Madeleine Tilmans

"United Kingdom – Commission investigates aid involved in the Viridian Growth Fund, a venture capital fund located in Northern Ireland"* On 26 July, the Commission decided to open the Article 88(2) EC procedure regarding aid involved in a new venture capital fund in Northern Ireland called the (...)

"Italy - The Commission decides to authorize an investment aid to the firm "Villa Romana s.r.l." for the building of a hotel complex near Pompei"* Villa Romana is a hotel facilities project. The aid was notified in the context of the contratto d’area[territorial contract] (...)

"Sweden – Commission approves State aid to improve the indoor environment in buildings for reasons of public health"* On 12 July 2000 the Commission decided to close the Article 88(2) procedure with a positive decision in respect of an aid scheme intended to reduce the presence of allergenic (...)

"United Kigdom – The Commission authorizes aid for private investors participating in the creation of the High Technology Fund which is aimed at encourage risk capital investments for early stage enterprises in high technology sectors"* On 12 July, the European Commission authorised the (...)

"Ireland - The Commission approves tax incentives for building owners in the Customs House Docks Area (CDHA), on the basis of the 1998 Finance Act, but opens the 88.2 EC procedure as regards tax incentives for building owners and for tenants on the basis of the 1994 and 1995 Finance Acts and of (...)

"Germany – Commission approves restructuring aid to SKET Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH, Saxony-Anhalt"* By decision of 21 July 1999, the European Commission decided to approve restructuring aid in the amount of DM 57,800,000 (some 29.5 million EURO) to SKET Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH, (...)

"Germany - Commission decides aid to Lautex GmbH Weberei und Veredelung (Saxony) intended for restructuring to be incompatible with the common market"* In July 1999, the Commission ruled that restructuring aid of around DM 120 M (some € 61 M) to Lautex was incompatible with the common market. (...)

"The Netherlands – Commission prohibits State aid in favour of certain Dutch service stations"* On July 20th 1999, the European Commission decided to declare incompatible the aid in favour of 450 service stations located nearby the border to Germany out of a total of 633 stations which benefit (...)

"Germany - Commission opens the 88 § 2 procedure into aid in favour of the producers of energy from renewable sources resulting of the impact of a new electricity tax on Grid Feed-In Law (Stromeinspeisungsgesetz)"* On 20 July 1999, the Commission decided to initiate a state aid investigation (...)

"The Netherlands – Commission approved aid to a long-term research programme at Shell Chemicals"* In July 1999, the European Commission has approved aid up to 11.3 million Euro (NLG 25m) to stimulate a long-term research programme at Shell Chemicals BV expected to cost up to 30 million Euro (...)

"Commission adopts new guidelines on rescue and restructuring aid to firms in difficulty"* On 8 July the Commission adopted revised guidelines for state aid granted to rescue and restructure firms in difficulty. The new text represents in several respects a tightening of the rules, in line (...)

"Germany - Commission, subject to certain conditions, decides to confirm its decision of May 1996 to authorize aid in favour of Dow/Buna SOW Leuna Olefinverbund GmbH (BSL)"* On 26 May 1999, the Commission decided to close the Article 88(2) proceeding, reopened on 10 December 1997, and to raise (...)

"The Netherlands – Commission decides that the tax measure ‘partially accelerated depreciation for R&D laboratories’ does not constitute state aid"* In May 1999 the Commission decided to raise no objections to the notified tax measure ‘partially accelerated depreciation for R&D (...)

"Germany – Commission approves several special tax provisions in the law introducing an ecological tax reform"* On 21 April 1999, the Commission approved several special tax provisions in the law introducing an ecological tax reform («Ecotax law«) for the benefit of certain sectors of the (...)

"Spain. - The Commission approves the first notification under the Multisectoral framework on regional aid for large investment projects, i.e. an aid to the manufacturer of mineral wool Rockwool Penisular S.A"* Introduction One of the main objectives of the new approach under the (...)

"The Netherlands. – The Commission closed investigation proceedings and limited the aid for the Process-integrated Gas Turbine at the Nerefco-refinery"* On March 30th 1999, the European Commission decided to close the investigation proceedings with regard to the Dutch proposal to grant aid to (...)

