L 181/46 Official Journal of the European Union 19.7.2003 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 5 March 2003 on the aid scheme which Italy (the Region of Sicily) is planning to implement for the inter- nationalisation of enterprises (notified under document number C(2003) 650) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/519/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 regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 88 of the Treaty ('), Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provisions cited above, Whereas: 1. PROCEDURE (1) By letter from the Italian Permanent Representation to the European Union dated 10 May 2001, registered by the Commission on 14 May 2001 under A[33813, the Italian authorities notified the aid scheme in question pursuant to Article 88(3) of the Treaty. (2) By letter SG (2002) D/228170 of 15 January 2002, the Commission informed Italy that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the Treaty in respect of the scheme. (3)  The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Commu- nities (). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments. (4 The Commission received no comments on the scheme either from Italy or from interested parties. The only letter from the Italian authorities was dated 10 January 83,27.3.1999, p. 1. 132, 4.6.2002, p. 11. 2003 and related exclusively to one aspect of the deci- sion to initiate the procedure (point 38, concerning the de minimis rule). 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE AID 2.1. Title and legal basis (5)  The aid would be granted by the Region of Sicily under the scheme set up by Article 26 of Regional Law No 32 of 23 December 2000 laying down provisions for imple- menting the Regional Operational Programme (POR) 2000-2006 for Sicily (°) (Regional Law 32/2000) and the Decree of 22 June 2001 (*). Articles 13 and 15 of Regional Law 32/2000 contain general provisions applicable to the scheme, while Article 198 suspends its implementation pending the adoption of a decision by the Commission on completion of the notification procedure. 2.2. Objective of the scheme (6)  The scheme is intended to promote the internationalisa- tion of the regional economy by granting aid to indepen- dent or affiliated SMEs, consortia of SMEs and compa- nies set up by consortia of SMEs operating in the Region of Sicily. 2.3. Scope (7) In order to attain the objectives pursued, the scheme makes provision for the following forms of aid: — contributions to investment costs of projects designed to secure a permanent presence on one or more foreign markets (exhibition centres, show- rooms, agents' offices); () Gazzetta ufficiale della Regione siciliana, No 61, 23.12.2000. (*) Gazzetta ufficiale della Regione siciliana, Part I, No 37, 27.7.2001.