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 154/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XS 44/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Wales — Article 87(3)(a) areas

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Low Carbon Partnership

Legal basis: Welsh Development Agency Act 1975

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Total expenditure of GBP 3 499 200 over the 3 year duration of the scheme. The scheme will operate under the SME and de minimis block exemptions. The use of the SME block exemption will depend on the requirements of the SMEs being assisted. The funding given above refers to the total funding under both block exemptions.

The estimated annual aid expenditure is approximately GBP 1 166 400 but actual expenditure will depend on demand.

Maximum aid intensity: Capital Investment — Maximum of 50 % of total eligible investment costs in Article 87(3)(a) areas.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 3 years

Objective of aid: One principle aim of the scheme is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through support of low carbon technologies. This will be achieved in 2 stages:

The only assistance to be provided under Commission Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 is investment aid relating to the installation of low carbon equipment; all other assistance will be given as de minimis aid.

It is anticipated that assistance under the scheme will be given to up to 200 businesses in relation to costs associated with the installation of low carbon equipment and around a further 800 SMEs will have undergone an initial and/or full energy audit.

Economic Sector(s) concerned: All Sectors save for those not permitted under the SME block exemption Commission Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 and/or the de minimis block exemption Commission Regulation (EC) No 69/2001.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Contact: Dr Alastair Davies

Other information: This scheme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund

As a result of the use of energy efficient equipment installed through the scheme it is estimated that carbon dioxide Emission over a 10 year period from the date of implementation of the scheme will be reduced by approximately 286 000 tons.

Aid No: XS 52/03

Member State: Germany

Region: Brandenburg an der Havel

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual award: Interest subsidy

Legal basis:

Haushaltsplan der Stadt Brandenburg an der Havel, Gemeindeordnung für das Land Brandenburg, Verordnung (EG) Nr. 70/2001 der Kommission

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: For the 2003 budget year EUR 35 000 is available.

A similar budget is planned for subsequent years.

The maximum interest subsidy for any one firm is EUR 7 500.

Maximum aid intensity: EUR 7 500 or 35 % gge plus 15 %

Date of implementation: Following the entry into force of the guideline by decision of the municipal council of 29 May 2002 and its publication in the official gazette of the city of Brandenburg an der Havel on 10 June 2002, the municipal council decided on 27 November 2002 to extend the guideline. What is involved is an extension of the existing scheme. It is asserted that no disbursement has yet been made.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Subject to the available budget resources, until Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 expires on 31 December 2006.

Objective: To support investment by small enterprises aimed at strengthening their business activity and at creating or safeguarding jobs.

Economic sector(s) concerned: All manufacturing and other services.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Aid No: XS 80/02

Member State: Germany

Region: Bavaria

Recipient: Technologie- und Wissenstransfer AG, Schachenmeierstraße 35, 80636 München.

Legal basis:

Zuwendungsbescheid vom 20.8.2002 i. V. m. Art. 44, 23 Bayerische Haushaltsordnung

Total amount of aid granted to the recipient: EUR 123 000

Maximum aid intensity: 14,7 % (of investment costs).

Date of implementation:

Payment of individual aid: Until 31.12.2004

Objective: Investment aid for an SME for knowledge and technology transfer.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Services

Name and address of the granting authority: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Verkehr und Technologie, Prinzregentenstraße 28, D-80538 Munich

Aid No: XS 80/03

Member State: Germany

Region: Lower Saxony (town of Oldenburg)

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual award: Town of Oldenburg Rules (Richtlinie) to promote productive investment by individual SMEs.

Legal basis:

§ 108 der Niedersächsischen Landreisordnung (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 100 000

Maximum aid intensity: Part of the town of Oldenburg lies within the national regional aid map approved by the Commission.

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 rules on the cumulation of aid are complied with.

Date of implementation: From 1.6.2003

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: From 1.6.2003 until 31.12.2006

Objective: The aid is intended to promote the competitiveness and adaptability of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Objective 2 area of the town of Oldenburg, to encourage the creation of new jobs and help safeguard existing ones, thus bringing about structural improvements.

