L 401/34 Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 19 January 2005 on State aid which Italy plans to grant to agricultural undertakings in Sicily (notified under document number C(2005) 52) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (2006/967 EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Ar- ticle 88(2) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provision cited above (!) and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE By letter dated 15 December 1999, registered on 20 December 1999, the Italian Permanent Representation to the European Union notified the Commission of Regional Law No 22/1999 on emergency measures in the agricultural sector (hereinafter ‘Law No 22/1999’) in accordance with Article 88(3) of the EC Treaty. By letters dated of 6 October 2000, registered on 9 October 2000, 1 February 2001, registered on 5 February 2001, and 30 July 2001, registered on 1 August 2001, the Italian Permanent Representation to the European Union sent the Commission the further information requested from the Italian authorities by letters dated 23 February 2000, 20 November 2000 and 27 March 2001. By letter dated 25 September 2001, the Commission informed Italy that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid. () O] C 315, 9.11.2001, p. 12. (4) The Commission Decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Commu- nities (3. The Commission invited the third parties concerned to submit their comments on the aid in question. The Commission did not receive any comments from interested parties. On 29 November 2001 the Commission and the Italian authorities met in Brussels. By letter dated 29 April 2002, registered on 30 April 2002, Italy sent the Commission further information on the planned aid. II. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE AID The measures originally planned under the Regional Law in question are set out in points 9 to 21, broken down by Article: Atticle 1: Extension of agricultural loans The article provides for agricultural credit institutes to extend until 31 December 2000 agricultural loans due for repayment in 1998 and 1999. Such extensions would be subject to the reference rate applicable at the date the loans fall due, with any related charges being borne by the borrowers. Extension of the agricultural loans does not entail government action but is a matter for the contractual parties (farmers and credit institutes). However, Italy has undertaken not to apply this measure. () See footnote 1.