19.2.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 45/15 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 17 July 2002 on the State aid which Italy is planning to implement for ILVA SpA (notified under document number C(2002) 2595) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/107[ECSC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, and in particular Article 4(c) thereof, Having regard to Commission Decision No 2496/96/ECSC of 18 December 1996 establishing Community rules for State aid to the steel industry (!), and in particular Article 6(5) 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 (3 and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1) By letter dated 20 December 2001, registered as received on 21 December, Italy notified the Commission of planned aid for investments to be carried out by ILVA SpA at its Taranto plant. (2) By letter dated 18 February 2002, the Commission informed Italy that it had decided to initiate the proce- dure laid down in Article 6(5) of Commission Decision No 2496/96/ECSC (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Steel Aid Code)) in respect of the aid. (") 338, 28.12.1996, p. 42. oJL () 0] C 71, 20.3.2002, p. 6. (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 on the aid. (4) By letter dated 12 April 2002, registered as received on 17 April, Italy informed the Commission that, in view of the deadline of 22 July imposed by the Steel Aid Code for payment of the aid, ILVA SpA had waived the second and third instalments of the aid. It also informed the Commission that the company had decided that five of the 13 projects included in the original notification would not be carried out and that therefore no aid would be granted for them. The projects were described in paragraphs 8, 9, 13, 14 and 16 of the Decision to initiate proceedings. In the same letter, Italy submitted additional information on the remaining projects. (5) By letter dated 18 April 2002, the United Kingdom Steel Association submitted comments on the aid. The Commission forwarded them to Italy, which was given the opportunity to react. Its comments were received by letter dated 22 May 2002. II. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE AID (6)  ILVA SpA is a producer of steel belonging to the Riva Group. () See footnote 2.