19. 10. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 276/37 COMMISSION DECISION of 27 June 1984 on a proposal by the Netherlands Government to grant aid for an investment by a flat-glass manufacturer at Tiel (Only the Dutch text is authentic) (84/497/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 93 (2) thereof, Having given notice in accordance with the above Article to interested parties to submit their comments and having regard to those comments, Whereas : . Article 6 of the Netherlands Law of 29 June 1978 (Wet Investeringsrekening — WIR) (') on the promo- tion and guidance of investment introduced an ‘addi- tional premium for major projects’ for investments exceeding Fl 30 million. The amount of the premium depends on the number of jobs created and may account for up to 4 % of the investment in question. When examining the Netherlands Law at the draft stage, in the course of the procedure under Article 93 (3) of the EEC Treaty, the Commission pointed out that since the ‘additional premium for major projects’ involved no sectoral or regional objectives it therefore constituted a general aid system, and that since the arrangements applied to all investment, without distinction by reference to given undertakings, regions or sectors, they could not qualify for the derogations under Article 92 (3) (a) or (c). In the absence of such specification, the Commission could not assess the system’s effects on trade between Member States and on competition and therefore assess its compatibility with the common market. In respect of such general aid systems it is now the well-established policy of the Commission to accept them subject to one of two conditions, namely that the (') Staatsblad 1978, No 368. Member State concerned notifies to the Commission either a plan for regional or sectoral application or alternatively, where this is felt not to be possible, signi- ficant individual cases of application. In line with this approach, and in accordance with Article 93 (3) of the EEC Treaty, the Commission requested prior notification in good time of individual cases of application of the ‘additional premium for major projects’, account being taken of the amount of investment concerned. During discussions with the Netherlands authorities the Commission stated that it would assess each case on its own merits in the light of the rules contained in Articles 92 et seq. or rules developed during adminis- tration of those provisions. The Netherlands Govern- ment could not infer that, by requesting regular prior notification, the Commission had taken a favourable view of the additional premium system. The Netherlands Government complied with the Commission’s request by including the prior notifica- tion procedure in Articles 6 (7) and 7 (3) of Chapter V of the Netherlands Law of 29 June 1978. I By telex of 24 August 1983 the Netherlands Govern- ment, as required by the procedure, informed the Commission of its intention to grant the ‘additional premium for major projects’ for a proposed investment by a Dutch company, belonging to a flat-glass manu- facturing group, who was the only producer of basic flat glass in the Netherlands until 1981. At present no basic flat glass is produced in the Netherlands. The proposed investment consists of the establishment of a float for the production of flat glass. The cost of the investment is estimated to be Fl 150 million and the premium proposed would amount to Fl 6 million, or 4 % of the sum of the investment. The investment would create 140 jobs within five years and preserve another 350 jobs in the firm’s processing unit.