L 165/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 6.7.2000 II (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 16 November 1999 on aid which France is planning to grant to Cofidur to help it take over the former Gooding (ex Grundig) plant at Creutzwald (notified under document number C(1999) 4229) (Only the French text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2000/424/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, restructuring aid under the criteria laid down by the Commission in the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (*) (here- Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European inafter called ‘the guidelines). Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article ] 88(2) thereof, (2)  GESA had taken over the former Grundig plant at Creutzwald. When the plant was taken over, the French authorities provided support in the context of a restruc- turing plan submitted by the firm. The procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the Treaty has been initiated separately in respect of the aid to GESA, which went into liquidation in June 1995 (3). 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 (3) On 25 February 1998 the Commission decided to pursuant to those provisions, initiate the same procedure in respect of the abovemen- tioned measures to assist Cofidur. France was informed of this decision by letter dated 22 April 1998 (}). The Whereas: Commission invited the other Member States and inter- ested parties to submit their comments on the measures. It has received no replies as part of this procedure. (4) By letter dated 14 May 1998, France asked the Commis- L PROCEDURE sion for an extension until 4 June 1998 of the time limit for submitting its comments. The request was granted. The comments were received by the Commission on 16 June 1998, further comments being received by letters (1) By letter dated 23 June 1997, France notified the dated 8 September and 9 October 1998. Commission under Article 88(3) of the Treaty of a number of aid awards totalling FRF 8,65 million which L ' . () it intended to grant to the firm Cofidur for the purpose of setting up a new company, Continental Edison. The aid was to be granted by national and regional author- ities in the form of decentralised loans and a reim- bursable interest-free advance. According to France, the aid was being made available in the context of the 0] C 283, 19.9.1997, p. 2 second takeover of the former Gooding Electronique SA ¢ 0] C 179, 11.6.1998, g 9 (GESA) (ex Grundig) plant both as investment aid and as () O] C 198, 24.6.1998, p. 12. France provided further information at a meeting on 7 June 1999. It also stated that investment had been undertaken and that jobs had been maintained in accordance with the diversification plan and that it wished to fulfil its commitments towards Cofidur.