"Seventh Survey on State Aid in the EU"* In March 1999 the Commission approved the Seventh Survey on State Aid in the EU (COM (1999) 148) and as in previous years the coverage has been extended. For the first time data on all transport sub-sectors receiving aid have been included and a (...)

"Germany – Commission approves public funding of two public special interest channels"* The Commission has approved on 24 February 1999 the financing from state resources of the two German public special interest channels “Kinderkanal” and “Phoenix”. Further to a complaint, the Commission found (...)

"Germany - The Commission agreed part of the restructuring aid in favour of Graphischer Maschinenbau GmbH, Berlin"* By decision of 3rd February 1999, the European Commission has agreed part of the aid for the restructuring of Graphischer Maschinenbau GmbH, a manufacturer of newspaper printing (...)

"Spain. - The Commission opened the 88 § 2 EC procedure into special tax credits in favour of the publicly owned shipyards"* On 20 January 1999 the Commission decided to open an investigation procedure into special tax credits of 18.45 billion pesetas (approx € 111 million) paid in 1998 to the (...)

"Germany - Commission does not approve illegal aid to the firm of the chemical sector Riedel-de Haën and asks for repayment"* The European Commission has not authorised state aid measures already granted by Germany to Riedel-de Haën on its investment in a residue processing plant. Germany (...)

"Sweden - Measures in favour of employment and in favour of training"* On December 16, the Commission has authorised two measures proposed by the Swedish government in favour of professional training and employment, considering that such measures do not constitute state aid. The aim of the (...)

"Extension of the validity of the Code on aid to the synthetic fibres industry until 31 August 2001"* On 16 December 1998 the Commission decided to extend the validity of the Code on aid to the synthetic fibres industry (OJ C 94, 30.03.1996) beyond its scheduled expiry date of 31 March 1999, (...)

"The Netherlands. – The Commission considered aid compensating for damage caused by extreme heavy rain in The Netherlands compatible with the common market"* On December 9th the European Commission decided to consider the aid measure compensating for the damage caused by extreme heavy rain on (...)

"Germany - Opening of the Article 93(2) procedure in respect of the shipyard Kvaerner Warnow Werft GmbH"* On 25 November the European Commission decided to open the Article 93(2) procedure in respect of the Eastern German shipyard Kvaerner Warnow Werft GmbH in order to examine the company’s (...)

"Report on services of general economic interest in the banking sector"* At its meeting in June 1997 in Amsterdam the European Council adopted a Declaration on «Public credit institutions in Germany« mentioning the possibility that «services of general economic interest« might exist also in the (...)

"The Netherlands. The Commission approved collaborative research and development aid to ASML, ASMI and Philips for the project Medea T601 (Eureka 1535)/Atlas"* On 29 July, the Commission has approved the Dutch government’s proposal to give research and development aid for a collaboration (...)

"Germany - Aid to shipbuilding - Misuse of restructuring aid for MTW and Volkswerft in the Bremer Vulkan Group. The Commission decides that the aid must be recovered"* On 22 July 1998 the Commission adopted a final negative decision concerning the misuse of DEM 788.7 millions (ECU 400 (...)

"Espagne – Clôture de la procédure ouverte à l’égard des aides en faveur de la société Porcelanas del Norte S.A.L. (PONSAL), devenue Comercial Europa de Porcelanas S.A.L (Comepor)"* On 14 July, the Commission decided to close by a partial negative Decision. the Article 93(2) proceeding against aid (...)

"The Commission decided that Germany must apply the multisectoral framework on regional aid to large investment projects"* As explained in the last Newsletter of 1997, the Commission adopted the European Union (EU) “Multisectoral Framework on regional aid to large investment projects” in (...)

"The Netherlands. The Commission decided to open the 93 (2) proceedings with regard to the Dutch aid proposal: ‘Process Integrated Gas Turbine at the NEREFCO refinery’"* The Commission has decided to investigate the proposal of the Dutch government to give aid of about ECU 6,7 million to support (...)

