19.10.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L282/15 COMMISSION DECISION of 28 February 2001 on the aid scheme ‘investment allowance 1999’, which Germany is planning to implement for certain undertakings in the new Linder, including Berlin (notified under document number C(2001) 668) (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2002/780/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in the 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 those provisions (1), and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1)  On 13 October 1997, following its adoption by the lower house of the German Parliament (Bundestag) and its approval by the upper house (Bundesrat), Germany notified the investment allowance 1999 for the new Lander provided for in the Law on the Continuation of Economic Assistance in the new Ldnder of 18 August 1997 (Gesetz zur Fortsetzung der wirtschaftlichen For- derung in den neuen Landern). The case was registered under number N 702/97. At a meeting in Bonn on 16 January 1998 and at meetings in Brussels on 28 May and 7 July 1998, and by memoranda dated 26 and 27 January, 19 June and 22 July 1998, Germany provided further information on the scheme, including studies running to several hundred pages on the socio- economic situation in the new Lénder. (2) By letter dated 30 December 1998, the Commission informed Germany that it had decided to initiate Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty proceedings in respect of certain aspects of the scheme (aid C 72/98) and to approve other aspects of the Law provided that proceed- ings on appropriate measures pursuant to Article 88(1) of the Treaty were completed by 1 January 2000. () 0JC76,19.3.1999, p. 2. G) The Commission’s decision to initiate proceedings was published in the Official Journal of the European Communi- ties (2). The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments. The comments which the Commission received from interested parties were forwarded to Germany, which gave its reactions to them by letter dated 18 December 2000. Germany put forward its own comments by letters dated 8 April 1999, 26 April 1999, 28 May 1999, 14 July 1999, 25 October 1999, 14 February 2000, 27 April 2000, 18 January 2001 and 14 February 2001 and at meetings held on 11 and 12 May 1999, 10 December 1999, 27 March 2000, 5 June 2000, 30 October 2000 and 18 January 2001. By letter dated 25 October 1999, Germany submitted a new notification (which was registered under N 671/ 99). This concerned an increase in the aid rates for certain types of initial investment begun after 31 Decem- ber 1999. The notification was supplemented, initially on 10 December 1999, by two letters which were handed over at the meeting in Brussels and, subsequently, by letters dated 27 January and 14 February 2000. By letter dated 9 November 2000, the notification was amended once again and the assistance rates in certain border areas increased. At meetings held on 27 March 2000, 5 June 2000 and 30 October 2000 and by letters dated 27 April 2000, 29 August 2000, 6 October 2000, 20 November 2000, 11 January 2001, 18 January 2001 and 14 February 2001, Germany provided additional information requested by the Commission. (2) See footnote 1.