L 40[32 Official Journal of the European Union 14.2.2003 COMMISSION DECISION of 13 November 2002 concerning the aid granted to fishermen following the suspension of fishing in the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ionian Sea in 2000 (notified under document number C(2002) 4362) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/87EC) 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 93 of the EC Treaty, and in particular Article 14 thereof (), 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, registered as received on 28 September 2000, the Italian Permanent Representation to the European Union forwarded to the Commission a draft Decree-Law introducing a number of emergency measures in the transport and fisheries sectors, including in Article 5 an accompanying social measure in favour of fishermen in the maritime regions from Imperia to Reggio Calabria and from Crotone to Gallipoli, excluding those covered by the maritime districts of Castro, Tricase, Santa Maria di Leuca and Otranto, as a result of the ‘technical suspension’ of fishing in the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ionian Sea in summer 2000. This was registered as notified aid under the number N 159D/2000. (2)  Subsequently, by letter dated 2 October 2000, the Italian authorities forwarded the text of the Decree-Law (No 265 of 26 September 2000), published in the Italian Official Gazette of 27 September 2000. The () OJ L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1. Italian authorities were asked on four occasions, in letters dated 23 November 2000 and 20 February, 30 May and 5 July 2001, to provide supplementary information, to which they did 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 Decree-Law No 265 into law), Decrees of the Minister for Agriculture and Forestry of 30 June, 19 July and 3 August 2000 and containing various implementing provisions for the technical suspensions. (3)  The Decreer of 3 August 2000, containing 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 non-notified aids, under the number NN 15/2001. (4) By letter C(2001) 3463 final of 13 November 2001 the Commission informed the Italian Government of the decision to initiate the formal investigation procedure provided for in Article 88(3) of the EC Treaty in respect of the measure concerned. The Italian authorities presented their comments by letter of 20 December 2001. (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 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. () 0] C 25, 29.1.2002, p. 9.