28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/1

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Euro exchange rates (1)

27 June 2005

(2005/C 156/01)

1 euro=

	Currency	Exchange rate
USD	US dollar	1,2164
JPY	Japanese yen	132,91
DKK	Danish krone	7,4491
GBP	Pound sterling	0,66510
SEK	Swedish krona	9,3723
CHF	Swiss franc	1,5429
ISK	Iceland króna	78,94
NOK	Norwegian krone	7,9390
BGN	Bulgarian lev	1,9560
CYP	Cyprus pound	0,5737
CZK	Czech koruna	29,974
EEK	Estonian kroon	15,6466
HUF	Hungarian forint	247,72
LTL	Lithuanian litas	3,4528
LVL	Latvian lats	0,6962
MTL	Maltese lira	0,4293
PLN	Polish zloty	4,0496
ROL	Romanian leu	36 055
SIT	Slovenian tolar	239,46
SKK	Slovak koruna	38,328
TRY	Turkish lira	1,6440
AUD	Australian dollar	1,5815
CAD	Canadian dollar	1,5024
HKD	Hong Kong dollar	9,4528
NZD	New Zealand dollar	1,7158
SGD	Singapore dollar	2,0382
KRW	South Korean won	1 231,42
ZAR	South African rand	8,1244
CNY	Chinese yuan renminbi	10,0675
HRK	Croatian kuna	7,3250
IDR	Indonesian rupiah	11 754,07
MYR	Malaysian ringgit	4,623
PHP	Philippine peso	67,601
RUB	Russian rouble	34,7450
THB	Thai baht	49,976

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(1)  

Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

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28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/2

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Communication from the Commission on the sugar sector

(2005/C 156/02)

The Commission draws the attention of interested parties to its legislative proposals for:

—	the reform of the common market organisation (CMO) in the sugar sector,

—	the introduction of a temporary fund for the restructuring of the sugar industry in the Community, and

—	the inclusion of direct income support to sugar beet growers in the Single Payment Scheme.

The proposals are contained in document COM(2005) 263 that is available on the Commission's website http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/index.htm.

According to the proposal the new sugar CMO and the Regulation on the temporary restructuring fund should be applicable as from the marketing year 2006/07 which is planned to start on 1 July 2006. Regarding direct income support it has been proposed to include the income support to sugar beet growers in the Single Payment Scheme as from the year 2006.

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28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/3

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3740 — Barclays Bank/Föreningssparbanken/JV)

(2005/C 156/03)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 2 June 2005, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

—	from the Europa competition web site (http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/mergers/cases/). This web site provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

—	in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32005M3740. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to European law. (http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex)

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28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/3

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3806 — Telefonica/Cesky Telecom)

(2005/C 156/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 10 June 2005, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in Spanish and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

—	from the Europa competition web site (http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/mergers/cases/). This web site provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

—	in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32005M3806. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to European law. (http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex)

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28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/4

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3810 — Investcorp/Polyconcept)

(2005/C 156/05)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 30 May 2005, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

—	from the Europa competition web site (http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/mergers/cases/). This web site provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

—	in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32005M3810. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to European law. (http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex)

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28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/4

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.3807 — Siemens/Hyundai/JV)

(2005/C 156/06)

(Text with EEA relevance)

On 13 June 2005, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

—	from the Europa competition web site (http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/mergers/cases/). This web site provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

—	in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32005M3807. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to European law. (http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex)

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28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/5

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Final report of the Hearing Officer in Case COMP/37.152 — Plasterboard

(pursuant to Article 15 of Commission Decision 2001/462/EC, ECSC of 23 May 2001 on the terms of reference of Hearing Officers in certain competition proceedings — OJ L 162, 19.6.2001, p. 21)

(2005/C 156/07)

A statement of objections was sent to the following four parties (Gebrüder Knauf Westdeutsche Gipswerke KG, Société Lafarge SA, Etex SA, Gyproc Benelux NV) on 20 April 2001 and to the fifth party (BPB PLC) on 23 April 2001. A two-month deadline had initially been set for the parties to reply to the objections stated by the Commission. In response to a request made by BPB on 2 May 2001, the deadline for BPB was extended by two weeks, to 9 July 2001, on the grounds that access to the file had not been granted sufficiently early and that the deadline set by the Commission was objectively too tight for the firm to be able to prepare its defence. So as to ensure equality of treatment for all the parties, the Hearing Officer, Mr H. Schröter, extended the deadline for all the other parties involved in the proceedings.

A hearing took place on 17 July 2001. Three of the parties, and in particular Lafarge, had explicitly requested that the hearing should be postponed to a later date, but the Hearing Officer, in his reasoned reply of 28 June 2001, refused this request.

At the hearing, some of the parties reiterated their objections to the Hearing Officer's refusal to set a later date for the hearing. Since one of the main management representatives could not attend the hearing, he could not provide any evidence, which, in the view of Lafarge in particular, constituted an infringement of the rights of the defence. On this point, the Hearing Officer gave the absent witness the opportunity of submitting his own comments on the case in writing. Lafarge then cited various infringements of the rights of the defence in its letter of 10 August 2001.

Lafarge claimed that it had not been treated on an equal footing, that it had not been properly heard and that it had not been able to make use of the adversarial procedure. The Hearing Officer replied to these objections. He pointed out that it is up to the firms to present their key witnesses on the specified date. The date of the hearing had been notified two months in advance; if an important witness was absent, this was a personal decision and did not justify postponing the hearing.