Rescue and restructuring aid for 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

expansion or extension of an establishment in Oldenburg, if the number of long-term jobs is increased by 15 % as compared with the situation before the start of the investment;

rationalisation, diversification or modernisation of an establishment if this serves to ensure the continued existence of the business and the maintenance of most of the jobs;

acquisition of an establishment threatened with closure or which has already closed, provided that this is done on market terms.

The aid takes the form of investment grants.

All depreciable fixed assets relating to physical and intangible assets are eligible.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Eligibility extends to companies in the industrial, commercial, craft, construction, transport and accommodation sectors and other service companies. Food and agricultural undertakings and the leisure and entertainment sector are excluded. Aid may not be granted to firms in sensitive sectors.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Other information:

Aid No: XS 98/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: County Borough of Conwy, Wales

Title of aid scheme: Conwy Business Development Grant

Legal Basis: Local Government Act 2000

Annual Expenditure:

All as direct grant payments to SMEs

Maximum aid intensity: 50 % of identified eligible expenditure, up to a total maximum ceiling of GBP 20 000; usual operational ceiling of GBP 5 000. The county borough is in an Objective 1 area. The intensity is, therefore, 35 % plus 15 percentage points for assisted areas under Article 87(3)(a).

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme: Until 31 March 2007. All grants are expected to be made by 31 December 2006, with the residual period being taken up by payment and monitoring activity.

Objective of aid: Investment aid to encourage growth and development, with the focus on small enterprises. The aim is to improve the competitiveness and job-creating capacity of SMEs within the county borough by aiding investment in equipment and premises designed to promote growth. The aid is also aimed at improving environmental efficiency and increasing the use of ICT.

Economic sectors concerned: All sectors excepting those excluded under Regulation (EC) No 70/2001

Name and address of Granting Authority: FAO Sheila Potter, Head of Regeneration Services

Conwy County Borough Council, Bodlondeb, Bangor Rd, CONWY, LL32 8DU, Wales

Other information: This scheme is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, through the West Wales & the Valleys Objective 1 programme.

Aid No: XS 113/02

Member State: Italy

Region: Lombardy

Title of aid scheme: Priority 1: ‘Improving the competitiveness of the economic system in Lombardy’

Measure 1.10: ‘Support for internationalisation of firms’

Submeasure A: ‘Aid for partnership at international level’

Legal basis: Docup obiettivo 2 2000-2006 Lombardia

Approvato con decisione C(2878) del 10.12.2001

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme:

Maximum aid intensity: Small firms: 15 %

Medium-sized firms: 7,5 %

Plus 10 % in areas qualifying for exemption under Article 87(3) (c) of the EC Treaty.

Total assistance must not exceed 30 % of costs.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme: Until 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: The aid is intended to help firms to operate in international markets by developing their ability to establish agreements for cooperation on production, marketing and technology.

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.

The measures envisaged under the scheme are defined in accordance with Articles 2 and 5 of Regulation (EC) No 70/2001.

Economic sector(s) concerned: All sectors

Name and address of granting authority:

Aid No: XS 143/03

Member State: Italy

Region: Veneto

Title of aid scheme: Objective 2 single programming document (SPD) 2000-2006, Measure 4.4 ‘Aid to businesses for environmental protection’

Legal basis:

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: The budget for the 2003 financial year provides for appropriations of EUR 2 057 782 under Objective 2 and EUR 927 370 as transitional support.

Maximum aid intensity: 15 % of eligible expenditure for small businesses and 7,5 % of eligible expenditure for medium-sized businesses

Date of implementation: Date of publication of the notice in the Veneto Official Gazette No 28 of 14 March 2003.

Duration of scheme: The entire planning period specified in SPD 2000-2006 and ending on 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: To support businesses introducing reproducible and/or innovative techniques that will serve as preventative measures to reduce environmental impact, in particular by:

improving on environmental protection limits set by current regulations;

using waste as a resource;

obtaining environmental certification;

reclaiming and regenerating polluted areas, in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

Economic sector(s) concerned: All sectors

Name and address of granting authority: Direzione regionale per la Tutela dell'ambiente

Calle Priuli — Cannaregio n. 99 — 30121 Venezia