2002/71/EC: Commission Decision of 3 July 2001 on the State aid implemented by Germany for KHK Verbindetechnik GmbH Brotterode (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2001) 1781)

• Articles: 2

Article 1

The State aid which Germany has implemented for KHK Verbindetechnik GmbH Brotterode, amounting to EUR 491000 (DEM 960000), is compatible with the common market within the meaning of Article 87(3)(c) of the Treaty.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Done at Brussels, 3 July 2001.

For the Commission

Mario Monti

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ C 27, 27.1.2001, p. 30.

(2) See footnote 1.

(3) In the Commission decision initiating the formal investigation procedure, it is stated in paragraph 3 that the aid linked to the first privatisation is compatible with the common market since it complied with the Treuhand regimes and aid schemes approved by the Commission. Therefore, only aid linked to the second privatisation is assessed in the decision. See footnote 1.

(4) Bürgschaftsrichtlinie Aufbaubank Thüringen, State aid N 117/96, approved by the Commission on 27 December 1996.

(5) Investment loan from Deutsche Bank, 100% refinanced by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) under its ERP reconstruction programme, State aid N 563/c/94, approved by the Commission on 1 December 1994.

(6) OJ C 368, 23.12.1994, p. 12.

(7) See approvals by the Commission dated 16 April 1997 and 30 April 1997: State aid N 874/96 and NN 139/96 in favour of UNION Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH - letter D/3428 dated 2 May 1997; State aid N 892/96 in favour of FORON Haus- und Küchentechnik GmbH - letter D/4047 dated 28 May 1997. This approach is now confirmed by point 7, footnote 10, of the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (OJ C 288, 9.10.1999, p. 2): "The only exceptions of this rule are any cases dealt with by the Bundesanstalt für vereinigungsbedingte Sonderaufgaben in the context of its privatisation remit and other similar cases in the new Länder, involving companies emerging from a liquidation or a take-over of assets occurring up to 31 December 1999."

(8) OJ C 288, 9.10.1999, p. 2.

(9) See footnote 6.

(10) OJ L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1.

(11) Personal guarantee of the investors, mortgage on the premises of the company, transfer of title on machines, installations and inventory, and transfer of accounts receivable on clients.

(12) Bürgschaftsrichtlinie Aufbaubank Thüringen, N 117/96.

(13) OJ C 273, 9.9.1997, p. 3.

(14) Sysma Antriebstechnik GmbH (State aid N 220/98), FINOW Rohrleitungssystem- und Anlagenbau (State aid NN 3/98), Schiess Wema GmbH (State aid NN 68/98), Auerbach Maschinenfabrik GmbH (State aid NN 46/98) and Thüringer Pianoforte GmbH (State aid N 18/2000).

(15) The remainder of the loan, DEM 58034, representing 2,5 % of the restructuring costs, is considered neither an investor contribution nor aid.

(16) Cases NN 131/96 GMB Magnete Bitterfeld (12 %), NN 61/98 Stahl- und Maschinenbau Rostock (12 %) and C 27/98 Draiswerke (11 %).