The Hearing Officer also requested the parties to submit their observations on the comments made after the hearing by a representative of Lafarge and gave them a deadline for doing so. The rights of the defence were therefore fully complied with at this stage of the proceedings. The parties were able to submit their observations in due time both in writing and at the hearing. The principle of the adversarial procedure was observed, particularly as a hearing did in fact take place.

An exchange of correspondence subsequently took place between the new Hearing Officer and Lafarge. On 7 December 2001 I replied to Lafarge's allegations concerning, on the one hand, the parties' access to the various documents in the file and, on the other, the discriminatory treatment which Lafarge claims to have suffered as compared with the other parties. In my reasoned reply, I reaffirmed that there had been no procedural irregularity. By letter dated 13 February 2002, I once again replied to Lafarge pointing out to it that it could argue its case further in an appeal against the Commission's final decision.

Clearly, there comes a point at which exchanges of letters between the parties' lawyers and the Hearing Officer, whose task it is to ensure that the effective exercise of the right to be heard is respected, serve no further purpose, and any disagreements can then be referred to the Court of First Instance in order to obtain a judicial resolution.

On 27 June 2002 I sent Lafarge the five cassettes of the hearing and allowed them an additional two weeks, subsequently extended by ten working days, to submit any further observations. This was done because Lafarge claimed it had never received the hearing minutes or the recording of the hearing. Examination of the file showed that it had never requested them. Lafarge was granted more time so that it could analyse the tapes more closely. Lafarge thus received all the necessary documents and had the opportunity to make all the observations which it deemed appropriate.

Lafarge also alleged twice in its letters that a new objection had been laid before it by Mr Tradacete, Director, in his letter of 12 June 2002.

The alleged objection consisted in specifying the date on which Lafarge is deemed to have acceded to the agreement, on the basis of the other parties' written replies to the statement of objections. I would point out that paragraph 39 of the statement of objections was relatively imprecise as to the exact date on which Lafarge was deemed to be a party to the agreement, such date being said to be ‘after the London meeting’, which is the phrase used in BPB's reply to the statement of objections. The Competition DG informed Lafarge that it intended to take mid-1992 as the date of its entry into the cartel and asked for its comments.

Lafarge is therefore wrong in interpreting this exchange of correspondence as meaning that an additional objection had been laid before it.

It is the Commission's consistent practice in antitrust cases to make its information more explicit during the course of the investigation, notably on the basis of the parties' replies to the statement of objections. Narrowing down the date of an agreement does not constitute an additional objection, and the rights of the defence are not infringed where the relevant undertaking is requested to comment on the statements relating to it.

Furthermore, it may be noted that taking mid-1992 as the relevant date is in fact to the firm's advantage as regards the assessment of the duration of the infringement since the date of the meeting referred to in paragraph 38 of the statement of objections was early 1992.

The draft Commission decision does not comprise any additional objections in respect of the undertakings other than those set out in the statement of objections. On the contrary, the finding that an infringement had been committed is dropped in the case of one undertaking.

In the light of the above, I consider that the right of the parties to be heard has been respected in this case.

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28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/7

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Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 68/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to training aid

(2005/C 156/08)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid Number	XT 9/04
Member State	United Kingdom
Region	West Midlands
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid	GKN Hardy-Spicer, Erdington, Birmingham, and to the local supply chain
Legal basis	Employment Act 1973, Section 2(1) and 2(2) as substantiated by Section 25 of the Employment and Training Act 1998 Learning and Skills Act 2000 Regional Development Agencies Act 1998, Section 5 & 6
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company	Aid scheme	Annual overall amount
		Loans guaranteed
	Individual aid	Overall aid amount		GBP 169 764
		Loans guaranteed
Maximum aid intensity	In conformity with Article 4(2)-(6) of the Regulation		Yes
Date of implementation	From 4.4.2004
Duration of scheme or individual aid award	Until 31.12.2004
Objective of aid	General training		Yes
	Specific training		Yes
Economic sectors concerned	All sectors eligible for training aid		No
	Limited to specific sectors		Yes
	— Agriculture
	— Fisheries and aquaculture
	— Coalmining
	— All manufacturing
	or
	Steel
	Shipbuilding
	Synthetic fibres
	Motor vehicles supply chain		Yes
	Other manufacturing
	— All services
	or
	Maritime transport services
	Other transport services
	Financial services
	Other services
Name and address of the granting authority	Name: Patrick Cross Birmingham and Solihull LSC
	Address: Chaplin Court, 80 Hurst Street, Birmingham, B5 4TG
Large individual aid grants	In conformity with Article 5 of the Regulation The measure excludes awards of aid or requires prior notification to the Commission of awards of aid, if the amount of aid granted to one enterprise for a single training project exceeds EUR 1 000 000.		Yes

