13.11.1999 Official Journal of the European Communities L 2921 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 24 February 1999 concerning State aid granted by Spain to Daewoo Electronics Manufacturing Espafia SA (Demesa) (notified under document number C(1999) 498) (Only the Spanish text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (1999/718EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 93(2) thereof, Having given notice (!) to interested parties, in accordance with the above provisions, to submit their comments, and having taken account of those comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE By letter of 11 June 1996, the Commission received a complaint from Asociacién Nacional de Fabricantes de Electrodomésticos de Linea Blanca, the Spanish federation of manufacturers of household appliances (referred to below as ‘ANFEL), stating that Spain had granted aid to Daewoo Electronics Manufacturing Espafia SA (referred to below as ‘Demesa’), a company established at Vitoria-Gasteiz (%) in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (referred to below as ‘the Basque Country’), in the form of grants and tax exemptions exceeding the ceilings allowed for regional aid in the Basque Country. The Commission received further complaints concerning the same aid from a competitor of Demesa, from the European Committee of Manufacturers of Electrical Domestic Equipment (referred to below as ‘CECED’) () 0] C 103, 4.4.1998, p. 3. () Vitoria-Gasteiz is a municipality located in Alava, one of the three provinces forming the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. and from Associazione Nazionale Industria Elettrotecniche ed Elettroniche, the Italian federation of manufacturers of household appliances (referred to below as ‘ANIE). By letter dated 26 June 1996, the Commission asked the Spanish authorities for information. After receiving a reminder sent on 11 September 1996, Spain provided some information by letter dated 16 September 1996. By letter of 11 February 1997, the Basque regional authorities forwarded additional information to the Commission. Following further correspondence, the Commission informed Spain by letter of 16 December 1997 that it had decided to initiate proceedings under Article 93(2) of the Treaty in respect of possible aid received by Demesa, and urged the Spanish Government to provide a number of items of information. The Commission's decision to initiate proceedings was the subject of a notice (*) published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, in which the Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the measures concerned. Spain submitted its comments by letters dated 23 January 1998 and 6 March 1998. The Commission forwarded the comments it received from interested parties to Spain, offering it an opportunity to respond, which it did by letter of 20 October 1998. (®) See footnote 1.