Brussels, 20/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has endorsed €206.1 million of aid which Poland intends to grant to eight Korean-based companies to set up a cluster of nine electronics projects, the first of their kind in Europe, in Kobierzyce, Poland (Lower Silesia). The companies in the cluster will manufacture liquid crystal display (LCD) TV modules, related components as well as the downstream product LCD TV sets. The total eligible costs of the nine investment projects is €711.1 million. The investment would occur between 2006 and 2011. The aid package for each of the nine investment projects comprises a combination of grants, free land and tax exemptions. On the basis of Article 87(3) of the EC Treaty, state aid granted to promote the economic development of certain disadvantaged areas within the EU may be considered compatible with the Single Market under certain conditions. The Commission considered the aid offered to each of the nine investment projects to be compatible with the rules since they all met the requirements established in the guidelines on national regional aid and the rules on regional aid to large investment projects which are based on the Commission's cohesion policy. Competition commissioner Neelie Kroes said “The project will increase the competitiveness of both Poland and Europe in the rapidly expanding sector of consumer electronics, promote innovation and contribute at the same time to regional development in a disadvantaged region”.