24.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 153/16

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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

(2005/C 153/07)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XS 21/02

Member State: Italy

Region: Veneto

Title of aid scheme: Measures to assist investment in organisational and commercial innovation

Legal basis:

—	Legge 27.10.1994, n. 598, art.11

—	Decreto legislativo 31.03.98, n. 123

—	Legge 23.12.1999, n. 488, art.54 comma 3

—	Decreto legislativo 31.03.98, n.112, art.19

—	Delibera di Giunta della Regione Veneto del 31.12.02, n. 3971 e relative schede allegate

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: (in million EUR)

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensities are within the permissible ceilings.

The intensities are as follows, in gross grant equivalent (gge) for transactions carried out using a reference rate of 5 %:

7,1 gge for SMEs in areas qualifying for exemption under Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty;

5,7 gge for small enterprises in other parts of the Region;

2,8 gge for medium-sized enterprises in other parts of the Region.

The interest subsidy is calculated on the basis of an amortisation plan based on constant capital repayments.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme: Until 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: To support the development and dissemination of technology in SMEs by financing investment in organisational and commercial innovation.

Economic sector(s) concerned: The aid is intended for SMEs operating in the following industries:

mining and quarrying;

manufacturing;

production and distribution of electric power;

construction;

computer and related activities;

sewage and refuse disposal, sanitation and similar activities.

Name and address of granting authority:

Regione Veneto

Direzione Industria

Corso del Popolo, 14

30172 Mestre (VE)

Aid No: XS 35/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: County of Gwynedd, Wales

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Gwynedd Business Development Package

Legal basis: Section 2(1) of the Local Government Act 2000

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: 2003 — GBP 384 870,00

2004 — GBP 532 870,00

2005 — GBP 545 260,00

This funding will support a maximum of 203 SMEs which meet the definition of Annex 1 of the SME Block Exemption.

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity will be 50 %. The maximum grant for most applications will be GBP 5 000 although grant up to GBP 50 000 will be considered in exceptional cases where grant assistance is not available from other sources.

Grant will be for investment costs (Art 87(3)(a) — 35 % + 15 %) except in the case of business planning and marketing where consultancy costs may be included.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: November 2005

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to improve the competitiveness and job creation capabilities of SMEs in Gwynedd (an Article 87(3)(A) area) through development of new products and improvement of business processes. The objectives will be achieved through consultancy support and capital investment. The scheme aims to provide support to 160 existing SMEs and help to create 63 new SMEs thereby creating 200 new jobs and safeguarding 256 existing jobs.

Economic Sector(s) concerned: All sectors excluding

Coalmining

Steel

Shipbuilding

Synthetic fibres, textiles & clothing

Motor vehicles

Agriculture

Food processing

Retail

Old people's homes and nursing homes

Name and address of the granting authority:

Colin Morris

Planning and Economic Development Department

Gwynedd Council

Council Offices

CAERNARFON

Gwynedd LL55 1SH

Aid No: XS 51/03

Member State: Belgium

Region: Flanders

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Consultancy cheques — aid measure to promote external consultancy services for Flemish small and medium-sized companies.

Legal basis:

Besluit van de Vlaamse regering van 14 februari 2003 betreffende de adviescheques. Dit besluit valt onder het toepassingsgebied van de Verordening (EG) nr. 70/2001 van de Commissie van 12 januari 2001 betreffende de toepassing van artikel 87 en 88 van het EG-Verdrag op staatssteun voor kleine en middelgrote ondernemingen, en eventuele latere wijzigingen van deze verordening.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of aid granted to the company: The total budget allocated for the ‘consultancy cheques’ measure in all eligible sectors is EUR 5 million per year.

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity for small and medium-sized enterprises is 50 % of the total amount of the consultancy cheques.

Subject to available resources, small and medium-sized enterprises can reserve a maximum of 820 consultancy cheques per calendar year with a nominal value of EUR 30 per cheque; maximum value EUR 24 600.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or duration of the individual aid: In an initial phase the scheme will run for three years, after which the measure will be assessed. The minister can then decide to extend, adjust or terminate the scheme in the light of the measure's effectiveness, political priorities and the available budget.

Objective of aid: The measure is designed to promote affordable, high-quality external consultancy services for small and medium-sized enterprises. In practice, these firms are often reluctant to make use of external consultants either because they are concerned about the high price, because they assume that the advice is not tailored to their needs or simply because they are not aware that these services are available.

With a view to guaranteeing the quality of consultancy services, an independent body (Raad voor Advies en Consultancy) endorses quality certificates. The Flemish Government grants recognitoin to consultancy bodies with a quality certificate of this type. The list of recognised consultancy bodies can be accessed on the Flemish Government's website. Companies decide themselves which consultancy body they wish to contact.

Companies can also order consultancy cheques, worth EUR 30 each, from the Flemish Government. The cost is shared equally by the company and the Flemish Government. A company can purchase 820 consultancy cheques each year which are valid for 14 months from the date of issue. Since this is an e-gov measure, cheques must be ordered via the internet.

Economic sector(s) concerned: The measure is covered by 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.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap

Afdeling Economisch Ondersteuningsbeleid

Cel Adviescheques

Markiesstraat 1

1000 Brussels

Aid No: XS 64/01

Member State: Italy

Region: Piedmont

Title of aid scheme: Single programming document 2000 — Region of Piedmont 2006 — Measure 2.2 ‘Financial and consultancy systems for the development and creation of businesses’ — Item 2.2.b ‘Financial engineering via participating loans’

Legal basis:

(a)

Atto deliberativo della Giunta Regionale n. 12-3626 del 31 luglio 2001‘Reg. 1260. Ob. 2. DOCUP Regione Piemonte, periodo di programmazione 2000/2006. Approvazione progetti di aiuto in esenzione ai sensi del Reg. Ce 70/2001 — Allegato 4 — 2.2.b Interventi di ingegneria finanziaria tramite prestiti partecipativi.’

