L 223/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 18.8.2001 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 18 October 2000 on State aid which the Netherlands is planning to grant to Océ NV for the development of colour ink-jet printers (notified under document number C(2000) 3016) (Only the Dutch text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/637[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 61(1)(a) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments, pursuant to the provisions cited above ('), Whereas: I. PROCEDURE By letter dated 18 December 1996, the Netherlands notified the Commission of planned aid of EUR 22,7 million to be granted to the company Océ NV for the development of colour ink-jet printers and associated technologies (Cobalt). The Netherlands provided the Commission with further information by letters dated 28 May, 16 September and 22 December 1997, and during a meeting in Brussels on 10 February 1998. By letter dated 12 May 1998, the Commission informed the Netherlands that it had decided to initiate the pro- cedure 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 Commu- nities (%). The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments. The Commission received no comments from interested parties. () O] C 270, 29.8.1998, p. 2. () See footnote 1. (4) By letter dated 24 July 1998, the Netherlands responded to the initiation of the formal investigation procedure and answered further questions which the Commission had put on 7 July 1998. On its own initiative, the Netherlands provided further information in the form of an expert evaluation report (hereinafter referred to as the ‘second opinion’) on 11 November 1998. Further infor- mation was sent by letter dated 25 March 1999, following another meeting with Commission officials on 3 March 1999. By letter dated 6 July 1999, the Nether- lands sent information which had been presented to Commission officials during a visit to the R & D prem- ises of Océ NV on 25 June 1999. Some further docu- ments were provided on 19 July 1999. At a meeting held on 29 September 1999, the Netherlands promised further information, which was sent by letters dated 27 October 1999, 12 November 1999 and, following a further Commission request on 29 November 1999, by letter dated 20 December 1999. Confirmation of the eligible costs was sent by fax on 19 July 2000. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE AID The aid is to be granted by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs as new individual research and devel- opment (R&D) aid for the development of colour ink-jet printers and associated technologies (Cobalt) to the company Océ NV, located in Venlo. The proposed direct grant amounts to EUR 22,7 million (NLG 50 million) for a project which, when notified, was to cover the period 1997 to 2001 and claimed eligible costs of EUR 93,6 million.