L 252/18 Official Journal of the European Union 4.10.2003 I (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 9 July 2003 on State aid which Spain is planning to implement in the form of contract-related operating aid for three LNG ships built by IZAR (notified under document number C(2003) 2009) (Only the Spanish text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/691EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Communities, and in particular the first paragraph of Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty, 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 1540/98 establishing new rules on aid to shipbuilding (), and in particular to Article 3(2) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provisions cited above (%), Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1)  On 6 November 2001 Spain notified the Commission of its request to be granted an extension of the delivery limit for four liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers contracted by the Spanish shipbuilding group IZAR. By letter dated 24 April 2002 the Commission informed Spain that it had decided to initiate a proceeding under Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the measure. Spain replied by letter dated 4 June 2002, registered on 6 June 2002. (2)  The Commission decision to initiate a proceeding was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (). The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments. (3)  The Commission received comments from interested parties. It forwarded them to Spain, which was given the opportunity to react; its comments were received by letter dated 3 December 2002. 0J L 202, 18.7.1998, p. 1. () OJ L 33, 5.2.2000, p. 6. 0] C 238, 3.10.2002, p. 2.