No L 123/46 Official Journal of the European Communities 18. 5. 91 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 28 November 1990 concerning the proposal by the Brussels Regional Authorities (Belgium) to provide aid in favour of Volkswagen Bruxelles SA, an undertaking producing passenger cars (Only the French and Dutch texts are authentic) (91/254/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular the first subpara- graph of Article 93 (2) thereof, Having given notice in accordance with the above Article to interested parties to submit their comments, Whereas, I Following several requests for information by the Commission, the . Belgian authorities informed the Commission by letter from its Permanent Representation dated 6 December 1989 that the Brussels Regional Authorities (BRA) had decided on 27 June 1989 to approve a request fof aid in support of six investment projects that Volkswagen Bruxelles SA would realize. The aid would be awarded in the form of a grant of 8 % of the ‘investment sum of each project as well as an exemption from property taxes (précompte immobilier) for five years. The investment projects concern different sections of the production line of the company (pressings, pre-assembly and assembly of bodies, paint shop, final assembly, etc.) and would be realized between June 1988 and December 1990. The investment sum of each project falls below the notification threshold set out in the approved aid scheme in question, i.e. the Expansion Law of 17 July 1959 (), as well as below the ECU 12 million threshold provided in the Community framework on State aid to the motor vehicle industry (the ‘automobile framework’) (3. () On 3 August 1990 the Commission wrote to the Belgian Government, pursuant to Article 93 (1) of the EEC Treaty, proposing the termination of the general aid scheme provided for in the Law of 17 July 1959. () OJ No C 123, 18. 5. 1989, p. 3. By letter of 22 December 1989, the Commission informed the Belgian authorities that the six projects would have to be considered in their totality, given that they concern one line of production of the same assembly plant, and that, taken together, they exceed the notifica- tion threshold of ECU 12 million’ provided in the auto- mobile framework. Although the letter of 6 December 1989 did not follow the form of a notification under the automobile framework, the Commission nevertheless considered exceptionally that it constituted a notification under this framework and invited the Belgian authorities to complete this notification. By letter of 8 March 1990 the Belgian authorities completed the notification by supplying additional information. : The total investment cost of the projects would amount to Bfrs 1 409 million or ECU 33 million and aid in the form of grants adds up to Bfrs 112,7 million, or ECU 2,7 million. The value of the property tax exemption for five years was not known. The impact of the investments on capacity and production could not be quantified. The investment would maintain existing employment. On the basis of the Commission’s decision of 17 June 1975, public assistance awarded under the general aid scheme initiated by the Law of 17 July 1959 constitutes aid within the meaning of Article 92 (1) of the EEC Treaty. The Commission considered that proposed aid to Volkswagen Bruxelles SA did not appear to qualify for exemption under the terms of the Community auto- mobile framework on the grounds that the investment in question covered expenditure on modernization and the introduction of a second model at one plant, a common activity in the sector, and did not require assistance to be carried out by Volkswagen. Accordingly, the Commission opened the procedure provided for in Article 93 (2) of the EEC Treaty in respect of the aid.