Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2006/C 146/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Date of adoption of the decision:

Member State: United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

Aid No: N 190a/2005

Title: Modification of the Climate Change Levy (C18/2001)

Objective: The measure enlarges the right to conclude voluntary climate change agreements (and thus to benefit from the existing system of climate change tax reduction) to the companies of all sectors

with an at least 12 % energy intensity, or

with an energy intensity of 3 % to 12 % if the import penetration ratio of the sector is of at least 50 % or the export to production ratio of the sector is of at least 30 %.

In that framework, the decision covers the new climate change agreements with the British Compressed Gases Association and the Kaolin and Ball Clay Association.

Legal basis: Finance Act 2000

Budget: Around GBP 25 million/year

Duration: Until 31 March 2011

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision:

Member State: Belgium

Aid No: N 604/03

Title: Aid for the reclassification of employees made redundant by firms undergoing restructuring

Objective: Promotion of an active reclassification policy

Legal basis: Loi-programme du 22 décembre 2003/Programmawet van 22 december 2003

Budget: EUR 25 million in 2004, EUR 50 million in 2005

Aid intensity or amount: Maximum repayment of reclassification costs of EUR 1 800 per employee; maximum reduction in employees' contributions of EUR 1 200 per employee; maximum reduction in employers' contributions of EUR 1 200 per employee;

Duration: Pilot project

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/