20.4.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L 105/19 COMMISSION DECISION of 21 December 2000 on State aid granted by Finland to Ojala-Yhtymi Oy (notified under document number C(2000) 4400) (Only the Finnish and Swedish texts are authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2002/283EC) 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 regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the Treaty establishing the European Community (1), and in particular Article 7(3) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provisions cited above (), Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1) By letter of 29 October 1999 (registered on 5 November 1999) Finland notified the Commission that the Finnish authorities had granted State aid to Ojala-Yhtymi Oy (Ojala-Yhtymi) in connection with an investment to be made in the area of Piippola. (2)  The Commission requested additional information from Finland by letter dated 2 December 1999. Finland replied by letter of 23 December 1999 (registered on 7 January 2000). (3)  According to the information received from Finland, part of the planned aid had already been granted to the company at the time of the notification. Therefore, the case was registered as non-notified aid. (4) By letter dated 17 April 2000, the Commission informed Finland that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid. () OJ L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1. (3) O] C 278, 30.9.2000, p. 2. (5) Finland submitted its comments by letter dated 29 May 2000. (6)  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 measure. (7y  The Commission received no comments from interested parties. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE AID (8)  The aid measures regarding which the Commission decided to initiate the Article 88(2) procedure are as follows: — a five-year interest-free loan of FIM 4 million (EUR 672 751,70) granted by the Municipality of Piippola on 12 July 1999, — a possible aid element in the purchase price of FIM 10 000 (EUR 1 681,87) paid by Ojala-Yhtymd on 12 July 1999 for a plot of land of approximately 50 000 m? from the Municipality of Piippola. (9)  Ojala-Yhtymid is a Finnish manufacturer of custom precision mechanics. The company has 202 employees and its turnover in 1998 was FIM 173 million. Ojala-Yhtymi is an affiliate company within the Ojala group, which currently employs over 620 people and achieved a turnover of FIM 500 million in 1999. It is not, therefore, an SME. (10) The assisted project is located in Piippola, Finland, where Ojala-Yhtymid began manufacturing tools during the first quarter of the year 2000. (%) See footnote 2.