Euro exchange rates (1)

14 June 2006

(2006/C 140/01)

1 euro=

(1)  

Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

Publication of decisions by Member States to grant or revoke operating licenses pursuant to Article 13(4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92 on licensing of air carriers (1)  (2)

(2006/C 140/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

SPAIN

Operating licences granted

Category A:   Operating licences without the restriction of Article 5(7)(a) of Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92

DENMARK

Operating licences granted

Category B:   Operating licences including the restriction of Article 5(7)(a) of Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92

AUSTRIA

Operating licences revoked

Category B:   Operating licences including the restriction of Article 5(7)(a) of Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92

GERMANY

Operating licences granted

Category A:   Operating licences without the restriction of Article 5(7)(a) of Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92

(1)  OJ L 240, 24.8.1992, p. 1.

(2)  Communicated to the European Commission before 31.8.2005.

Authorisation of State aid pursuant to Article 61 of the EEA Agreement and Article 1(3) in Part I of Protocol 3 to the Surveillance and Court Agreement

(2006/C 140/03)

The EFTA Surveillance Authority has decided that the notified measure is compatible with the EEA Agreement

Date of adoption:

EFTA State: Norway

Aid No: 57324

Title: Amendments to the existing ‘Regional Development Grant’ scheme.

Objective: Regional aid and aid to SMEs.

The amendments concern shipbuilding.

Legal basis: Act of 19 December 2003 No 130 (Lov om Innovasjon Norge), St.prp. nr 1 (2004-2005) kapittel 2421 post 50 and ‘Regelverk for forvaltningen av tilskudd, lån og garantier knyttet til fondsmidler som bevilges over kap. 2421, post 50 Innovasjon — prosjekter, fond’.

Budget: NOK 85 million (approximately EUR 10,3 million) annually.

Duration:

Announcement from Norway concerning Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons

Announcement of invitation to apply for petroleum production licences on the Norwegian Continental Shelf — Awards in Predefined Areas 2006

(2006/C 140/04)

The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy hereby announces an invitation to apply for petroleum production licences on the Norwegian Continental Shelf in accordance with Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorizations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons, Article 3(2)(a).

Applications for petroleum production licences shall be submitted to:

by 12.00 a.m. on 29 September 2006.

The award of petroleum production licences in the Awards in Predefined Areas 2006 on the Norwegian Continental Shelf is planned to take place in December 2006.

Further information may be obtained by contacting the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, tel.: (47) 22 24 62 09.

Authorisation of State aid pursuant to Article 61 of the EEA Agreement and Article 1(3) in Part I of Protocol 3 to the Surveillance and Court Agreement

EFTA Surveillance Authority decision not to raise objections

(2006/C 140/05)

Date of adoption:

EFTA State: Norway

Aid No: 59033

Title: National direct transport aid scheme

Objective: The objective of the scheme is to offset competitive disadvantages resulting from extra transport costs for firms located in peripheral areas and within sparsely populated regions and thus situated long distances away from their markets

Legal basis: Regulation No 565 of 09.05.2003 on investment grants and delimitation of the geographical area for development funds (Forskrift om investeringstilskot og avgrensing av det geografiske verkeområdet for dei regional- og distriktspolitiske verkemidla), Regulation No 1461 of 24.06.2004 on national transport aid (Forskrift om nasjonal transportstøtte), Proposition to the Storting No 1 (2004-2005) from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (the State budget), and National guidelines for transport aid (Nasjonale retningslinjer for transportstøtte)

Budget/Duration: The budget of the scheme is NOK 375 million (approximately EUR 47 million) per year. The duration of the scheme is until 31 December 2006. The authorized amendments will be valuable for 2005 and 2006

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

http://www.eftasurv.int/fieldsofwork/fieldstateaid/stateaidregister