29.3.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L78/23 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 16 November 1999 on the State aid which Italy plans to grant for the creation of new shipyards at Oristano (Sardinia) and Belvedere Marittimo (Calabria) (notified under document number C(1999) 4839) (Only the Italian version is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2000/250/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 to Council Directive 90/684/EEC of 21 December 1990 on aid to shipbuilding ('), whose application was extended by Regulation (EC) No 2600/97 (), Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1540/98 of 29 June 1998 establishing new rules on aid to shipbuilding (%), Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty, and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1) By letters dated 17 November 1997 and 6 March 1998, registered by the Commission on 18 November 1997 and 12 March 1998 respectively, the Italian authorities notified the Commission of two identical plants to grant investment aid for the construction of two new ship- yards under Decree-Law No 415 of 22 October 1992, converted by Law No 488 of 19 December 1992 on regional investment aid in Italy (hereinafter referred to as Law No 488/92). Further information was requested on the first project notified, and the Italian authorities' reply was trans- mitted at the same time as they notified the second project. (2) By letter dated 14 July 1998, the Commission informed the Italian Government that it has decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in 0J L 380, 31.12.1990, p. 27. () O] L 351, 23.12.1997, p. 18. 0] L 202, 18.7.1998, p. 1. respect of the aid. The Italian authorities submitted their comments to the Commission by means of letter No 3896 dated 2 March 1999 from their Permanent Repre- sentative's Office. The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (*), with an invitation to interested parties to submit their comments. The Commission received comments from interested parties and forwarded them to the Italian Government, which was given the opportunity to react. (3) By letters dated 18 September 1998 and 5 August 1999, the Italian authorities sent the Commission comments and relevant information for the purpose of assessing the two projects. II. DESCRIPTION (4)  The investments are based on project studies carried out by a European consortium (Euroinvest) grouping together small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and trade associations, particularly in TItaly, Greece and Portugal. The industrial objective is to build twin-hull and single- hull fast ferries, for which, according to the studies on which the project is based, the market is booming. The technology exists and is already used by another Italian shipyard specialised in this type of vessel. In terms of technology and innovation, the type of vessels to be built meets the most up-to-date standards for high-speed ships. The aim of each of the projects, the unit investment cost of which is ITL 89,3 billion, is to build one vessel per year, representing 80 000 man-hours of labour per year and employing around 50 workers. () O] C 307, 7.10.1998, p. 8.