"BELGIQUE. La Commission décide l’ouverture de la procédure de l’article 93 §2 du traité CE en vue d’examiner la compatibilité avec le marché commun de l’octroi par les autorités régionales flamandes d’une garantie de crédit en faveur de la société de télécommunications Hermes Europe Railtel N.V."* On 7 (...)

"AUTRICHE. La Commission a décidé d’ouvrir la procédure au titre de l’article 93 §2 du traité CE à l’égard d’une aide prévue en faveur de KNP Leykam au titre de la R&D"* On 25 March 1998, the Commission decided to open a procedure with respect to the Austrian government’s proposal to give aid of ECU (...)

"ROYAUME-UNI. Feu vert de la Commission à l’octroi d’aides à la R&D en faveur de Rolls- Royce"* The Commission has authorised the proposed R&D aid by the UK authorities to Rolls-Royce for the development of a new generation of three high thrust aero-engines. The new engines will be (...)

"ALLEMAGNE. La Commission ouvre la procédure au titre de l’article 93 §2 du traité CE à l’égard des aides qui ont été octroyées au titre de la R&D au groupe SICAN et à ses associés"* On 11 March 1998, the Commission decided to open a procedure with respect to aid given to SICAN-group. SICAN group, (...)

"PORTUGAL. Aides à la formation. Clôture du dossier"* The European Commission and the Portuguese Government have reached agreement on the repayment of training aid to AutoEuropa, a Ford/Volkswagen joint venture, that exceeded the applicable ceiling. The Commission has therefore decided to close (...)

"Espagne – La Commission décide une extension de la procédure ouverte au titre de l’article 93 § 2 du traité CE à l’égard des aides octroyées à l’entreprise Daewoo Electroctronics Manufacturing España S.A. (“DEMESA”)"* Following the submission of several complaints in 1996 from the European Committee of (...)

"IRELAND: Enterprise zones designated by the 1995 and 1997 Finance Acts"* The European Commission have approved the above scheme on 16.December 1997. The tax-reliefs available in the areas in question include capital allowances (accelerated and free depreciation), double rent allowance and (...)

"FINLAND: New Finnish map of assisted areas"* The Commission approved on 16 December 1997, a new map of areas eligible for regional aid in Finland. It has been assessed on the basis of Articles 92(3)(a) and (c) of the EC Treaty and the Commission communication of 1988 on the method for the (...)

"LARGE INVESTMENT PROJECTS. New State aid framework approved for large investment projects"* The Commission decided on 16 December 1997 to introduce new State aid rules with the aim of reducing excessive amounts of regional aid to mobile capital-intensive investments. Until now the (...)

"DENMARK. Measures in favour of centralised electricity generating plants"* The Commission approves state aid scheme in favour of the combined heat and power production. The Danish Government wants to introduce a purchase obligation for the electricity distribution companies to purchase heat (...)

"AUSTRIA. The Commission decides to open the 93 (2) proceedings against state aid to Siemens Bauelemente OHG"* The Commission has decided to investigate the Austrian government’s proposal to give aid of ECU 27 million to Siemens Bauelemente OHG for the production of power semiconductors using (...)

"GERMANY. Aid to Gemeinnützige Abfallverwertung GmbH (GAV)" The Commission has decided to close the Article 93(2) proceedings against aid which was awarded to Gemeinnützige Abfallverwertung GmbH (GAV) in Aachen. GAV, a non - profit oriented enterprise owned by Sozialwerk Aachener Christen e.V, (...)

"SPAIN (Galicia). Aid to Grupo de Empresas Álvarez (GEA)"* The Commission has decided on 15 July to close the Article 93(2) proceeding by approving the State aid which had been awarded to Grupo de Empresas Álvarez (GEA) under conditions. GEA manufactures tableware products and is located in (...)

"THE NETHERLANDS. The Commission approves research and development aid package to Philips"* The Commission has approved the Dutch government’s proposal to give research and development aid to Philips in the area of liquid-crystal flat-panel displays and medical imaging technology. Funding of (...)

"GERMANY. The Commission approves collaborative research and development aid to Siemens, Motorola and partners for the transition to 300 mm silicon wafers" The Commission has approved the German government’s proposal to give research and development aid for two collaboration projects involving (...)