15/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - Investigation into public aid paid to FagorBrandt and the Brandt group closed. The European Commission announced on Tuesday 15 March that it had concluded, following an in-depth investigation, that the loans granted by France to FagorBrandt and the Brandt group which succeeded it, had provided those companies with an undue economic advantage. They received below-market loans of €10 million in November 2013 and €47.7 million in April 2014. The lending rates were increased retrospectively during the course of the proceedings and the Brandt group has fully repaid the remaining illegal aid, the Commission says, so that competition distortion and the advantage given have been removed. (EL)