L 130/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 26.5.1999 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 1 July 1998 on aid granted by Germany to Chemieanlagenbau Staffurt (notified under document number C(1998) 2050) (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (1999/339/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Atrticle 93(2) thereof, Having given notice to the parties concerned to submit their comments, in accordance with that Article, Whereas: By letter of 9 December 1996, registered by the Commis- sion on 10 December 1996, the German Government informed the Commission pursuant to Article 93(3) of the Treaty that it proposed to grant aid to Chemieanlagenbau Stafurt AG (‘CAS’). The Commission entered the measure on the register of State aid measures under the number N 897/96. By letter of 15 January 1997 the Commission sought additional information, which was supplied by letter of 21 February 1997, registered on 24 February 1997. According to the Commission’s information, aid had already been granted to CAS without awaiting the response of the Commission. The case was accordingly transferred to the list of aid measures not notified, where it was registered under number NN 24/97. The Commission doubted whether the measure qualified as restructuring aid compatible with the common market, and on 2 April 1997 it decided to initiate proceedings under Article 93(2) of the Treaty. Germany was informed of the decision and the grounds for it by letter of 15 April 1997, the contents of which were published in the Offi- cial Journal of the European Communities('). Interested parties were invited to submit their observations within one month. Germany replied to the Commission’s letter of 15 April 1997 by letter of 13 May 1997, registered on 16 May 1997. Following publication of the notice in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 26 June 1997, the Commission received observations from a number of interested parties: there was a letter from a trade associa- tion, dated 23 July 1997, registered on 29 July 1997, and a letter from a European interest group, dated 25 July 1997, registered on 29 July 1997. Further observations arrived after the one-month deadline had expired: from the office of the permanent representative of a Member State, dated 28 July 1997, registered on 31 July 1997, and from a competitor, dated 29 July 1997, registered on 31 July 1997. () OJ C 196, 26.6.1997, p. 13.