19.8.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L209/1 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 13 November 2002 (concerning the cash advance granted by France to Bull) (notified under document number C(2002) 4366) (Only the French text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/599/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, 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 these provisions (1), Whereas: I. PROCEDURE On 20 November 2001 the Commission learned from several sources that France was planning to grant a repayable advance of EUR 100 million to Bull. It accordingly sent a request for information to France by letter No D[54828 of 22 November 2001 and a reminder (D/55337) on 21 December 2001. By letter dated 19 December, the French Minister for the Econ- omy informed the Commission about the aid plan in question. By fax dated 7 January 2002, registered as received on 8 January under No A[30093, the Commission received a provisional reply from the French authorities which stated that a cash advance of EUR 100 million had been paid and that the information (1) O] C128,30.5.2002, p. 8. requested by the Commission would be sent as soon as possible. When it failed to receive the information, the Commission sent France a reminder by letter No DJ 50581 of 11 February, stating that a decision requiring the information to be provided would be taken under Article 10(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (2) if it failed to received the information within ten working days. France replied by fax of 4 March 2002, registered on 5 March under No A1/31700, asking for an extension of twenty working days in which to reply. By letter No D/50983 of 7 March, the Commission informed France that it had registered the case as non-notified aid (NN 23/2002) and extended the deadline for providing the information requested to 18 March 2002. By fax dated 14 March 2002, registered under No Af 32004 on 15 March, France notified the aid measures in question. By fax dated 20 March, registered on 22 March under No A[322021, the French authorities sent the Commission a memo on Bull’s audited annual accounts. By letter of 20 March, registered by the Commission on 2 April under No A[32431, the French authorities submitted Bull's annual report for 2000. (3) OJL 83,27.3.1999, p. 1.