L 40/38 Official Journal of the European Union 14.2.2003 COMMISSION DECISION of 13 November 2002 concerning the aid granted to fishermen and shellfish producers as a result of the pollution caused by mucilage and the suspension of fishing for technical reasons in the Adriatic Sea in 2000 (notified under document number C(2002) 4365) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/88EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) 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 EC Treaty, and in particular Article 14 thereof (1), Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) and having regard to their comments, Whereas: PROCEDURE (1) By letter dated 26 September 2000, received on 28 September 2000, the Italian Permanent Representation to the European Union forwarded to the Commission the text of a draft Order introducing a number of emergency measures in the transport and fisheries sectors to provide support for these sectors, including in Article 4, paragraphs 1 to 4 and 6 to 10, compensation measures for fishermen and shellfish producers in the Adriatic. The measures were recorded as notified aid under the number N 159C/2000. (2)  Subsequently, by letter dated 2 October 2000, the Italian authorities forwarded the text of the Order (No 265 of 26 September 2000), published in the Italian Official Gazette of 27 September 2000. The Italian authorities were asked on four occasions to provide supplementary information in letters dated 23 November 2000, 20 February, 30 May and 5 July 2001, () OJ L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1. to which they replied by letters dated 5 February, 2 May, 31 May and 24 July 2001. The information presented included, in the letter of 5 February 2001, Law No 343 of 23 November 2000 (converting Order No 265 into law), published in the Official Gazette of 25 November 2000, together with three Orders of the Minister for Agriculture and Forestry of 19 July, 3 August and 22 December 2000 respectively containing the implementing provisions. (3)  The Orders of 3 August and 22 December 2000, which contain  the  practical arrangements for the compensation, took immediate effect. Furthermore, since there was no provision requiring prior approval by the Commission for the Law and the implementing provisions to enter into force, the measures could be implemented directly. For that reason, the matter was transferred on 9 February 2001 to the register of unnotified aids under the number NN 12/2001. (4) By letter C(2001) 3465 final of 13 November 2001 the Commission informed Italy that while it regarded the compensation for fishermen for the suspension of fishing activities between 19 June and 19 July 2000 to be compatible with the common market, a decision had been taken to initiate the formal investigation procedure provided for in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the compensation for fishermen for the suspension of fishing activities after 19 July 2000 together with that for shellfish producers. Italy presented its comments by letter of 20 December 2001, and in a further letter of 20 February 2002. (5)  The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 29 January 2002 (%). The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments on the measures concerned and received a joint letter from the three organisations Federcoopesca, Lega Pesca and AGCI Pesca on 27 February 2002. This letter was forwarded to the Italian authorities in accordance with Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 659/1999. (3) 0] C 25, 29.1.2002, p. 12.