6.2.2007 Official Journal of the European Union L 32/37 COMMISSION DECISION of 9 November 2005 concerning the aid scheme that France plans to implement in favour of producers and traders of liqueur wines: Pineau des Charentes, Floc de Gascogne, Pommeau de Normandie and Macvin du Jura (notified under document number C(2005) 4189) (Only the French text is authentic) (2007/55/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the above provision (%), Whereas: (6) L PROCEDURE By letter dated 23 June 2003, the French Permanent Representation to the European Union notified the Commission under Article 88(3) of the EC Treaty of an aid scheme that it planned to implement in favour of producers and traders of liqueur wines: Pineau des Charentes, Floc de Gascogne, Pommeau de Normandie and Macvin du Jura. Further information was sent by letters dated 9 August, 24 and 28 November 2003 and 17 and 24 February 2004. By letter dated 20 April 2004, the Commission informed France that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid. The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (3). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid in question. The Commission has received no comments from inter- ested parties. By letter dated 11 June 2004, recorded as received on 14 June 2004, France submitted its comments to the Commission. 1. DESCRIPTION The aids notified are a continuation of those previously notified to and approved by the Commission in connection () OJ C 42, 18.2.2005, p. 2. () See footnote 1. (10) (11) with state aids Nos N 703/95 (}) and N 327/98 (%) and involve publicity and promotion measures, research and experimentation measures, technical assistance measures and measures to promote the production of quality products. The Court of Justice annulled the Commission decision on state aid N 703/95 in a judgment detailed below. Seven instalments were paid under the two aid schemes 703/95 and 327/98, which were initially planned to run for five years from 1995/96, the final instalment covering the period from May 2001 to April 2002. However, because of budget constraints imposed by the Government, the final payments are still frozen today. The expiry date of the previous scheme was extended to 30 April 2002. As regards the products covered, changes were made from the previous schemes. The spirit-drinks sector (Armagnac, Calvados, Cognac) did not ask for the scheme to be extended. Consequently, the French authorities decided to restrict it to liqueur wines with a registered designation of origin. For all the inter-branch organisations targeted and all the aid measures described below, the total budget planned is EUR 12 000 000, broken down as follows: EUR 9 360 000 for Pineau des Charentes, EUR 2 040 000 for Floc de Gascogne, EUR 360 000 for Pommeau de Normandie and EUR 240 000 for Macvin du Jura. The research, technical assistance and quality-product development measures will be financed solely by the Member State from the budget. The publicity and promotion measures will be financed partly by the Member State and partly by the inter-branch organisations con- cerned by means of obligatory voluntary levies (CVO) charged to their members. For publicity measures within the European Union, the Member State will contribute up to a maximum of 50 %. () Letter No SG(96) D/9957 to the French authorities dated 21 November 1996. (*) Letter No SG(98) D[6737 to the French authorities dated 4 August 1998.