L 238/50 Official Journal of the European Communities 22.9.2000 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 11 April 2000 on the State aid implemented by the Federal Republic of Germany for System Microelectronic Innovation GmbH, Frankfurt/Oder (Brandenburg) (notified under document number C(2000) 1063) (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2000/567 [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 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (!), and in particular Article 14 thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provisions cited above (?) and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1) After it had been reported in a press article of 22 August 1996 in the Handelsblatt that the Land of Brandenburg planned to grant aid of DEM 10 million to the firm System Microelectronic Innovation GmbH (SMI), Frank- furt/Oder, the Commission requested further informa- tion on 2 September 1996 (°) and 23 January 1997 (%). Despite these requests no official communication, let alone a formal notification, has been forthcoming from the German authorities. The case has also been the () O] L 83, 27.3.1999, p. () O] C 352, 20.11.1997, (}) Letter D[52388. (*) Letter D[50321. 1. p- 3. subject of several meetings between Commission repre- sentatives and representatives of the Land of Branden- burg; however, the latter were not in a position to provide the Commission with further information about the firm. On 9 June 1997 the case was registered as State aid No NN 80/97. (2) By letter dated 5 August 1997 (°), the Commission informed the German authorities of its decision to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid. The decision was published in the Official Journal of the European Commu- nities (°). The Commission accordingly changed the case number to C 45/97. In addition, interested third parties were invited to submit comments within one month of the date of publication. (3)  The German authorities responded to the decision to initiate the procedure by letters of 6 October 1997 (registered as received on 6 October 1997) and 29 January 1998 (registered as received on 30 January 1998). They submitted further information by letters of 28 November 1998 (registered as received on 5 January 1999), 15 March 1999 (registered as received on 16 March 1999), 7 June 1999 (registered as received on 9 June 1999), 12 July 1999 (registered as received on 13 July 1999) and 29 July 1999 (registered as received on 30 July 1999). In this last letter the German authorities () Letter D[6624. (%) See footnote 2.