Aid Number	XT 13/04
Member State	United Kingdom
Region	West Midlands
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid	LDV Training Pilot
Legal basis	Training: Employment Act 1973 Section 2(1) and 2 (2) as substantiated by Section 25 of the Employment and Training Act 1998 and the Industrial Development 1982, Section 11. LSC 2000 Act
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company	Aid scheme	Annual overall amount
		Loans guaranteed
	Individual aid	Overall aid amount		GBP 600 000
		Loans guaranteed
Maximum aid intensity	In conformity with Article 4(2)-(6) of the Regulation		Yes
Date of implementation	From 1.4.2004
Duration of scheme or individual aid award	Until 30.9.2005
Objective of aid	General training		Yes
	Specific training		No
Economic sectors concerned	All sectors eligible for training aid		No
	Limited to specific sectors		Yes
	— Agriculture
	— Fisheries and aquaculture
	— Coalmining
	— All manufacturing
	or
	Steel
	Shipbuilding
	Synthetic fibres
	Motor vehicles		Yes
	Other manufacturing
	— All services
	or
	Maritime transport services
	Other transport services
	Financial services
	Other services
Name and address of the granting authority	Name: The Learning and Skills Council, Birmingham and Solihull
	Address: Chaplin House 80 Hurst Street Birmingham B5 4TG
Large individual aid grants	In conformity with Article 5 of the Regulation The measure excludes awards of aid or requires prior notification to the Commission of awards of aid, if the amount of aid granted to one enterprise for a single training project exceeds EUR 1 000 000.		Yes

Aid Number	XT 15/04
Member State	United Kingdom
Region	North East of England
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid	Melinar Productivity Training — Dupont SA (UK) Ltd
Legal basis	Regional Development Act 1998
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company	Aid scheme	Annual overall amount
		Loans guaranteed
	Individual aid	Overall aid amount		GBP 394 000
		Loans guaranteed
Maximum aid intensity	In conformity with Article 4(2)-(6) of the Regulation		Yes
Date of implementation	From 30.3.2004
Duration of scheme or individual aid award	Until 31.3.2005
Objective of aid	General training		Yes
	Specific training		Yes
Economic sectors concerned	All sectors eligible for training aid
	Limited to specific sectors		Yes
	— Agriculture
	— Fisheries and aquaculture
	— Coalmining
	— All manufacturing
	Or
	Steel
	Shipbuilding
	Synthetic fibres
	Motor vehicles
	Other manufacturing
	— All services
	Or
	Maritime transport services
	Other transport services
	Financial services
	Other services/Chemicals		Yes
Name and address of the granting authority	Name: ONE NorthEast
	Address: Stella House Newburn Riverside Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 8NY
Large individual aid grants	In conformity with Article 5 of the Regulation The measure excludes awards of aid or requires prior notification to the Commission of awards of aid, if the amount of aid granted to one enterprise for a single training project exceeds EUR 1 000 000.		Yes

Aid Number	XT 16/04
Member State	United Kingdom
Region	North East of England
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid	General Management — Dupont SA (UK) Ltd
Legal basis	Regional Development Act 1998
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company	Aid scheme	Annual overall amount
		Loans guaranteed
	Individual aid	Overall aid amount		GBP 667 000
		Loans guaranteed
Maximum aid intensity	In conformity with Article 4(2)-(6) of the Regulation		Yes
Date of implementation	From 30.3.2004
Duration of scheme or individual aid award	Until 31.3.2005
Objective of aid	General training		Yes
	Specific training
Economic sectors concerned	All sectors eligible for training aid
	Limited to specific sectors		Yes
	— Agriculture
	— Fisheries and aquaculture
	— Coalmining
	— All manufacturing
	Or
	Steel
	Shipbuilding
	Synthetic fibres
	Motor vehicles
	Other manufacturing
	— All services
	Or
	Maritime transport services
	Other transport services
	Financial services
	Other services/Chemicals		Yes
Name and address of the granting authority	Name: ONE NorthEast
	Address: Stella House Newburn Riverside Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 8NY
Large individual aid grants	In conformity with Article 5 of the Regulation The measure excludes awards of aid or requires prior notification to the Commission of awards of aid, if the amount of aid granted to one enterprise for a single training project exceeds EUR 1 000 000.		Yes

Aid No	XT 22/04
Member State	Belgium
Region	Flanders
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid	Pauwels Trafo Belgium NV Antwerpsesteenweg 167 2800 Mechelen
Legal basis	Besluit van de Vlaamse regering van 2.4.2004
Annual expenditure planned or overall amount of aid granted to the company	Aid scheme	Annual overall amount
		Loans guaranteed
	Individual aid	Overall aid amount		EUR 0,8 million
		Loans guaranteed
Maximum aid intensity	In conformity with Article 4(2)-(6) of the Regulation		Yes
Date of implementation	2.4.2004
Duration of scheme or individual aid award	Until 31.12.2004
Objective of aid	General training		Yes
	Specific training		Yes
Economic sectors concerned	All sectors eligible for training aid		No
	Limited to specific sectors		Ad hoc case
	— Agriculture
	— Fisheries and aquaculture
	— Coalmining
	— All manufacturing
	or
	Steel
	Shipbuilding
	Synthetic fibres
	Motor vehicles
	Other manufacturing		Construction of transformers
	— All services
	or
	Maritime transport services
	Other transport services
	Financial services
	Other services
Name and address of the granting authority	Name: Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap Administratie Economie Afdeling Economisch Ondersteuningsbeleid
	Address: Markiesstraat 1 1000 Brussels
Large individual aid grants	In conformity with Article 5 of the Regulation The measure excludes awards of aid or requires prior notification to the Commission of awards of aid, if the amount of aid granted to one enterprise for a single training project exceeds EUR 1 million.		Yes

