No L 229/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 13. 8. 81 COMMISSION DECISION of 10 July 1981 on a scheme of aid by the Belgian Government in respect of certain investments carried out by a Belgian undertaking to modernize its butyl rubber production plant (Only the Dutch and French texts are authentic) {81/626/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 to the parties concerned to submit their comments as provided for in Article 93, and having regard to those comments, Whereas: 1 The Belgian law of 17 July 1959, implemented by the Royal Order of 17 August 1959 (Y} introduced general measures to aid the Belgian economy, and in particular interest rate rebates on loans contracted to pay for investments, state guarantees covering loans contracted by undertakings with banks where certain interest rebates are given, and exemption for five years from tax on income from immovable property. When examining the Belgian law, pursuant to the procedure defined in Article 93 (1) and (2) of the EEC Treaty, the Commission pointed out that, since it contained no industrial or regional objectives and permitted aid to be given for investment by any undertaking in anv area or industry, it constituted a general aid system which, as such, could not qualify for exemption under Article 92 (3) (a) or (¢). In the absence of specific information the Commission could not assess the scheme’s effects on trade berween Member States or on competition and was, therefore, unable to form an opinion as to its compatibility with the common market. It is now the well-established policy of the Commission to accept such general aid schemes subject to one of two {1) Moniteur Belge of 29 August 1959. conditions, namely that the Member State concerned informs the Commission of either a regional or sectoral plan of application, or where this is felt not to be possible, that it notifies significant individual cases of application. Commission Decision 75/397/EEC (?), required the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium to notify the Commission in advance and in sufficient time of significant cases of application of the Belgian Law of 17 July 1959, introducing measures to promote economic expansion and the creation of new industries so as to enable the Commission to decide on the compatibility of the proposed aids with the common market. 11 By telex dated 13 December 1978 the Belgian Government informed the Commission of its intention to grant assistance under the abovementioned law for investment by a chemical undertaking at Zwijndrecht in the Antwerp district. The undertaking concerned is the subsidiary of a group that specializes in the production of butyl rubber. The Belgian undertaking has 421 employees and in 1978 had a turnover of Bfrs 2 800 million. The assistance contemplated by the Belgian Government is towards an investment project involving the replacement of a plant producing chlorobutyl-type halogenated butyl rubber by a plant producing 90 000 tonnes per year of bromobutyl-type halogenated butyl rubber. The investment would create 51 new jobs. The undertaking concerned intends to maintain its position on the halogenated butyl rubber market by (?) OJNoL 177,8.7.1975, p. 13.