EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 27.VI.2007 C(2007) 3036 PUBLIC VERSION WORKING LANGUAGE This document is made available for information purposes only. Subject: State aid N 249/2007 – The Netherlands Regional aid map 2007-2013 Madam, 1. PROCEDURE (1) By e-mail dated 2 May 2007, registered at the Commission on the same date (A/33684) the Dutch authorities notified their regional aid map for the period 1.1.2007 – 31.12.2013. (2) By e-mail dated 5 June 2007, registered at the Commission on 6 June 2007 (A/34669), the Dutch authorities submitted complementary information. (3) On 21 December 2005, the Commission adopted the Guidelines on National Regional Aid for 2007-20131 (hereinafter “RAG”). In accordance with paragraph 100 of the RAG each Member State should notify to the Commission following the procedure of Article 88(3) of the Treaty, a single regional aid map covering its entire national territory which will apply for the period 2007-2013. In accordance with paragraph 101, the approved regional aid map is to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, and will be considered an integral part of the RAG. 1 OJ C 54, 4.3.2006, p. 13 Zijne Excellentie Drs. M.J.M. Verhagen Minister van Buitenlandse Zaken Bezuidenhoutseweg 67 NL - 2500 EB Den Haag Commission européenne, B-1049 Bruxelles – Belgique Europese Commissie, B-1049 Brussel – België Telefoon: 00- 32 (0) 2 299.11.11. 2. DESCRIPTION (4) For the period between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 20062, 15% of the Dutch population lived in regions which were eligible under the derogation of Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty. (5) The Dutch authorities propose that for the period 2007-2013 7.5% of their population should be eligible to receive regional investment aid under the derogation of Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty at aid intensity of 15% or 10%. Further they propose a transitional additional coverage of 2.4% of their population for the years 2007-2008 with an aid intensity of 10% GGE3. (6) All the proposed aid ceilings are those for investments by large enterprises. For medium sized enterprises4 these aid ceilings can be increased5 by 10 percentage points and for small enterprises6 by 20 percentage points. (7) The Dutch regional aid map proposed for 2007-2013 shows a high level of continuity with the map for the period 2000-2006. The Dutch authorities propose a total of 6 regions for coverage for the whole period 2007-2013. Each of these regions forms contiguous zones with a population of at least 100,000 inhabitants, and is located within NUTS-II or NUTS-III regions with either a GDP per capita below the EU-25 average or unemployment above 115% of the national average. The 6 regions concerned are exclusively located in the NUTS I region of Noord- Nederland, or in the Province of Limburg, and reflect a continuing preoccupation of the Dutch authorities with the development of these areas, as well as the fact that in some cases adjacent regions in neighbouring Member States are also eligible for regional investment aid under Article 87(3)(c) of the Treaty. (8) The Netherlands is the only Member State where there is a continuous process of reorganisations at the municipal level. Every year there are changes to the delimitation of municipalities and the number has continuously decreased. In the last 40 years the number of municipalities has decreased by more than 500 to 443 in 2007. In the year 2006 there were still 458 municipalities. With a total population for the Netherlands of 16,192,572 inhabitants in 2003, the average municipality counts now some 36,500 inhabitants. In comparison, the UK used electoral wards with an average population of 8,000 inhabitants, to delimit their eligible areas. (9) The Dutch authorities propose to use in some cases the underlying level of villages ('Dorp') in order to delimit the assisted areas in the Netherlands. However, as no population statistics are available at this underlying level, they used the lower level of statistical districts, which were then aggregated up to the village level. The Dutch authorities confirmed that all districts of the proposed villages are included in the assisted areas. In the annex to this decision, the name of the municipality is given 2 State aid N 228/2000 – The Netherlands – Regional aid map 2000-2006 (SG(2000)D/106075 of 8.8.2000). 3 GGE – Gross Grant Equivalent 4 As defined in the Annex of Commission Regulation (EC) No 364/2004 of 25 February 2004 amending Regulation (EC) 70/2001, OJ L 63, 28.2.2004, p. 22, or any successor regulation. 5 Except for aid awarded in the transport sector and aid for large investment projects. 