Aid No	XT 43/04
Member State	United Kingdom
Region	United Kingdom
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid	Automotive Academy
Legal basis	Section 5 of Science and Technology Act 1965
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company	Aid scheme	Annual overall amount		GBP 2,4 million
		Loans guaranteed
	Individual aid	Overall aid amount
		Loans guaranteed
Maximum aid intensity	In conformity with Article 4(2)-(7) of the Regulation		Yes
Date of implementation	24.5.2004
Duration of scheme or individual aid award	Until 30.6.2007
Objective of aid	General training		Yes
	Specific training		No
Economic sectors concerned	All sectors eligible for training aid		no
	Limited to specific sectors		Yes
	— Agriculture
	— Fisheries and aquaculture
	— Coalmining
	— All manufacturing
	or
	Steel
	Shipbuilding
	Synthetic fibres
	Motor vehicles		Inc components
	Other manufacturing
	— All services
	or
	Maritime transport services
	Other transport services
	Financial services
	Other services
Name and address of the granting authority	Name: Department of Trade & Industry
	Address: 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SS
Large individual aid grants	In conformity with Article 5 of the Regulation		Yes

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28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/14

---

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 156/09)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Aid No: XS 57/2002

Member State: Germany

Region: Brandenburg

Title of aid scheme: Directive of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Women on grants for the design and implementation of innovative model solutions to the safe development of jobs and technology. (SiGAT-Teil A (EFRE): Promotion of investment in development of people-friendly technology

Legal basis:

Landeshaushaltsordnung des Landes Brandenburg (LHO) § 44 und die dazugehörigen Verwaltungsvorschriften

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: The aid intensity is max. 50 % (max. 30 % in the Berlin labour market region) of eligible expenditure, subject to a ceiling of EUR 200 000. It also applies to any combination of aid with other public measures.

Expenditure in:

2001-05 (per year):

—	EUR 920 321 from the ERDF and

—	EUR 920 320 from Land resources

2006:

—	EUR 1 380 488 from the ERDF and

—	EUR 1 380 488 from Land resources

Maximum aid intensity: EUR 200 000

Date of implementation: The Directive was published in the Brandenburg Official Gazette No 19 of 8 May 2002 (p. 506).

Duration of scheme: Until 30 April 2006

Objective: SMEs play a crucial role in job creation and are one of the pillars of social stability and economic dynamism. For these reasons, they should be granted assistance. Owing to a lack of resources, some of them do not possess information on such important matters as new technologies, development of new markets and preventive workplace protection.

The aid is aimed at improving economic efficiency and safeguarding stable, long-term employment by creating safe and healthy working conditions in SMEs in Brandenburg. The conditions necessary for enhanced productivity will be created by investing in measures to maintain and create competitive jobs and, at the same time, by developing people-friendly forms of work. These conditions will stem from efficient work processes, less absenteeism, smooth production processes and a more motivated and more efficient workforce.

Aid will be granted only to measures that go beyond the new labour-protection legislation and take account in an innovative fashion of matters to do with the development of means of work, jobs and work processes conducive to the health of the workforce. The measures can be subsumed under the concepts in Article 2(c) and (d) of Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 of 12 January 2001.

Economic sector(s) concerned: All economic sectors

Aid to firms engaged in the production, processing or marketing of products listed in Annex I to the EC Treaty is excluded, as is the granting of aid for export-related activities and aid contingent upon the use of domestic over imported goods.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg

Steinstraße 104 — 106

D-14480 Potsdam

Aid No: XS 66/04

Member State: Italy

Region: Lombardy

Title of aid scheme: Aid in favour of transport-sector company Bresciane Artigiane for expenditure incurred for advisory and/or specialist services used to qualify for enrolment in the register of waste-management companies — 2004/05

Legal basis:

Art. 12 L. 7 agosto 1990, n. 241, Deliberazione camerali n. 236 del 18.11.2003 e n. 9 del 9.2.2004 — Determinazione dirigenziale n. 15/AV del 25.2.2004

Annual expenditure planned: EUR 20 000,00

Maximum aid intensity: Expenditure incurred for advisory and specialist services and for the drawing-up of the technical part of the application for enrolment in the register of waste-management companies:

minimum eligible expenditure: EUR 1 400,00 (excluding VAT)

grant: 50 % of expenditure with a maximum of EUR 1 500 per business

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme: Until 28.2.2005

Objective of aid: To help with transport-sector companies' expenditure needed to qualify for enrolment in the register of waste-management companies (art. 30 D. lgs. 22/1997 e art. 8 D.M. dell'Ambiente 406/1998)

Economic sectors concerned: Transport

Name and address of the granting authority:

Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Craft and Agriculture of Brescia

Via Orzinuovi N. 3

25125 Brescia, Italia

Tel: 0303514335

E-mail: buriani@bs.camcom.it

Aid No: XS 67/04

Member State: Italy

Region: Lombardy

Title of aid scheme: Aid in favour of the transport-sector company Bresciane Artigiane to set up links with IT logistical platforms, needed to encourage full use of transport — 2004/05

Legal basis:

Art. 12 L. 7 agosto 1990, n. 241, Deliberazione camerali n. 236 del 18.11.2003 e n. 9 del 9.2.2004 — Determinazione dirigenziale n. 15/AV del 25.2.2004

