Brussels, 24/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - On 24 January, the European Commission gave the go-ahead for a twelve-month extension of a temporary French state-subsidised guarantee scheme to boost economic recovery. This state aid in the form of publicly subsidised guarantees for investment and operating loans has been extended until 31 December 2011. The scheme does not apply to struggling companies or companies already benefiting from reductions in the guarantee costs for loans to boost working capital. The Commission says that extension of the scheme initially approved on 27 February 2009 meets the stricter criteria of its temporary framework to help companies find funding, introduced in December 2010 to encourage a gradual return to normal market lending conditions. (F.G./transl.fl)