L 52/48 Official Journal of the European Communities 27.2.1999 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 22 April 1998 on State aid for Triptis Porzellan GmbH (in liquidation), Thuringia (notified under document number C(1998) 1324) (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (1999/157/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 regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 62(1)(a) thereof, Having given the parties concerned the opportunity to submit their comments, in accordance with the aforemen- tioned Articles, Having regard to the comments received, Whereas: By letter dated 30 May 1997 the Commission informed the German Government of its decision to initiate Article 92(3) proceedings against aid for Triptis Porzellan GmbH, Thuringia (hereinafter referred to as ‘Triptis), and requested it to submit its comments. The other Member States and interested parties were informed of the opening of proceedings and were invited to submit their comments, by way of a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (*). () OJ C 250, 15. 8. 1997, p. 3. Germany gave its comments by letter dated 11 July (regis- tered the same day). The Commission requested further information in its letters dated 28 July and 5 August, to which the German Government replied by letters dated 29 August (registered on 12 September) and 8 September (registered on 9 September). The case was discussed with the German authorities on 18 and 19 September in Berlin. By letter dated 15 September 1997, the Commission received comments from a Spanish competitor. The trans- lation of these comments was transmitted to Germany by letter dated 27 October. Germany replied to them by letter dated 1 December (registered on 2 December 1997). II Triptis Porzellan GmbH, Thuringia (‘Triptis’), a German porcelain manufacturer, was founded in 1891 under the name Unger & Gretschel. The enterprise was located in the eastern Land of Thuringia. In the former GDR, the State-owned VEB Porzellanwerk Triptis porcelain formed part of the fine ceramics conglomerate Kahla (Kombinat Feinkeramik Kahla). It had neither its own trade mark, nor its own distribution system. On 1 July 1990, when the THA (Treuhandanstalt) took over the VEB Porzellanwerk Triptis, there were about 900 employees.