Annual expenditure planned: EUR 50 000,00

Maximum aid intensity: Purchase and installation of special IT tools (hardware and/or software) needed to set up computer links with logistical platforms and specific databases with a view to encouraging full use of cargo transport, including on return trips:

minimum eligible expenditure: EUR 2 500,00 (excluding VAT)

grant: 15 % of expenditure with a maximum of EUR 800 per business

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme: Until 28.2.2005

Objective of aid: To promote the purchase and installation of special IT tools (hardware and/or software) needed to set up computer links with logistical platforms and specific databases with a view to encouraging full use of cargo transport, including on return trips

Economic sectors concerned: Transport

Name and address of the granting authority:

Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Craft and Agriculture of Brescia

Via Orzinuovi N. 3

25125 Brescia, Italia

Tel: 0303514335

E- mail: buriani@bs.camcom.it

Aid No: XS 69/04

Member State: Italy

Region: Sardinia

Title of aid scheme: Contributions for the construction of photovoltaic facilities in Sardinia as part of the ‘Tetti Fotovoltaici’ programme

Legal basis: Delibera di Giunta. 7/30 del 26.02.2004

Decreti Ministero Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio 24 luglio 2002 e 11 aprile 2003

Annual expenditure planned: EUR 1 406 877,46

Maximum aid intensity: gge(15 %) + nge(<35 %)

(gge + nge) < 50 % Investment cost

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme: Until 17.10.2004

Objective of aid: To combine the development of renewable sources of energy limiting environmental pollution within the region (with particular reference to the overall objectives set out in the Kyoto protocol and in European Union provisions) and the implementation of socio-economic development policy in the areas benefiting from the aid (with particular emphasis on employment levels, growth and the competitiveness of industry) with various opportunities to cover and promote local resources.

Economic sectors concerned: All economic sectors excluding activities relating to the production, processing or marketing of products listed in Annex 1 to the Treaty.

Remarks: Aid is given exclusively to small and medium-sized enterprises, as defined in the Commission Recommendation 96/280/CE, their consortia and companies.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Autonoma della Sardegna

Assessorato dell'Industria — Servizio Energia

Viale Trento n. 69 — 09123 Gagliari

Aid No: XS 89/03

Member State: Greece

Region: Whole country

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Aid for SMEs (as defined in the Commission recommendation of 3 April 1996) for the establishment/extension of waste treatment and/or recovery units

Legal basis: ΠΔ 93/97 (ΦΕΚ 92/Α/16-5-97) ‘Όροι και διαδικασίες για την ένταξη και χρηματοδότηση έργων του ιδιωτικού τομέα σε προγράμματα ή τμήματά του Υπουργείου Ανάπτυξης τα οποία αναφέρονται στους τομείς βιομηχανίας, ενέργειας, έρευνας και τεχνολογίας’

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Total budget (public and private expenditure) EUR 25 385 179 for the period up to 2006. The Action is being announced for the first time in 2003 with a budget (public and private expenditure) of EUR 11 000 000 and is expected to be re-announced in 2004.

Maximum aid intensity: 40 % only grant (this amount does not exceed the regional aid map ceilings approved for Greece plus 15 % for SMEs)

Date of implementation: First call for projects July 2003

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 2003-2006

Objective of aid: The aim of the Action is to boost entrepreneurship in the waste treatment/recovery sector, to tackle worsening environmental problems at local level and to significantly cover the country's shortage of installations for handling industrial and other waste.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Treatment, processing and recovery of industrial waste

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministry of Development

Secretariat-General for Industry

Industrial Siting and Environment Directorate

Director: Ioannis Patiris

Tel: 210 6969268

Fax: 210 6969243

Other information: The aid concerns Action 2.9.4 in the Competitiveness Operational Programme, which is jointly financed by the Structural Funds

Aid No: XS 90/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: North East of England

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Hoults Estates Ltd

Legal basis: Section 2 Local Government Act 2000

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company:

Source of Funds

Public
Newcastle City Council-TWEDCO	2003	GBP 33 252
	2004	GBP 9 657
	Total	GBP 42 909
Public
Newcastle City Council (De minimis Funding)	2003	GBP 60 000
	2004	0
	Total	GBP 60 000
Private
Hoults Estates	2003	GBP 405 523
	2004	GBP 135 196
	Total	GBP 540 719
ERDF
Capital	2003	GBP 166 258
	2004	GBP 48 284
	Total	GBP 214 542
Total	2003	GBP 665 033
	2004	GBP 193 137
	Total	GBP 858 170
Grand Total		GBP 858 170

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity will be 30 % (Assisted area 20 % for Newcastle upon Tyne under Art 87(3)(c) + 10 % to reach the maximum aid intensity of 30 %)

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award:

Objective of aid: The project involves a major re-adaptation of a 19th century building, which is currently unoccupied. It involves the creation of new modern units for SMEs over 36 months old. The project does not relate to a low level of adaptation to create these units.

The project identifies the demand needed for these incubator units in an area where there is market failure shown by current demand models. The investment in Hoults is a core activity to provide SME business units.

