L 310/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 28.11.2001 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 28 March 2001 on the State aid which Italy is planning to grant to Ferriere Nord SpA (notified under document number C(2001) 1010) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/829/EC, ECSC) 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 Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, and in particular Article 4(c) thereof, Having regard to Commission Decision No 2496/96/ECSC of 18 December 1996 establishing Community rules for State aid to the steel industry ('), and in particular Article 6(5) thereof, Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 62(1)(a) 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) By letter dated 19 February 1999, the Italian authorities notified the Commission in accordance with Article 6(1) of Commission Decision No 2496/96/ECSC that they intended to grant environmental aid to the ECSC steel company Ferriere Nord SpA under Section VI of Regional Law No 47 of 3 June 1978, as amended by () O] L 338, 28.12.1996, p. 42. () O] C 288, 9.10.1999, p. 39, and O] C 315, 4.11.2000, p. 4. Regional Law No 2 of 2 January 1992 (}), which had been approved by the Commission (letter SG(92)D 18803 of 22 December 1992). The notification concerned aid to investments in a continuous casting plant and a new rolling line for the production of elec- trowelded wire mesh. (2) By letter dated 3 June 1999, the Commission informed the Italian Government of its decision to initiate proceedings under Article 6(5) of Decision No 2496/96/ ECSC in respect of the abovementioned aid and invited it to submit its comments. The decision was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid. (3)  The Commission received comments from Ferriere Nord and from the European Independent Steelworks Associa- tion (EISA). It forwarded them to the Italian Govern- () Article 15(1) of the Law provides that the regional authorities may rant aid of up to 20 % gross grant equivalent of eligible costs to irms in operation for at least two years, that intend to introduce or modify production installations and processes aimed at reducing not only the quantity and danger of residuals, waste and emissions produced but also noise levels or securing a qualitative improve- ment of the working environment in line with new standards esta- blished by sectoral laws. (*) OJ C 288, 9.10.1999, p. 39.