L 222/62 Official Journal of the European Union 24.8.2010 (Acts adopted before 1 December 2009 under the EC Treaty, the EU Treaty and the Euratom Treaty) COMMISSION DECISION of 17 September 2008 on State aid C 61/07 (ex NN 71/07) — Greece Olympic Airways Services/Olympic Airlines (notified under document C(2008) 5073) (Only the Greek text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2010/7777 [EC) 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 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 above Articles ('), and having regard to these comments, Whereas: 1. PROCEDURE By letter dated 19 December 2007, the Commission informed Greece of its decision to initiate the procedure provided for in Article 88(2) of the Treaty in respect of a number of financial flows and transfers which gave rise to issues of State aid concern in connection with the financing and operations of Olympic Airways Services SA and Olympic Airlines SA. On 14 January 2008 Greece requested an extension of the deadline for its reply which was accepted by the Commission. Greece transmitted its comments on 13 February 2008. The Commission’s decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (2). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their () OJ C 50, 23.2.2008, p. 13. () See footnote 1. ) comments on the measures in question within one month of the publication date. The Commission received comments on the subject from interested parties. It transmitted the comments to Greece by electronic mail of 9 April 2008. Greece was given the opportunity to respond to these comments, the Commission received Greece’s observations by electronic mail dated 13 May 2008. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE FACTS 2.1. The parties 2.1.1. Olympic Airways Services SA Olympic Airways Services SA is the current name of the company formerly known as Olympic Airways SA (?). It is primarily involved in the provision of ground-handling and aircraft maintenance/engineering services in Greece and does not operate any aircraft. It is 100 % state- owned. 2.1.2. Olympic Airlines SA Olympic Airlines SA began operation in December 2003 and was established from the flight divisions of Olympic Airways. It operates scheduled air services within Greece on intra-EU and inter-continental routes. It is 100 % state-owned (*). Olympic Airways SA was formally renamed Olympic Airways — Services SA. An amendment of the Articles of Association of Olympic Airways SA was published in the Greek Govt. Gazette no. 1485/19.2.2004, SA issue, on 19 February 2004. The amendment concerned the provision of article 1, on the basis of which the company was renamed ‘Olympic Airways — Services SA’ and its duration was set for 46 years, namely up to 31/12/2049 inclusive. The amendment also concerned the provision of article 2. The main purpose of the company is ground handling servicing, engine and aircraft overhaul workshop operations, representation and agency of airline operators etc. Hereafter in this decision the terms ‘Olympic Airways’ is used to mean both ‘Olympic Airways SA’ up to February 2004 and ‘Olympic Airways — Services SA’ thereafter. On 14 September 2005 the Commission adopted a final negative decision (Decision 2005/2706/EC — not yet published) concerning aid granted by the Hellenic Republic to Olympic Airways and Olympic Airlines.