19.10.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L 282/29 COMMISSION DECISION of 12 March 2002 on the aid granted by Italy to Poste Italiane SpA (formerly Ente Poste Italiane) (notified under document number C(2002) 921) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2002/782[EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munities, 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 called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provisions cited above, (1), Whereas: I. PROCEDURE On 24 April 1997 the Commission received a complaint stating that Italy had granted State aid to Ente Poste Italiane (hereinafter EPI). The complainant asked the Commission to check whether the aid measures were justified under Community law. The Commission requested preliminary information by letters dated 27 May and 21 October 1997, to which the Italian authorities replied on 28 July 1997 and 2 and 23 Febru- ary 1998. On 14 July 1998 the Commission decided to initiate proceedings under Article 93(2) (now Article 88(2)). By letter dated 4 August 1998 the Commission informed Italy of its decision to initiate proceedings under Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the measures (hereinafter the opening decision). () 0JC367,27.11.1998,p. 5; 0] C 28, 3.2.1999, p. 5. ) The Commission learnt from reports in the press that Italy was planning to grant additional aid, while the procedure was pending. By letter of 15 July 1998 the Commission asked for information on the new measures, which was furnished by the Italian Govern- ment by letter of 7 August 1998. The Commission decided to extend the Article 88(2) procedure to the new measures on 16 September 1998. Italy was informed of this decision by letter dated 12 October 1998 (herein- after the extending decision). The Commission decisions to open and extend the procedure were published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. In both decisions the Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the measures referred to by the complainant and other measures identified by the Commission itself. Only the complainant submitted observations to the Commission by letters dated 2 March 1999 and 1 December 1999. The Commission forwarded the observations to Italy, which was given the opportunity to respond. Its comments were submitted by letter of 29 June 1999, registered by the Commission on 30 June 1999. The Italian authorities submitted further observations by letters of 23 October and 14 December 1998. The Commission requested additional information by letters of 15 December 1998, 25 February, 30 March and 16 December 1999, 11 May 2000 and 1 January 2001. The Italian authorities provided the information request- ed by letters of 17 February, 28 April, 29 June, 30 July, 20 August and 30 September 1999, 18 September and 21 February 2000, 23 January and 28 February 2001.