32000D0359
2000/359/EC: Commission Decision of 2 February 2000 on the aid scheme implemented by Italy for cooperatives in Sicily (notified under document number C(2000) 384) (Text with EEA relevance) (Only the Italian text is authentic)
Official Journal L 129 , 30/05/2000 P. 0021 - 0025
Commission Decision
of 2 February 2000
on the aid scheme implemented by Italy for cooperatives in Sicily
(notified under document number C(2000) 384)
(Only the Italian text is authentic)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2000/359/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) thereof,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty(1), and in particular Article 14 thereof,
Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty(2), and having regard to their comments,
Whereas:
I. PROCEDURE
(1) By letter dated 25 October 1993 the Italian authorities belatedly notified the Commission under Article 88(3) of the Treaty, of a law enacted by the Region of Sicily, Law No 25 of 1 September 1993 on measures to promote employment; as the Law had already been passed at that time, the Commission entered it on the register of unnotified aid under NN 113/93. The Law introduces new aid schemes and amends dozens of existing ones; it comprises 165 Articles. After an initial examination, the Commission found it necessary to divide the case into three parts:
- Articles 44 and 50 and Chapter VII (Articles 77 to 105) of Regional Law No 25/1993: measures to promote agriculture and forestry (aid measure NN 113/B/93,
- Article 55 of Regional Law No 25/1993, as amended by Article 5 of Regional Law No 6/1995: measures to promote cooperatives (aid measure NN 79/96),
- the remainder of Regional Law No 25/1993 (aid measure NN 113/A/93).
(2) This Decision relates solely to the aid schemes set up under Article 55 of Regional Law No 25/1993, as amended by Article 5 of Regional Law No 6/1995, and the cases in which it is applied.
(3) On 25 March 1998 the Commission decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid scheme set up under Article 55 of Sicilian Regional Law No 25/1993, as amended by Article 5 of Law No 6 of 10 January 1995, and in respect of the aid scheme provided for under Article 36 of Sicilian Regional Law No 23 of 9 May 1986, as amended by Article 55 of Law No 25/1993.
(4) By fax of 25 March 1998 (SG(98) D/32049)(3), the Commission mistakenly informed the Italian authorities that it did not raise any objections.
(5) By letter dated 2 July 1998 (SG(98) D/5241), the Commission informed Italy that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid scheme set up under Article 55 of Sicilian Regional Law No 25/1993, as amended by Article 5 of Law No 6/1995, and in respect of the aid scheme provided for under Article 36 of Sicilian Regional Law No 23/1986, as amended by Article 55 of Law No 25/1993; it also formally required Italy to provide it, within one month of receiving the letter, with all documentation, information and data which could serve to enable it to assess the compatibility with Article 87 of the Treaty of the aid granted under the abovementioned schemes.
(6) The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities(4).
(7) The Commission invited other Member States and interested parties to submit their observations on the measures at issue within one month of the date of publication of that decision in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
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