fisheries;

— steel;

— manufacture of synthetic and artificial fibres;

— shipbuilding;

— transport;

— activities linked to the production, processing or marketing

of products listed in Annex I to the EC Treaty

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Puglia
Assessorato Industria, Commercio e Artigianato
Corso Sonnino, 177
I-70121 Bari (BA)

Other information: This aid scheme does not apply to
investments that reach one of the following two thresholds:

(a) the eligible costs of the whole project total at least EUR 25
million and, in areas which qualify for regional aid, the net
aid intensity is at
least 50 % of the net aid ceiling as
determined in the regional aid map for the area concerned,

or

(b) the total gross aid amounts to at least EUR 15 million.

The aid scheme does not apply to export-related activities, i.e.
aid directly linked to the quantities exported, to the estab-
lishment and operation of a distribution network or to other
current expenditure linked to the export activity, and aid
contingent upon the use of domestic over imported goods.

Only expenditure incurred since the date on which the aid
application was submitted is eligible.

The expenditure on services to promote technological competi-
tiveness that is eligible for aid must not be continuous or
regular, or connected with the normal operating expenses of
the firm.

A further precondition for the aid grant is that the investment
must be financed by a bank which has checked the firm's
creditworthiness and development prospects