6 See footnote 4. 2 and for those municipalities which are not proposed entirely, between brackets all the names of the eligible districts. (10) In order to demonstrate that the proposed areas form contiguous zones and that all the relevant population centres of the districts are included in the proposal, the Dutch authorities provided detailed cartographic maps showing the proposed areas and the build up areas (population centres). 2.1. Article 87(3)(c) regions proposed for the whole period 2007-2013 (11) The Dutch authorities propose the following 6 zones for eligibility under the derogation of Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty with an aid ceiling of 15% or 10% GGE for the whole period 2007-2013: Name Aid Population 2003 Zone 1: Westergo In the NUTS-II NL12 Friesland In the NUTS-III NL121Noord Friesland (10%) – Franekeradeel (part.) 13,340 – Harlingen 15,560 – Leeuwarden 91,284 – Menaldumadeel (part.) 5,180 Total 125,364 Zone 2: A7 In the NUTS-II NL12 Friesland In the NUTS-III NL123 Zuidoost Friesland (15%) – Heerenveen (part.) 29,060 – Opsterland (part.) 18,020 – Skarsterlân (part.) 16,110 – Smallingerland (part.) 41,550 In the NUTS-III NL122 Zuidwest Friesland (15%) – Sneek 32,862 Total 137,602 Zone 3: Eemsmond and Groningen-Assen In the NUTS-II NL13 Drenthe In the NUTS-III NL131 Noord Drenthe (15%) – Assen 61,577 – Noordenveld (part.) 22,050 – Tynaarlo (part.) 7,120 In the NUTS-II NL11 Groningen In the NUTS-III NL112 Delfzijl e.o. (10%) – Appingedam 12,467 – Delfzijl (part.) 24,920 In the NUTS-III NL113 Overig Groningen (10%) – Eemsmond (part.) 5,230 – Groningen 177,172 – Haren (part.) 200 – Hoogezand-Sappemeer 33,639 – Leek (part.) 16,710 3 – Slochteren (part.) In the NUTS-III NL111 Oost Groningen (15%) – Menterwolde (part.) 8,930 – Pekela (part.) 790 – Scheemda (part.) 7,350 – Stadskanaal (part.) 5,230 – Veendam 28,397 – Vlagtwedde (part.) 7,550 – Winschoten 18,494 Total 441,676 Zone 4: Drentse stedenband In the NUTS-II NL13 Drenthe In the NUTS-III NL132 Zuidoost Drenthe (15%) – Coevorden (part.) 16,090 In the NUTS-III NL133 Zuidwest Drenthe (15%) – Hoogeveen (part.) 46,490 – Meppel 26,870 – De Wolden (part.) 2,740 In the NUTS-III NL131 Noord Drenthe (15%) – Midden-Drenthe (part.) 1,040 Total 172,310 Zone 5: Maastricht In the NUTS-II NL42 Limburg (NL) In the NUTS-III NL423 Zuid Limburg (10%) – Maastricht (part.) 112,022 Total 112,022 Zone 6: Heerlen - Sittard In the NUTS-II NL42 Limburg (NL) In the NUTS-III NL423 Zuid Limburg (10%) – Beek 17,065 – Heerlen 93,969 – Nuth 16,371 – Sittard Geleen 97,806 Total 225,211 Grand total Zones 1 – 6 1,214,185 2.2. Article 87(3)(c) regions: transitional additional coverage (1.1.2007- 31.12.2008) (12) The following communes are proposed for eligibility under the derogation of Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty for the period 2007-2008 at an aid ceiling of 10% GGE: Lelystad, Urk In the NUTS-II NL23 Flevoland – Lelystad 68,555 – Urk 16,748 4 Total 85,303 Zone 2: A7 In the NUTS-II NL12 Friesland In the NUTS-III NL123 Zuidoost Friesland – Heerenveen (part.) 13,130 – Weststellingerwerf 25,802 – Skasterlân (part.) 11,150 In the NUTS-III NL122 Zuidwest Friesland – Gaasterlean Sleat 10,263 – Wymbritseradiel 16,204 – Bolsward 9,446 Total 85,995 Zone 3: Eemsmond and Groningen-Assen In the NUTS-II NL13 Drenthe In the NUTS-III NL131 Noord Drenthe – Noordenveld (part.) 9,900 – Aa en Hunze 25,305 – Tynaarlo (part.) 24,850 In the NUTS-II NL11 Groningen In the NUTS-III NL113 Overig Groningen – Haren (part.) 18,820 – Slochteren (part.) 11,260 In the NUTS-III NL111 Oost Groningen – Menterwolde (part.) 3,780 Total 93,915 Zone 6: Heerlen - Sittard In the NUTS-II NL42 Limburg (NL) In the NUTS-III NL422 Midden-Limburg – Echt-Susteren 32,107 In the NUTS-III NL423 Zuid Limburg – Kerkrade 50,295 – Landgraaf 40,055 Total 122,457 Grand Total 387,670 3. ASSESSMENT 3.1. Article 87(3)(c) regions proposed for the whole period 2007-2013 (13) Annex V of the RAG allocated the Netherlands a population coverage of 7.5% eligible for national regional state aid for the period 2007-2013 under the derogation of Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty. (14) In accordance with paragraph 30(c) of the RAG, Member States may select regions which form contiguous zones with a minimum population of at least 100,000 and which are located within either NUTS-II of NUTS-III regions which have either a 5 GDP per capital of less than the EU-25 average, or which have an unemployment rate which is higher than 115% of the national average. (15) The Dutch authorities notified six contiguous zones to be eligible for regional aid under this paragraph with a basic aid intensity of 15% or 10%.