L 171/36 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.6.98 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 21 January 1998 on aid granted by the Netherlands to a hydrogen peroxide works in Delfzijl (notified under document number C(1998) 232) (Only the Dutch text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (98/384/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Atrticle 93(2) thereof, Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 62(1)(a) thereof, Having given the parties concerned the opportunity to submit their comments, in accordance with those Articles, Whereas: A complaint drew the Commission’s attention to the construction of a hydrogen peroxide plant in Delfzijl in the Netherlands. FMC Industrial Chemicals (Netherlands) BV (‘FMC’), a subsidiary of the US company FMC Corp., submitted a request to the Netherlands authorities for a contribution towards the cost of constructing a hydrogen peroxide production plant in Delfzijl in the province of Groningen. Production was scheduled to start at the end of 1995 and was targeted at northern Europe. The invest- ment would amount to NLG 115 million, and the plant was to have a production capacity of 35 000 tonnes a year. FMC’s project was considered to be of special interest to the economic development of the province of Groningen, and in particular the town of Delfzijl, in view of the state of the local economy and the fact that it was the first time since 1986 that a large firm had settled in the area. The Netherlands authorities accordingly acceded to the company’s request; they awarded a grant of 25 % of eligible costs, subject to a ceiling of NLG 25 million. The aid was to be paid under a scheme which the Commis- sion had previously approved, the Regional Investment Project Subsidies Order (Besluit subsidies regionale Investeringsprojecien — ‘the IPR scheme’) (). The aid granted amounted to NLG 28,75 million. On 18 September 1996 the Commission decided to initiate proceedings under Article 93(2) of the Treaty in respect of these measures. It informed the Netherlands Government accordingly by letter of 3 October 1996 (3. By letter of 31 October the Netherlands authorities asked for an extension of the time allowed for observations until 15 January 1997, and the Commission agreed to this. The observations reached the Commission on 27 January 1997, followed by additional information on 28 February 1997. The letter informing the Netherlands authorities that the proceedings had been initiated was published in a notice in the Official Journal of the European Communities (). Following that notice the Commission received observa- tions from four firms, including the group to which the complainant belongs, the recipient, and one trade associa- tion. On 2 June 1997 Commission staff met representatives of the recipient company; the company’s lawyer was present. By letter of 16 June 1997 the Commission sent the Netherlands authorities the observations received from interested parties, with translations into Dutch. The Commission received the Netherlands authorities’ replies to these observations on 17 July 1997. (") Commission Decision of 27 December 1990: State aid measure No N 514/90 — Netherlands. () SG(96) D/8632. () OJ C 112, 10. 4. 1997, p. 3.