L 318/62 Official Journal of the European Communities 16.12.2000 COMMISSION DECISION of 21 June 2000 on State aid granted by Germany to CDA Compact Disc Albrechts GmbH, Thuringia (notified under document number C(2000) 1728) (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2000/796/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) thereof, Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 62(1)(a) thereof, Having regard interested parties the opportunity to submit their comments (') pursuant to Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty and Article 6(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (%), Whereas: () O] L 83, 27.3.1999, p. () 0] C 390, 15.12.1998, 1. PROCEDURE In response to reports in the press, the Commission wrote to Germany on 6 October 1994 asking for information on State support for a plant manufacturing CDs in Albrechts, Thuringia. By letter dated 9 November 1994, the German authorities notified aid granted by the Land Governments of Thuringia and Bavaria to Pilz Albrechts GmbH (PA) of Albrechts (Thuringia) and the Pilz Group of Kranzberg (Bavaria). The case was initially registered under number N 662/94. By letter dated 15 November 1994, the Commission asked for more detailed information. The German authorities elaborated on their notification by letter dated 7 March 1995 concerning further measures by the Treuhandanstalt (THA) and by Thuringia and Bavaria. As it was clear from this information that substantial amounts of aid had already been granted before the notification, the case was reregistered under number NN 54/95. By letters dated 1 August 1995, 16 October 1995 and 25 November 1996, the Commission asked additional questions which the German authorities answered by letters dated 22 August 1995, 25 August 1995, 18 January 1996 and 17 April 1997. On 3 February 1997 and on 22 and 23 September 1997, meetings were held in Brussels and Erfurt between representatives of the Commis- sion and the German authorities. By letter dated 20 January 1998, the German authorities submitted a summary of their comments on the case based on the outcome of the meeting with Commission representatives in Erfurt. By letter dated 17 July 1998, the Commission informed the German authorities of its decision to initiate formal investigation proceedings under Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty with regard to the aid in question and enclosed a detailed questionnaire. The Commission's decision to initiatie proceedings was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (*). In the same notice all other interested parties were invited to submit their comments on the aid in question. 1. p. 7. () See footnote 2.