L 18/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 19.1.2001 COMMISSION DECISION of 26 July 2000 on the measure and State aid implemented by Germany for the SICAN group and its project partners (notified under document number C(2000) 2466) (Only the German version is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/46/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular 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 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty(!), and in particular Article 7 thereof, Having regard to the Commission Decision of 11 March 1998 (3 to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) in respect of State aid C 20/98, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to those provisions (?), Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1) By letter dated 30 September 1996 a complaint was lodged with the Commission concerning a presumed EUR 150 million of State aid to SICAN, a firm located in Hannover, Lower Saxony. (2) By letter dated 4 November 1996 the Commission asked Germany for information, which the Federal Government provided by letter dated 20 March 1997. In addition to this information, the Federal Government sent three separate messages informing the Commission that aid had been granted. (3) The Federal Government provided additional information at a meeting on 2 December 1997 between representatives of Germany and of the Commission. () OJL 83, 27.3.1999.p. 1. ( 0J C 307, 7.10.1998. p. 13. () See footnote 2. 4) (10) I = N By letter dated 26 May 1998 the Commission informed Germany that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid. The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (¥). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid, but received no such comments. Following the letter informing it of the initiation of the procedure, Germany sent the Commission additional information on the following dates: 21 July 1998, 14 September 1998, 24 November 1998, 11 January 1999, 17 February 1999, 3 March 1999, 27 April 1999, 15 June 1999 and 16 June 1999. Representatives of Germany and of the Commission held meetings on 30 September 1998 and 20 May 1999. On 2 February 2000 the Commission requested further information, which Germany provided by letter dated 15 March 2000. II. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURES AND OF THE PRESUMED AID On the basis of the information which the Commission had in its possession at the time of initiation of the procedure, the facts were as follows (°). A. THE GROUP In 1989 the Government of the Land of Lower Saxony decided, within the framework of the European project JESST, to set up, together with the Federal Government, SICAN as a strategic centre of competence for the key See footnote 2. Detailed information is to be found in the Commission notice to the other Member States (initiation of the procedure in the SICAN case), see footnote 3.