L 96/26 Official Journal of the European Communities 10.4.1999 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 14 October 1998 on measures to assist cooperatives taken by Italy under Law 49/85 (notified under document number C(1998) 2857) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (1999/250/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, parties and asking them to submit any observations within one month of the date of publication of the notice. Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Atrticle 93(2) thereof, (3  No other Member State or interested third party Havi d he A he E submitted observations. The Italian Government aving regard to the Agreement on the Luropean submitted observations in several letters, dated 31 Economic Area, and in particular Article 62(1)(a) thereof, July 1997 and 21 January, 6 March, 13 May and 16 June 1998. Having given the other Member States and parties concerned notice to submit their comments, in accord- ance with those Articles ('), Whereas: II I “) In its letter of 31 July 1997 the Italian Government informed the Commission as follows: 1) By letter of 11 June 1997 the Commission informed the Italian Government that it had decided to initiate proceedings under Article 93(2) (2) Law 49/85 had been repealed, and no aid had of the Treaty in respect of fresh funding provided been granted out of the funding notified to the for in Laws 538/93 and 644/94 and Decree-law Commission; 416/95 to finance certain provisions of Law 49/85 on measures to assist cooperatives; the Commission asked the Italian Government to submit its (b) the aid had been replaced by a new scheme, comments within one month of the date of the which would be notified under Article 92(3) of letter. the Treaty; (2) The Commission also published a notice in the (c) one of the schemes provided for in the old law, Official Journal of the European Communities () namely the Special Fund, was nevertheless to informing other Member States and interested continue to apply on a transitional basis to cooperatives set up before 31 December 1996; () OJ C 309, 7.10.1997, p. 3. there were 21 cases, involving a total of ITL 40 () See footnote 1. billion and affecting 795 workers.