L 6/52 Official Journal of the European Communities 11.1.2000 COMMISSION DECISION of 29 September 1999 on state aid which Italy plans to grant to Fiat Auto SpA for its plant in Termoli, Campobasso (notified under document number C(1999) 3274) (Only the Italian version is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2000/18/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 invited the parties concerned to submit their comments in accordance with the abovementioned provisions ('), Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1)  Between October and December 1997 the Italian Government notified the Commission, pursuant to Article 88(3) of the Treaty, of six planned measures under which it proposed to grant state aid to Fiat Auto SpA (Fiat’) (%), one of which concerned the plant in Termoli, in the province of Campobasso in the region of Molise (Fiat Termoli); the Commission registered this measure on 28 October 1997 under N 730/97. Requests for further information and a number of reminders were sent to the Italian authorities to elicit the data required for a Commission decision. On 23 April 1998 a meeting was held with representatives of the Italian authorities and Fiat to clarify various aspects of the examination of the case. Finally, in a letter of 20 November 1998, the Italian authorities supplied partial replies to the questions raised by the Commission. (2) By letter of 9 March 1999 the Commission informed Italy that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the Treaty in respect of the proposed aid measures, allowing Italy one month to supply all the documents, information and data required to assess the compatibility of the aid with the common market. In the absence of any reply, the Commission would reach a decision on the basis of the information in its possession. () O] C 113, 24.4.1999, p. 16. (3) Four of these measures related to motor vehicle production: Cassino-Piedimonte San Germano (C 6/99, ex N 729/97), Mirafiori Carrozzeria (C 5/99, ex N 728/97), Pomigliano (C 4/99, ex N 727/ 97); and Rivalta (C 8/99, ex N 834/97); and two to engine produc- tion: Termoli (C 7/99, ex N 730/97) and Mirafiori Meccanica (C 9/99, ex N 838/97). (3)  The decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, (}) and the interested parties were invited by the Commission to submit comments. (4)  The Commission has not received any comments from interested parties. (5)  Representatives of the Commission went to Mirafiori on 24 February 1999 to discuss the Fiat Termoli plan among other matters. Finally, on 6 July 1999 an on-site visit was arranged at Termoli. II. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE AID MEASURE (6)  The aid proposed by the Italian authorities would be granted to Fiat, which has plants in Italy, Poland, Turkey and South America. In 1998 Fiat produced 2,7 million vehicles of the Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Fiat, Lancia and Maserati makes. In 1997 it employed around 62 000 people in Italy, 3 300 of them at Termoli, where vehicle engines and gearboxes are produced. A significant share of Fiat's sales, roughly one third, are recorded in other Member States. (7)  The investment notified is at Fiat Termoli, in an area qualifying for assistance under Article 87(3)(c) of the Treaty, where at the date of notification the maximum aid intensity for large firms was 30 % net grant equiva- lent. The investment started in 1995 and will be completed in 1999. According to a cost-benefit analysis of 20 November 1998, it amounts to ITL 487 billion (%) (current value: ITL 412 billion, or EUR 212 million). It will enable the production of the new Fire 16v (°) 1 242 cc engine, which was developed from the Fire 1 242 cc 8v MPI engine, but which has no common components. The installed capacity is approximately 230 000 Fire 16v engines per year. (8) According to the Italian authorities, the aid, worth a nominal ITL 55,2 billion (EUR 28 million) would be granted under the scheme provided for by Law No 488 of 19 December 1992 () for the refinancing of Law No 64/86 (Law No 488/92), approved by Commission () See footnote 1. (*) The notification referred to ITL 487 billion. (°) ‘Fire’ stands for ‘Fully integrated robotised engine’ and ‘16 v’ means ‘16 valve'. (% GURI No 299, 21.12.1992.