Press Release: State aid: application of Bolzano scheme deemed illegal, but new implementing criteria approved

The European Commission on 27 September 2005 decided that the implementation criteria for aid measures granted by the Province of Bolzano in Italy were contrary to EC Treaty state aid rules (Article 88(3)). Aid granted under the scheme was therefore misused and had to be recovered. However, new implementing rules which brought the scheme into line with the state aid rules were approved by the Commission, thus allowing the scheme to continue to exist but in an amended form.