1.5.∂ÓÈÛ¯‡ÛÂÈ˜ ÛÙËÓ ¤ÚÂ˘Ó·Î·È·Ó¿Ù˘ÍË («∂ & ∞») 465.Στι 13 ΜαYου, η Εpiιτροpi κρινε τι ηχοργηση ατοµικ ενσχυση piρο τη γαλλικ εταιρεα Latécoère ταν συµβιβσιµη µετο piλασιο Ε & Α (5). Η ενσχυση χορηγεταιγια τη συµµετοχ τη εταιρεα στο νο σχ-διο εpiιχειρηµατικο αεροσκφου τη Dassault Aviation: το αεροσκφο F7X. Ηεταιρεα Latécoère θα κατασκευσει το σ-νολο του οpiσθιου τµµατο του αεροσκ-φου, το οpiοο εναι ιδιατερα ευασθητο, διτιεκε εναι εγκατεστηµνοι οι τρει κινητ-ρε του αεροσκφου. Η ενσχυση χορηγε-ται υpi µορφ piροκαταβολ 26 εκατ. EUR,η οpiοα θα εpiιστραφε σε piερpiτωση εpiιτυχατου piρογρµµατο. 463.Στι 23 Ιουλου, η Ευρωpiαϊκ Εpiιτροpiαpiοφσισε να εγκρνει καθεστ piου piρο-βλεpiε τη χοργηση αpi τη βασκικ κυβρ-νηση δανεου µε εpiιδοτοµενο εpiιτκιο στηνισpiανικ εταιρεα GAMESA για τη συµµετοχ τη στην ανpiτυξη δο νων piεριφε-ρειακν αεροσκαφν τη βραζιλινικη κα-
465.On 13 May, the Commission decided thatthe award of individual aid to the French company Latécoère was compatible with the R & Dframework (1). The aid is being granted in connection with the company’s participation in thenew business aircraft project of Dassault Aviation, the F7X. Latécoère will produce the aircraft’s entire rear section, which is particularlychallenging as it houses all three engines. Theaid is to take the form of a EUR 26 million loan,reimbursable in the event of the project beingsuccessful. objective of the measure is to provide incentivesfor productive investments and to promote thedevelopment of R & D activities. Under thescheme, companies may constitute a tax reserveof 20 % of their tax amount payable in 2003 and2004 provided that this amount is spent within aperiod of two years from the date of constitutionof the tax reserve, either on initial investments oron R & D projects. The scheme is applicablethroughout Portugal and is open to all enterprisesbelonging to the extraction and industrial sectorsof activity and to hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and other firms active in the tourism sector.The total budget allocated for the measure is EUR318 million for the two years of implementation. 466.On 7 February, the Commission decided toinitiate the formal investigation procedure underArticle 88(3) of the EC Treaty in respect of part ofthe R & D project carried out by the company IFS SpA. The Commission doubted whether preclinical test activities (‘step 5’of the project) could beclassified as industrial research — rather than aspre-competitive development — within the Community meaning of the term and thus benefit froma 50 % aid intensity. Preclinical tests come beforephase I clinical tests. Active principles are testedin the laboratory on various animal species,increasingly akin to man. In fact, even if preclinical test protocols are based on a series of experiments on a number of different animal species,the results of which are collected and criticallyanalysed to check whether phase I tests can belaunched, they are, like phase I clinical tests,based on ‘prototype’ versions of the product,albeit very crude ones. Thus, in this respect, theycould be considered similar to phase I clinicaltests even if, as they come before phase I tests and 469.The Commission assessed the notificationon the basis of the Community guidelines onnational regional aid, as far as the initial investments are concerned, and of the Communityframework for State aid for research and development, as regards the R & D projects. Portugal proposed a technical definition of initial investmentwhich equals the difference between the grossinvestments of the company in new tangible fixedassets during a given period and the sale, amortisation and reintegration of all tangible fixedassets included in the company’s balance sheet ¥1∂