(b)	Determina Dirigenziale n. 149 dell'8 ottobre 2002 in Bollettino Ufficiale della Regione Piemonte n. 42 del 17 ottobre 2002, p. 59 e ss.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: The money envisaged is to be provided under the scheme set up by Item 2.2.b ‘Financial engineering via participating loans’ and consists of funding for Objective 2 and phasing-out.

Maximum aid intensity: Tangible and intangible investment

7,5 % gge for medium-sized firms;

15 % gge for small firms;

no bonus for Article 87(3)(c) areas.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme:

Objective of aid: Aid for investment.

Item 2.2.b forms part of the single programming document for Piedmont 2000-2006, Part 2 ‘System upgrading and support’, Measure 2.2 ‘Financial and consultancy systems for the development and creation of businesses’; it is intended to strengthen the capital base of SMEs in order to promote productive investment, contribute to the development and creation of businesses, and provide a basis for the consolidation of the business and production sector, thus helping to maintain and develop employment.

Economic sector(s) concerned: All sectors

All services

Observations

The scheme will apply to small and medium-sized enterprises, as defined in Annex I to 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 (OJ L 10, 13.1.2001), that are active in manufacturing, construction, crafts, tourism and services and are located in an Objective 2 area, a phasing-out area and/or an Article 87(3)(c) area.

The item provides for the setting up of a revolving fund to be used to grant participating loans to financially sound SMEs with solid development prospects whose shareholders have approved but not paid up a share capital increase of between EUR 50 000 and EUR 1 000 000.

The aid intensity may not exceed 7,5 % gge in the case of medium-sized firms and 15 % gge in the case of small firms.

The increase in the share capital must be linked to an investment programme aimed at technological innovation and the expansion and development of the business at a cost at least equal to the public financing to be provided under the single programming document. The capital increase must be approved by a specific resolution of an extraordinary general meeting of the applicant company.

The item is intended to encourage the injection of fresh liquid resources into businesses.

Accordingly, capital increases under Articles 2440 and 2442 of the Civil Code (goods in kind and loans, and conversion of reserves to equity) are not admissible; nor are those which make use of reserves or other existing balance-sheet items.

The aid cannot be combined with other public assistance towards the same measure.

Admissible applications must relate to measures not yet taken: capital increases already paid up before the application is submitted will not be considered.

At the technical admissibility, implementation and final reporting stages the implementing body must establish among other things that the capital increase approved is strictly linked to the investment planned (and that the financing provided will be recoverable if and to the extent that the increase does not comply with the objectives and requirements which the item lays down) and that the admissible expenditure complies with Articles 2(c) and (d) and 4(5) of Regulation (EC) No 70/2001.

The Region of Piedmont has undertaken not to exceed the aid intensity laid down in Regulation (EC) No 70/2001, i.e. 7,5 % gge for medium-sized firms and 15 % gge for small firms, by inserting a ‘containment clause’ into the item: such a clause is included in the single programming document, the programme complement and the invitations to tender.

The aid will be granted without prejudice to regulations, directives and guidelines under the EC Treaty governing the granting of State aid in specific sectors within the meaning of Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 70/2001. If applications for aid are received from firms in the sectors governed by specific Community rules on State aid, the implementing body will examine them in the light of the rules applicable and will comply with their requirements.

Name and address of granting authority:

Regione Piemonte

Direzione Industria

Via Pisano n. 6

10152 Torino

Other information:

Person to contact:

Dott. Giuseppe Benedetto,

Via Pisano, 6

Torino

Tel. 011/4323195

Fax 011/4323483

E-mail: direzione16@regione.piemonte.it

Aid No: XS 119/03

Member State: Italy

Region: Tuscany

Title of aid scheme: Automatic fiscal aid measures to support the productive base.

Legal basis:

—	Art. 1 legge 341/95 e s.m. e i. di cui alla legge 266/97

—	Decreto legislativo 112/98, art. 19

—	Decreto legislativo 123/98

—	Decreto Giunta regionale n. 6108/03

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 20 000 000

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity for the individual firm, expressed in gross grant equivalent (gge), may not exceed 15 % of the total investment cost in the case of small firms or 7,5 % in the case of medium-sized firms.

Where the areas covered by the scheme qualify for exemption under Article 87(3)(c) of the Treaty, the aid ceiling is 18 % gge for small firms and 14 % gge for medium-sized firms.

Date of implementation: November 2003, date on which the Commission received the notification.

Duration of scheme: 2003-2006

Objective of aid: The aid in the form of 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.

Economic sector(s) concerned: ISTAT Codes 1991

Section C — Mining and quarrying

Section D — Manufacturing

Section F — Construction

Division K 72 — Computer and related activities

Division K 74 — Other professional and business activities

Division I 63 — Supporting and auxiliary transport activities.

Firms engaged in the production, processing or marketing of products listed in Annex I to the EC Treaty and firms in the shipbuilding industry are excluded.

The recipient firms must be financially and economically sound.

Name and address of granting authority:

Regione Toscana

Via di Novoli, 26

I-50127 Firenze

Other information: The aid scheme does not apply to export-related activities, i.e. aid directly linked to the quantities exported, to the establishment 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. Only consultancy services that are not continuous or regular, or connected with the normal operating expenses of the firm are eligible for aid.

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