Brussels, 03/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to launch the state aid investigation procedure with regard to aid of EUR 54 million that Germany has proposed for Hamburger AG to build a new plant producing corrugated base paper located in Brandenburg (Germany). Germany notified the aid (for investment in Schwarze Pumpe) in May 2001 under the Multisectoral Framework on regional aid for large investment projects. The Commission doubts that the intended aid level complies with the maximum allowed and questions whether the total number of indirect jobs claimed by Germany (356 for 277 direct jobs) can be taken into account for assessing the compatibility of the aid, and "whether it can be excluded that the sector concerned is in relative decline".