Brussels, 28/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 28 June, the European Commission, under EC Treaty state aid rules, approved the Netherlands' regional aid map for the period 2007-2013. This decision forms part of a wider exercise to review the regional aid regimes in place in all Member States in accordance with the new Regional Aid Guidelines adopted in December 2005, the Commission says in a press release.
The adoption of a regional aid map is a pre-condition for the continuity of the regional policy and Structural Fund programmes as from January 2007, as the validity of all previous maps expired on 31 December 2006. For the period 2007-2013, 7.5% of the Dutch population will be eligible for regional aid under Article 87(3)(c) at a maximum aid intensity of 15% or 10%. 2.4% of the Dutch population will be eligible for aid under Article 87(3)(c) at a maximum aid intensity of 10% during 2007-2008.
Italy is the only EU Member State whose regional aid map for the period 2007-2013 has not yet been approved (France had its aid map approved - see EUROPE 9381 and 9380 - prior to that of the Netherlands). Rome notified its regional aid map on 12th June 2007 and the Commission is now assessing it. Italy is unable to grant any regional aid within its territory until this new map is approved by the Commission.
For fuller information:
http: //ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/state_aid/regional_aid/regional_aid.html (gb)