19.10.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L 265/15 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 11 April 2000 on the aid granted by Italy to Centrale del Latte di Roma (notified under document number C(2000) 1173) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (2000/628/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Communities, and in particular Article 88(2) thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products (), and in particular Article 37 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)  On 4 December 1996 the Commission received a complaint in respect of the decision of the Rome Muni- cipal Council of 8 July 1996 concerning the privatisa- tion of Azienda Comunale Centrale del Latte (ACCL) by direct agreement. The complaint also mentions the fact that between 1992 and 1994, ACCL recorded huge operating losses (amounting to ITL 156,6 billion), which were written off by the Municipality of Rome. According to the plaintiff, the above operations consti- tute State aid to ACCL that is incompatible with the rules on competition in the Treaty. (2) By letter of 25 March 1997 the Commission requested the Italian authorities to provide further information concerning the alleged State aid. By letter of 25 July 0] L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 48. () O] C 206, 2.7.1998, p. 6. 1997, recorded as received on 31 July 1997, the Perma- nent Representation of Italy to the European Union forwarded the additional information requested. (3)  Having received no State- aid notification in accordance with Article 88(3) of the Treaty regarding the writing-off of sums owed by ACCL or its privatisation, the Commis- sion decided to enter the case in the register of non-noti- fied aid measures under NN 185/97. (4) By letter SG (98) D[3692 of 8 May 1998, the Commis- sion informed Italy of its decision to initiate the proce- dure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid measures to write off ACCL's oper- ating losses, the aid to Lazio milk producers and the privatisation of ACCL and possible aid to the buyer through the privatisation process. The case was entered in the register under Aid C 28/98. (5)  The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communi- ties (). The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments on the measures in question. (6) By letters of 6 and 26 July 1998, recorded as received on 7 and 28 July 1998 respectively, the Italian authori- ties submitted their observations to the Commission on the aid measures in question. In reply to a further Commission letter of 21 September 1999, Italy forwarded new information by letter of 13 January 2000, recorded as received on 19 January 2000. () See footnote 2.