Brussels, 11/04/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission approved on Wednesday the Spanish and Danish regional aid maps for 2000-2006. Furthermore it authorised: i) the aid notified by France (EUR 274 million) and the Netherlands (EUR 95 million) in favour of the research programme on ITEA software, ii) the extension in 2000 of the aid regimes for naval construction in the Netherlands, ii) a budgetary increase of EUR 75 million for the Italian regions hit by an earthquake in 1997, iv) the creation of a loan fund and participation of EUR 31,7 million (2000-2006) for SMEs in the West of Ireland. On the other hand, it only partially approved the aid by France for pig farming. Finally it presented it 8th report on State aid.
EUROPE will return in detail on these decisions.