52003XC1204(03)

Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 2204/2002 of 12 December 2002 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid for employment

(2003/C 294/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XE 1/03

Member State: Germany

Region: North Rhine-Westphalia

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Scheme implementing "Jugend in Arbeit Plus"

Legal basis: § 44 Landeshaushaltsordnung des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 24,7 million annual budget allocation for refinancing of the whole programme

Maximum aid intensity: For aid under Article 5: recruitment of disadvantaged and disabled workers (wage subsidy of 50 % of gross employee wage costs - either collectively negotiated or in line with local standards - plus a subsidy of the employer's share of the social security contribution of 20 % of the regularly paid gross employee wage costs. Aid is restricted to 50 % of wage costs, including both gross wages and statutory social charges (both the employee's and the employer's contribution)

Date of implementation: 1 January 2003

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 December 2006 (end of funding period)

Objective of aid: The "Jugend in Arbeit Plus" initiative focuses on the difficult situation of young people on the job market and is intended to support the integration of this target group into the employment system by promoting one-year employment contracts

Economic sector(s) concerned: All EU economic sectors

Name and address of the granting authority: Versorgungsamt Köln Boltensternstraße 10 D - 50735 Köln

Other information: The scheme is partially financed with EU Objective 3 funds.

After the exemption regulation expires on 31 December 1996, a six-month transitional period will apply.

The aid scheme "Jugend in Arbeit Plus" incorporates both an employment and a qualification component, so two summary information forms have been provided.

The employment component falls under Regulation (EC) No 2204/2002 of 12 December 2002 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to training aid and is set out in the summary information form.

The qualification component falls under Regulation (EC) No 68/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to training aid. Please see the relevant summary information form for training aid