Article 92
(3) (a) allows exemptions for aid to promote the economic development of areas where the standard of living is abnormally low or where there is serious under-employment. In its communication on the method for the application of Article 92 (3) (a) and (c) to regional aid published in Official Journal of the European Communities No C 212 of 12 August 1988, the Commission defined regions that had an abnormally low standard of living or serious under-employment as NUTS level II areas (6) (regions in Italy) with a GDP/PPS (purchasing power standards) equal to or less than 75% of the Community average. Since Article 92 (3) (a) is not applicable in the case in point, the per capita GDP/PPS of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region being considerably greater than 75 % of the Community average, the analysis was based on the method for the application of