L 227/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 28.8.1999 COMMISSION DECISION of 4 May 1999 on the measures for the restructuring of road haulage and the development of intermodality (Law No 454 of 23 December 1997) which Italy intends to implement (notified under document number C(1999) 1267) (Only the Italian version is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (1999/590/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in articular to the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) thereof Having regard to the agreement on the European Economic Area, in particular Article 62(1)(a) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to that provision(!), and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1) By note from its Permanent Representation No 2725 of G) 24 April 1997, registered at the Secretariat-General under number N 403/97, the Italian Government notified the Commission of draft Law No 3270 on the restructuring of road haulage and the development of intermodality. Two requests for additional information were sent to the Italian authorities on 23 May 1997 and 16 June 1997. A bilateral meeting took place in Brussels on 11 July 1997 to clarify the aims of the Law and examine the issues raised with regard to Community legislation by the various measures proposed. Following this meeting, the Italian authorities were asked to send the Commission, as soon as possible, an amended draft Law taking account of Commission's comments. Subsequently, two revised versions of the draft Law were sent to the Commission in September and then in () 0] C 211, 7.7.1998, p. 5. November 1997. At bilateral meetings held in October and November 1997 and by letter of 11 November 1997, the Commission emphasised the problems of compatibility with Community law which the planned measures continued to pose despite the amendments made to the notified text. The Italian authorities replied to the Commission's letter of 11 November 1997 by note from the Permanent Representation No 8392 of 12 December 1997. During a further bilateral meeting on 17 December 1997, the Italian authorities gave the Commission the text of the law adopted by the Chamber of Deputies. Following its adoption by the Senate, this text finally became Law No 454 of 23 December 1997 (%), forwarded to the Commission by note No 794 of 30 January 1998 from the Permanent Representation. By letter of 28 April 1998, the Commission informed the Italian Government of its decision to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) (formerly, Article 93(2)) of the EC Treaty in respect of the measures set by Law No 454. The main issues raised in the decision to initiate the procedure were further discussed at bilateral meetings held in May and June 1998. Following these discussions, the Italian authorities proposed a substantial revision of the planned scheme in order to ensure its compatibility with Community law. By note No 4757 of 16 July 1998 from the Permanent Representation, the Italian Government provided the Commission with its observations on the decision to initiate the procedure, along with an outline of the proposed amendments to Law 454/97 and the related ministerial implementing decrees (or draft decrees). The text of the proposed amendments to the Law was then forwarded to the Commission by letter No 5142 of 30 July 1998 from the Permanent Representation. () Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, General series, No 303, 31.12.1997, p. 4.