Brussels, 18/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission approved the investment aid scheme foreseen by law 488 in less favoured regions in Italy for the 2000-2006 period. This scheme, for which requests must be introduced before the beginning of projects, foresees subsidies in favour of productive investments:
Forms located in regions eligible for reginal aid under the derogations laid down by Article 87.3 (a) regions in which the standard of living is abnormally low or in which there is sever unemployemnt) and 87.3 (c) (regions in difficulty, defined on the basis of indicator proposed by the Member States);
SMEs located in areas eligible under the the Structural funds, but not eligible for reginal aid.
The scheme's measures, whose budget totals ITL 35,000 billion, answers to objectives of regional development, feels the Commission. The permissible intensities are foreseen by the Italian regional aid map 2000-2006, a) that is to say, 50% net grant equivalent (NGE, that is to say, the final benefit that the company is meant to draw from this aid) for the Calabria region and 35% NGE for Basilicata, Campania, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily. With regard to the other eligible regions, the regime will only apply when the new regional aid map relating to these regions (which will also set the maximum intensities) enters into force.