Economic sector(s) concerned: All eligible industry sectors (Without prejudice to special rules concerning State aid in certain sectors — Art. 1(2) of the SME block exemption regulations)

Name and address of granting authority:

ERDF Contact:

Ann Beavers

European Programme Secretariat

Government Office North East

Wellbar House

Gallowgate

Newcastle Upon Tyne

NE1 4TD

Sponsor Contact:

Mr Fred Hoult

Hoults (Cumberland) Limited

Ford Depositories

Walker Road

Newcastle Upon Tyne

NE6 2HL

Aid No: XS 99/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Wales

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Nurturing Competitive Enterprises

Legal basis: Local Government Act 2000

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company. In the case of an aid scheme: Indicate the annual overall amount of grant proposed by year: GBP 125 000 in total to be made available in small grants each year

2003: GBP 60 000

2004: GBP 125 000

2005: GBP 125 000

2006: GBP 65 000

Total: GBP 375 000

Maximum aid intensity: 50 % grants offered, up to a maximum of GBP 5 000. Two types of grant available:

feasibility grant for the employment of consultants;

marketing grant to help finance expenditure by the firm on its initial participation at fairs and exhibitions.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until December 2006

Objective of the aid:

1.	To assist SMEs in implementing marketing strategies and new strategic activity for projects aimed at boosting sales within the UK.

2.	To assist SMEs in obtaining professional, external advice with a view to raising funds for future expansion projects or in examining the feasibility of new projects.

3.	Feasibility grant for the employment of consultants.

Economic sectors concerned: All eligible sectors, without prejudice to special rules concerning State aid in certain sectors — Art. 1(2) of the SME Block Exemption Regulation

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ms Rachel Moxey

Business Services

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council

Business Resource Centre

Tafarnaubach Industrial Estate

Tredegar NP22 3AA

United Kingdom

Aid No: XS 104/03

Member State: Netherlands

Region: North Netherlands (Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe)

Name of company receiving individual aid: Stichting Industrie- en handelsgebouwen Groningen (SIG Real Estate)

Legal basis:

Besluitvorming dd 19 juni 2003 van de Bestuurscommissie Economische Zaken van het Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland, zijnde een openbaar lichaam op grond van de Wet Gemeenschappelijke Regelingen. De subsidieverleningsbeschikking is nog niet naar de indiener verstuurd, aangezien deze nog aanvullende informatie aan dient te leveren alvorens een subsidieverleningsbeschikking naar de indiener verstuurd kan worden.

Total amount of individual aid granted to the company: The decision of the day-to-day management of the North Netherlands Cooperation Association concerns a contribution to the project's investment costs of an amount of EUR 233 690 from EZ/Kompas funds (i.e. approximately 3,1 % of the total eligible costs of EUR 7 631 176) and an amount of EUR 996 262 from EFRO/Kompas funds (i.e. approximately 13,1 % of the total eligible costs). The decision was taken under the 2000-06 regional economic development programme for North Netherlands entitled ‘Compass for the North’. The total government contribution to the project's investment costs is EUR 1 229 952 (i.e. approximately 16,1 % of the total eligible costs).

Maximum aid intensity: 16,1 %

Date of implementation: The implementation date still has to be set. The aid award has not yet been notified to the applicant pending the receipt of requested additional information (the applicant must give an undertaking to the effect that it will seek tenants for the Helpmancentrale from among the target group of (young) dynamic commercial SMEs in the field of new media and ICT).

Duration of scheme: Date on which the final instalment will be paid: February 2005

Objective of the aid: The granting of aid for investment in the conversion by SIG Real Estate of a distinctive former power station (‘Helpmancentrale’) into a multiple occupancy building for media- and broadband-related activities. Under the standard conditions attached to the grant, the function served by the premises will have to be maintained for a period of five years after the grant has been definitively established.

Economic sectors concerned: All sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland

c/o Postbus 779

9700 AT Groningen

Other information: The measure concerns ad hoc aid for investments in fixed assets by a small, independent enterprise, 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.

Aid No: XS 109/02

Member State: Italy

Region: Lombardy

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

Measure 1.3 ‘Incentives for modernisation and upgrading of tourist accommodation’

Legal basis:

—	Docup ob. 2 2000/2006 Lombardia

—	Decisione 2001 (CE) 2878 del 10.12.2001

—	Regolamento 70/2001

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme:

	Objective 2	Phasing out
2002	EUR 1 000 000,00	EUR 125 000,00
2003	EUR 1 400 000,00	EUR 125 602,00
2004	EUR 2 200 000,00	EUR 375 000,00
2005	EUR 2 400 000,00	EUR 300 000,00
2006	EUR 1 000 000,00

Maximum aid intensity: for investment:

15 % gge for small businesses (8 % nge + 10 percentage points gge in areas exempted under Article 87(3)(c)

7,5 % gge for medium-sized businesses (8 % nge + 6 percentage points gge in areas exempted under Article 87(3)(c)

for other eligible expenditure (Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 70/2001):

50 % gge.

Assistance may not, in any event, exceed 30 % of eligible expenditure.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme:

Objective of aid: The measure is intended to upgrade, improve and diversify tourist accommodation, with priority given to integrated regional development programmes aimed at making greater use of tourism potential in the area. The measure will provide support for programmes for the construction and reconstruction, extension, modernisation and improvement of hotel and other facilities, the development of installations and ancillary services to support and integrate tourism, the use of network technologies and the introduction of environmental quality certification processes.

