Brussels, 28/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 27 June he European Commission launched an in-depth investigation to establish whether public support measures worth €9.06 million granted by the Spanish authorities to chinaware producer Pickman are compatible with the EC Treaty rules on state aid. The Commission is concerned that the subsidy may not be in conformity with the behaviour of a private investor under normal market conditions and so may not be compatible.
The same day, the Commission opened a formal investigation regarding over €7 million of training aid which Germany intends to grant to a new DHL site, following its move to Leipzig-Halle. The Commission has doubts that the training in question is demanded by German regulation and that the aid, which represents around 60% of the costs, could lead to distortion in competition. Following the opening of these investigations, the interested parties are being called on to submit their opinions.
The European Commission has authorised under EC Treaty state aid rules a €900 million guarantee granted in 2006 to BAWAG-PSK, the fourth largest bank in Austria, by an Austrian law, the 'BAWAG P.S.K Sicherungsgesetz'. The authorisation is conditional on the achievement of the restructuring plan and the implementation of compensatory measures, following the launch of an in-depth investigation launched in 2006 (EUROPE 9313). (cd)