L 279/46 Official Journal of the European Communities 1.11.2000 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 12 July 2000 on State aid granted by Italy to shipbuilders in the form of tax relief under Law No 549/95 (notified under document number C(2000) 2448) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2000/668/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 given notice to the parties concerned to submit their comments in accordance with the abovementioned provi- sions ("), and having regard to those comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE By letter dated 5 March 1996 from the Italian Perma- nent Representation to the European Union, the Italian authorities notified the Commission of Law No 549/95 introducing tax relief for certain firms (the Law). By letter of 21 May 1997 the Commission informed Italy that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 6(5) of Decision No 2496/96/ECSC and Article 93(3) (now Article 88(3)) of the Treaty) with regard to the granting of this aid in sensitive industries, () O] C 268, 4.9.1997, p. 4. including steel, motor vehicles, shipbuilding and synthetic fibres. The Commission's decision to initiate proceedings was announced in the Official Journal of the European Communities. The Commission there asked interested parties to submit their observations (3). The Commission received observations from interested parties, which it forwarded to Italy for comment by letter of 24 October 1997. On 13 May 1998 the Commission adopted Decision 1999/148EC, ECSC on State aid granted by Italy by way of tax relief under Law No 549/95 to firms in the motor vehicle, shipbuilding and synthetic fibres industries and to steel firms covered by the ECSC Treaty (). Article 3 of that Decision requires Italy to provide the Commission with all the necessary information and explanations enabling it to assess the compatibility with the common market of the State aid granted to firms in the ship- building, motor vehicle and synthetic fibres industries. Following that Decision the Italian authorities issued Circular No 218JE of 14 September 1998, which was sent to the relevant trade associations and to local offices of the Ministry of Finance, asking firms working in these industries to contact the Ministry of Industry ‘in order to enable the Ministry to pass on to the Community authorities any information that might help them to assess the compatibility of this tax relief with the common market’ (¥). (® See footnote 1. () O] L 47, 23.2.1999, p. 6. (*) Published in Gazzetta ufficiale della Repubblica italiana, No 216, 16.9.1998.