22.11.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L 293/13 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 21 June 2000 concerning State aid granted by France to Manufacture corrézienne de vétements (MCV) and the plan to grant aid to the company that is to succeed it (notified under document number C(2000) 1729) (Only the French text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2000/727 [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 Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down procedures for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (1), Having given interested parties notice to submit their comments in accordance with the abovementioned provi- sions (%), Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1) An article published in Les Echos on 24 March 1998 drew the Commission's attention to State aid allegedly granted by France to Manufacture corrézienne de véte- ments (hereinafter ‘MCV’), a company in liquidation. Aid was also allegedly to be granted to a new firm (herein- after ‘the firm’) which was to acquire MCV's assets once it had been wound up. () O] L 83, 23.3.1999, p. 1. () O] C 298, 16.10.1999, p. 11. () ) By letters of 7 April 1998 (D/51578) and 31 July 1998 (D[53275), the Commission asked France for explana- tions concerning the context of, and legal basis for the measures in question. By letter of 25 June 1998, received on 26 June (A/ 34909), France provided the Commission with incom- plete information, while the Commission's second request for information went unanswered. On 21 April 1999 the Commission decided to initiate the Article 88(2) procedure in respect of the abovemen- tioned aid; it formally requested France to supply the necessary information that would allow it to determine whether the aid was compatible with the Treaty. The decision was communicated to France by letter of 17 May 1999 (SG(99)D/3460). France sent its comments by letters of 22 September 1999, received on 23 September (A[37235), of 17 November 1999, received on 18 November (A[38788), and of 2 December 1999, received on 3 December (A[39357). The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communi- ties ). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid in question. No comments were received. () See footnote 2.