Economic sectors concerned: Tourism

Name and address of the granting authority: Regione Lombardia

Aid No: XS 110/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Objective 1 West Wales and the Valleys Programme Area

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Creating Lean Enterprises

Legal basis: Industrial Development Act 1982, Sections 7 & 11.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company:

2003	:	GBP 84 000
2004	:	GBP 335 000
2005	:	GBP 302 000
2006	:	GBP 77 000

Maximum aid intensity: Maximum of 50 % of one-off consultancy costs

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 3 years

Objective of aid: Many SMEs in the Objective 1 area are not implementing best practice in their production processes. The cost of accessing the relevant expertise can be prohibitive and is a barrier to development. This aid scheme will provide consultancy advice on lean methodologies and so improve SME's efficiency, performance and sustainability.

Economic sectors concerned: All eligible industry sectors without prejudice to special rules concerning State aid in certain sectors. Article 1 paragraph 2 of the SME Block Exemption Regulations.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Helen Usher

Welsh European Funding Office

Cwm Cynon Business Park

Mountain Ash

CF45 4ER

Aid No: XS 112/03

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: North West England

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual award: West Lancashire ‘Investing in Business’ regeneration programme

Legal basis: Section 33, Local Government and Housing Act 1989

Section 2, Local Government Act

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company:

2003/04	:	GBP 233 370
2004/05	:	GBP 786 774
2005/06	:	GBP 2 323 548
2006/07	:	GBP 3 483 548
2007/08	:	GBP 1 023 548
2008/09	:	GBP 149 212
Total	:	GBP 8 000 000

Actual amounts in each year may vary somewhat, but the total is fixed.

Maximum aid intensity: West Lancashire is an Article 87(3)(c) area qualifying for regional investment aid of 20 %. An additional 10 % is available to SMEs, thus totalling a maximum aid intensity of 30 %.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: To June 2007 in accordance with the current regulations. Following this, the programme will comply with the regulations then in force.

Objective of aid: Aid will be granted to SMEs undertaking projects that will assist in achieving the objectives of the NWDA Regional Economic Strategy 2003 and the West Lancashire Local Strategic Partnership's Community Strategy. These include exploiting business growth potential, improving the competitiveness and productivity of businesses, developing a healthy labour market and securing economic inclusion.

The objective of the aid is to improve the competitiveness, productivity and job creation capabilities of SMEs in West Lancashire through development of new products, new and expanded businesses and improvements to business processes. The objectives will be achieved through capital investment in land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and technology transfer in relation to the extension of an existing business or creation of a new business.

Economic sector(s) concerned: All eligible industry sectors without prejudice to special rules concerning State aid in certain sectors — Article 1 paragraph 2 of the SME block exemption regulation.

Name and address of the granting authority: The granting authority is the West Lancashire Local Strategic Partnership, and the programme is administered on its behalf by West Lancashire District Council. The contact for both of these is:

Gary S. Jones

Regeneration Manager, West Lancashire District Council

Technology Management Centre

White Moss Business Park, Moss Lane View

Skelmersdale, Lancs. WN8 9TN

Aid No: XS 127/03

Member State: Italy

Region: Calabria

Title of aid scheme: Aid for the creation of new high-quality accommodation within local tourist networks and systems offered by small and medium-sized firms — Measure 4.4. Action (b) of the Regional Operational Programme for Calabria for 2000-2006

Legal basis:

—	L.R. 7/2001 art. 31 quater

—	Decisione C.E. dell'8 agosto 2000 n. 2345

—	D.G.R. n. 398 del 14.05.2002

Annual expenditure planned: Overall budget of EUR 83 000 000 divided between:

type 4.4.b.1 (new classified hotel and non-hotel accommodation): EUR 80 000 000;

type 4.4.b.2 (conversion of buildings of special historic and artistic value into high-quality accommodation) EUR 3 000 000.

Planned expenditure 2003: EUR 16 600 000

Planned expenditure 2004: EUR 22 200 000

Planned expenditure 2005: EUR 22 200 000

Planned expenditure 2006: EUR 22 000 000

Maximum aid intensity: Capital contribution of 50 % of eligible expenditure with a maximum grant of up to 75 % of the net value of the investment.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme:

Objective of aid: The purpose of the aid is to upgrade the tourist facilities of the Region of Calabria by creating new high-quality accommodation, with emphasis on promoting the local architectural heritage.

The initiatives funded are carried out within local networks and systems where there is a real demand that cannot be met in terms of quantity and/or quality.

Measures eligible for aid must consist of comprehensive and operationally independent programmes, capable of achieving the productive, economic and employment objectives on their own.

Economic sectors concerned: Tourism, not including measures in the agritourism and rural tourism sector financed by the EAGGF.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Calabria (sede legale)

Via Massara, n. 2

88100 Catanzaro

Aid No: XS 128/03

Member State: Italy

Region: Calabria

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Aid for investments carried out by SMEs in the following sectors: information technology and telematics, textiles, and leather and similar products — Measure 4.2 Action (c) of the Calabria Regional Operational Programme for 2000-2006 (‘Attraction of strategic business initiatives for regional development and development of inter-regional production collaboration’).

Legal basis:

—	Legge regionale n. 7/2001 art. 31 quarter

—	Decisione C.E. dell'8 agosto 2000 no 2345

—	Deliberazioni di Giunta regionale 23.05.2001, n. 439 e 31.05.2001, n. 470, integrate con Deliberazioni 08.01.2002, n. 14 e 29.01.2002, n. 63.

