30.4.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 108/1 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 30 October 2002 on State aid implemented by Germany for the Leuna 2000 refinery (notified under document number C(2002) 4038) (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/281/EC) 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 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 (!) and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE By letter dated 19 August 1997, registered under the number SG(97) D|7156, the Commission informed Germany that it had decided on 23 July 1997 to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of aid granted to the Leuna 2000 refinery in Saxony-Anhalt. The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid. (') O] C 394, 30.12.1997, p. 14. () See footnote 1. G) The Commission received four sets of comments from interested parties. It forwarded them on 6 March 1998 to Germany, which was given the opportunity to react. A response was received from Germany by letters dated 8 April 1998 and 15 May 1998. On 17 February 1999, the Commission decided to send an injunction requiring Germany to provide certain information. The Commission sent letters to the German authorities on 19 August 1997, 4 February 1998, 6 March 1998, 7 April 1998, 26 May 1998, 29 May 1998, 23 June 1998, 15 July 1998, 29 July 1998, 16 September 1998, 17 September 1998, 28 January 1999, 17 March 1999, 22 March 1999, 29 April 1999, 15 May 1999, 29 June 1999, 31 October 2000 and 27 November 2000. The Commission sent to letters to Elf on 31 July 1998, 16 September 1998, 23 September 1998, 4 January 1999, 15 January 1999, 4 February 1999, 24 February 1999, 13 October 1999, 21 January 2002 and 11 April 2002. The Commission received correspondence from Germany by letters dated 5 September 1997, 18 September 1997, 6 November 1997, 11 February 1998, 9 March 1998, 8 April 1998, 24 April 1998, 15 May 1998, 19 August 1998, 4 November 1998, 20 December 1998, 15 December 1998, 16 January 1999, 27 January 1999, 8 March 1999, 9 March 1999, 16 March 1999, 16 April 1999, 27 April 1999, 10 May 1999, 31 May 1999, 2 June 1999, 10 June 1999, 26 June 1999, 2 July 1999, 28 September 1999, 6 November 2001, 22 February 2002 and 17 July 2002.