27. 10. 95 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 257/37 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 1 February 1995 concerning a German proposal to grant State aid to Georgsmarienhiitte GmbH (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (55/437/ECSC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, and in particular Article 4 (c) thereof, Having regard to Commission Decision No 3855/591/ ECSC of 27 November 1991 establishing Community rules for aid to the steel industry(!), and in particular Article 2 thereof, Having, in accordance with Article 6 (4) of the abovemen- tioned Decision, given notice to interested parties to submit their comments, Whereas : 1 By letter dated 6 July 1993 the German authorities noti- fied the Commission pursuant to Articles 2 and 6 of Decision No 3855/91/ECSC the ‘steel aids code’ (SAC) of State aid to Georgsmarienhiitte GmbH to enable it to carry out investments for research and development purposes. The aid amounted to DM 32,5 million and represented 30 % of the eligible costs. By letter of 7 September 1993 the German authorities answered several questions put to them by letter of 29 July 1993. In November 1993 the Commission decided to open the procedure provided for in Article 6 (4) of the steel aids code in respect of the proposed State aid. The German Government was informed of this decision by letter of 31 December 1993 (SG(93) D/21737). The same letter asked the German authorities to give their () OJ No L 362, 31. 12. 1991, p. 57. comments on the points raised in the Commission’s deci- sion. The letter to the German authorities was published in the Official Journal (¥, and other Member States and inte- rested parties were requested to send their observations to the Commission within one month of the date of the publication. The observations of the German Government were sent by telefax on 31 January 1994, registered on the following day. Furthermore, the Commission received letters from the following parties : — The British Iron and Steel Producers Association (BISPA) (letter of 28 March 1994, registered on 6 April 1994), — European Independent Steel Works Associations (EISA) (letter of 6 April 1994, registered on 11 April 1994), — Mefos Metallurgical and Metal Working Research Plant (letter of 7 April 1994, registered on 8 April 1994), — Usinor Sacilor (letter of 8 April 1994, registered on 11 April 1994), — The United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the European Communities (letter of 8 April 1994, registered on 18 April 1994). By letter of 21 June 1994, those letters and their trans- lated versions plus Annexes were sent to the German Permanent Representation. The German Government replied by letter of 24 June 1994, registered the same day. An informal meeting between representatives of the Commission and the German Government took place in Brussels on 30 June 1994, @ OJ No C 71, 9. 3. 1994, p. 5.