Annual expenditure planned or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Total budget: EUR 54 932 200

Planned expenditure 2003: EUR 10 000 000

Planned expenditure 2004: EUR 13 000 000

Planned expenditure 2005: EUR 13 000 000

Planned expenditure 2006: EUR 18 932 000

Maximum aid intensity: Capital contribution, with a maximum aid intensity of 50 % nge + 15 % gge of the value of the investment.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award:

Objective of aid: The purpose of the aid is to attract strategic business initiatives for regional development and to develop inter-regional production collaboration, by supporting projects in the relevant sectors.

There will be two types of aid; the first designed to attract strategic business initiatives for regional development, aimed at medium-sized businesses; the second designed to support production collaboration projects between individual businesses or business systems, aimed at small businesses.

Economic sectors concerned: Information technology and telematics; textiles; leather goods and similar.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Calabria (sede legale)

Via Massara, n. 2

88100 Catanzaro

Aid No: XS 129/03

Member State: Italy

Region: Friuli — Venezia Giulia

Title of aid scheme: Financing for craft firms for research, development and technology transfers

Legal basis:

Decreto del Presidente della Regione n. 0362/Pres. Del 10/10/2003

Annual expenditure planned: 2004: EUR 800 000

2005: EUR 800 000

2006: EUR 800 000

Maximum aid intensity: Up to the ceilings laid down in the Community rules on aid to small and medium-sized firms and in the regional aid map:

for the acquisition of patents, trade marks, operating licences for new production cycle technologies, and to improve the quality of products, their distribution and environmental protection: 15 % gge for small firms and 7,5 % gge for medium-sized firms; for investments in areas exempted under Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty: 8 % nge + 10 % gge for small firms; 8 % nge + 6 % gge for medium-sized firms;

for the drawing-up of feasibility studies and research projects for submission to the State or the European Union in order to apply for research and development aid: 50 % of the costs of the services provided by consultants outside the firm, up to a maximum of EUR 5 000,00

Date of implementation: Entry into force of the Regulation: 5 November 2003

Duration of scheme: Until 31 December 2006, and for a possible further adjustment period of not more than six months, as provided for in Article 10 of 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.

Objective of aid: Aid to craft SMEs to encourage technological innovation and research and grants for intangible investments and the acquisition of services provided by external consultants.

Recipients: craft firms engaged in production activities and the provision of production services, their consortia and companies set up by their consortia, including cooperatives, falling within the definition of small or medium-sized firms laid down 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. From 1 January 2005, the new definition of micro, small and medium-sized firms will apply, as provided for in the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003, published in Official Journal of the European Union L 124 of 20 May 2003

Economic sectors concerned: All sectors with the exception of firms operating in sectors of activity linked to the production, processing or marketing of products listed in Annex I to the Treaty establishing the European Community, as well as firms in sensitive sectors.

Name and address of the granting authority: Direzione regionale dell'artigianato e della cooperazione — Servizio per lo sviluppo dell'artigianato

Via Giulia 75/1

34100 Trieste

Telephone: 040-3774822

Fax: 040-3774810

e-mail: dir.art.coop@regione.fvg.it

Further information: The scheme is in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 of 12 January 2001.

The Regional authorities undertake to amend the definition of SMEs with effect from 1 January 2005, as proposed by the Commission in its Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (OJ L 124, 20.5.2003).

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28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/22

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F-Grenoble: operation of scheduled air services

Cancellation

(‘Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union’ S 119 of 22.6.2005, open procedure, 117015-2005)

(2005/C 156/10)

Conseil général de l'Isère, direction des transports, service grands projets, BP 1096, F-38022 Grenoble Cedex. Tel. (33-4) 76 00 60 30, fax (33-4) 76 00 30 36.

This notice has been cancelled.

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28.6.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 156/23

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Call for independent experts for the eContentplus and Safer Internet Plus programmes (2005 — 2008)

(2005/C 156/11)

Description

The Commission hereby invites applications from individuals wishing to provide expert assistance relating to the eContentplus and Safer Internet Plus programmes. The tasks include assistance to the Commission in evaluating proposals submitted in response to calls for proposals, and in reviewing individual eContentplus and Safer Internet plus projects, as well as legacy projects funded under the eContent programme and under the Safer Internet programme; technical assistance to Commission officials in the context of the evaluations of the programmes; and other tasks in relation with the programmes, where specific expertise might be required.

The objective of the eContentplus programme is to make digital content in Europe more accessible, usable and exploitable, facilitating the creation and diffusion of information in areas of public interest, at Community level, while the Safer Internet plus programme aims at promoting safer use of the Internet and new online technologies, particularly for children, and to fight against illegal content and content unwanted by the end-user.

Further information about the programmes can be found on the respective programme websites:

For the eContentplus Programme at:

europa.eu.int/econtentplus

For the Safer Internet Plus Programme at:

europa.eu.int/saferinternet

Requirements

All applications must comply with the detailed specifications and conditions which are available on the Commission's abovementioned internet sites in English.

These include requirements related to nationality, qualifications, experience and language knowledge.

Deadline for submission of applications

The call is open from the date of publication until 30 June 2009. The list of experts will remain valid until 31 December 2009.

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