25.6.2005 Official Journal of the European Union L 165/15 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 19 May 2004 on State aid which Belgium is planning to implement for Sioen Fibres SA (notified under document number C(2004) 1622) (Only the French and Dutch versions are authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2005/467EC) 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 called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provisions cited above (1) and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE By letter dated 20 December 2002, Belgium notified a proposal to grant aid to the company SIOEN Fibres SA (hereinafter ‘Sioen’) in connection with an investment in polyester industrial filament yarn production facilities. The Commission requested additional information by letter dated 12 February 2002, to which Belgium replied by letter dated 11 March 2003. By letter dated 2 May 2003, the Commission informed Belgium that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid. The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (2). () O] C 141, 17.6.2003, p. 4. () See footnote 1. The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid. The Commission received comments from Belgium on 8 July 2003. The International Rayon and Synthetic Fibres Committee (CIRFS) submitted comments on 10 July 2003 and the Spanish Association of Chemical Fibres Producers (Profibra) submitted comments on 15 July 2003. These comments from interested parties were sent to Belgium, which provided its observations on 8 October 2003. A meeting with the Belgian authorities and Sioen took place on 7 November 2003. On 27 November 2003 CIRFS agreed that certain infor- mation in its submission of 10 July 2003, which was initially classified strictly confidential, could be made available to the Belgian authorities. This information was sent to Belgium on 1 December 2003. Belgium gave its comments on 19 January 2004. II. DESCRIPTION SIOEN is a large company active in the synthetic fibres sector. It is 99,99 %-owned by Sioen Industries SA, which in 2001 had a turnover of EUR 226,02 million and a workforce of some 3 900 employees. Sioen has declared eligible investment amounting to EUR 19,46 million during the period from May 2001 to June 2003 and designed to expand its production capacity for high-tenacity polyester industrial filament yarn (}). The yarn is intended for the production of coated fabric for use in the production of final products such as canvas for lorries, tent fabric or airbags. According to Belgium, it is not intended for use in the textile sector (production of clothing or carpets). The investment is expected to create 39 jobs. (*) The CN number of the relevant product is 5402 20 00.