19. 9. 9% Official Journal of the European Communities ) No L239/1 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 29 May 1996 concerning aid proposed by Germany to Buna GmbH, Sachsische Olefinwerke GmbH, Leuna-Werke GmbH, Leuna-Polyolefine GmbH and BSL Polyolefinverbund GmbH (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (96/545/EC) 3 THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 93 (2) thereof, Having regard to the Agreement establishing the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 62 (1) (a) thereof, Having, in accordance with the abovementioned Articles, given notice to the parties concerned to submit their comments (1), Whereas: 1. The chemical industry, grouped in large ‘Kombinate’ (conglomerates), was one of the main industries of the former German Democratic Republic, originally employing more than 90 000 people. It was centered in the Leipzig area, inland in (") 1. Opening of procedure: — OJ No C 113, 5. 5. 1995, p. 5 (Buna), — O] No C 113, 5. 5. 1995, p. 13 (SOW), — OJ No C 206, 26. 7. 1994, p. 10 (Leuna). 2. Enlargement of procedure: — OJ No C 203, 8. 8. 1995, p. 6 (Buna, SOW, BSL), «— O] No C 227, 1. 9. 1995, p. 8 (Leuna). Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony, where the four largest complexes, namely Buna, Sichsische Olefinwerke (SOW), Leuna and Chemie AG Bitterfeld gave employment to 68 500. In June 1990 the Government of the former German Democratic  Republic  founded the privatization trustee Treuhandanstalt (THA), which continued its activities after Germany had been unified. The THA transformed the planned-economy complexes into public limited companies, which remained interdependent, however, regarding the supply of raw materials, primary and intermediary products and energy. The resulting impediments to a fast restructuring and privatization of these companies were aggravated by the concomitant breakdown of traditional outlets. The undertakings in question comprised a large number of quite diverse branches of activity. Many production plants were outdated, quite obsolete or had an uneconomic scale of production. The THA shut these plants down and tried to break down the remaining groups into smaller units, which would be easier to sell. Of the three companies in the Leipzig area, Buna (at Schkopau), SOW (at Bohlen) and Leuna-Werke GmbH, the site of Leuna was the largest. After the hiving off of several branches, including its low-density  polyethylene (LDPE) division as the independent Leuna-Polyolefine GmbH, the remainder was combined into one industrial park.