52002XC0124(04)

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

(2002/C 21/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XS/01/2001

Member State: Germany

Region: Land of Lower Saxony, district of Aurich

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Promotion of productive investment by individual SMEs in Aurich

Legal basis: § 108 der Niedersächsischen Landkreisordnung (NLO) in der Fassung vom 22.8.1996 (Niedersächsisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt, S. 365) i. V. mit § 65 der Niedersächsischen Gemeindeordnung (NGO) in der Fassung vom 22.8.1996 (Niedersächsisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt, S. 382)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 200000

Maximum aid intensity: The aid amounts:

- in the case of small enterprises, to up to 15 %

- and in the case of medium-sized enterprises, to up to 7,5 %

of eligible investment expenditure. The aid ceiling is set at EUR 7500

The rules on the combination of aid are complied with

Date of implementation: 1 June 2001

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: From 1 June 2001 to 31 December 2006, with adaptation period up to 30 June 2007

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

Rescue and restructuring aid to 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 investment project:

- Setting-up of an establishment

The investment must help to create at least one full-time permanent job

- Extension of an establishment

The number of permanent jobs must increase by 15 % compared with the position before the investment began

The new jobs created by the investment must be maintained for at least five years

The aid is granted in the form of investment grants

All tangible investments (buildings, machinery, equipment) and intangible investments (acquisition of technology and of rights, licences and patents) qualify for assistance

Economic sector(s) concerned: Those entitled to apply are SMEs in manufacturing, the craft sector, the distributive trades, and the hotel, and services and transport (excluding investment in means of transport) sectors. Assistance to firms in other sensitive sectors is ruled out

Name and address of the granting authority: Landkreis Aurich Amt für Wirtschaftsförderung Fischteichweg 7-13 D - 26603 Aurich

Other information: Mr Bakenhus

Tel. (49-41) 165 61

Fax (49-41) 164 52

E-mail: bakenhus@ostfriesland.de