6.4.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L97/27 COMMISSION DECISION of 14 March 2000 on the redefinition of assisted areas under the joint Federal Government/Linder scheme for improving regional economic structures in Germany for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2003 — West Germany and Berlin (notified under document number C(2000) 809) (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/272/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, 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 called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to those provisions (1) and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1) On 30 March 1999, Germany sent a 12-page fax announcing that two annexes notifying the regional aid map of Germany (2) would be sent by mail. The annexes were registered as received by the Secretariat-General on 23 April 1999. At a meeting on 11 and 12 May 1999 in Bonn, the Commission received oral explanations and asked for additional information in writing. On 19 May 1999, Germany sent clarifications on the notification. (2) By letter dated 17 August 1999, the Commission in- formed Germany that it had decided to declare the regions proposed under Article 87(3)(a) of the EC Treaty and their respective maximum aid intensities compatible with the common market (the five new Linder, State aid Case N 195/99) and that it had decided to initiate the (1) OJ C 340,27.11.1999, p. 8. (?) For the definition of ‘regional aid map’, see point 5.1 of the guidelines on national regional aid (O] C 74, 10.3.1998, p. 9). procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in order to examine the compatibility of the regions pro- posed under Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty (the West German assisted areas and Berlin, State aid Case C 47/99). (3) The Commission decision to declare a part of the German regional aid map compatible with the common market and to initiate the formal investigation procedure in respect of the other part of the German regional aid map was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (}). In relation to the second part, the Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments. (4) The Commission received five comments from interested parties. It forwarded them to Germany, which was given the opportunity to react; its comments were received by fax dated 21 January 2000. (5) The Commission received written comments from Germ- any on 17 September 1999. Additional information and comments were submitted on 2 February 2000. Meetings were held in Brussels (12, 18 and 23 November 1999) and in Berlin (2 December 1999) between representatives of the Commission and the German Government. II. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSISTED AREAS PROPOSED BY GERMANY PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 87(3)(C) OF THE EC TREATY (6) Under German law, the Planning Committee set up under the Federal Law on the joint Federal Government/Lander scheme for improving regional economic structures (here- inafter called the joint Federal Government/Lander scheme), decides which regions are eligible for regional aid and under which derogation of the EC Treaty. Such a decision was taken on 25 March 1999 and subsequently notified to the Commission on 23 April 1999. (3 OJ C 340,27.11.1999, p. 8.