2011/179/EU: Commission Decision of 14 December 2010 concerning State aid C 39/96 (ex NN 127/92) implemented by France in favour of Coopérative d’exportation du livre français (CELF) (notified under document C(2010) 8938) Text with EEA relevance

• Articles: 5

Article 1

The State aid granted unlawfully by France, in violation of Article 108(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in favour of Coopérative d’exportation du livre français (CELF) is incompatible with the internal market.

Article 2

1.   France is required to obtain reimbursement of the sum of EUR 4 631 401, corresponding to sums received by CELF over the period 1982 to 2001 by way of the aid referred to in Article 1.

2.   The sums to be recovered shall give rise to interest from the date on which they were placed at the disposal of the beneficiary, until 25 February 2009, the date of the decision of the Paris Commercial Court commencing the insolvency safeguard procedure.

3.   Interest shall be calculated on a compound basis in accordance with Chapter V of Regulation (EC) No 794/2004.

Article 3

1.   Recovery of the aid referred to in Article 2 shall be immediate and effective.

2.   France shall ensure that this Decision is implemented within 4 months of the date of its notification.

Article 4

1.   Within 2 months of notification of this Decision, France shall provide the following information:

(a)

the total amount (principal and interest) to be recovered from the beneficiary;

(b)

a detailed description of the measures already taken and planned in order to comply with this Decision;

(c)

documents demonstrating that the beneficiary has been given formal notice to repay the aid.

2.   France shall keep the Commission informed of the progress of the national measures taken to implement this Decision until complete recovery of the aid referred to in Article 2. It shall immediately forward to the Commission, at the latter’s request, any information on the measures already taken and planned in order to comply with this Decision, as well as detailed information concerning the amounts of aid and interest already recovered from the beneficiary.

Article 5

This Decision is addressed to France.