Son Excellence
Monsieur Jean-Marc AYRAULT
Ministre des Affaires étrangères et du Développement international
37, Quai d'Orsay
F - 75351 – PARIS
Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels, 10.2.2017
C(2017) 723 final
PUBLIC VERSION
This document is made available for
information purposes only.
Subject:
State Aid SA.47094 (2016/N) – France
Amendment to the Regional aid map 2014-2020 – Second use of the
population reserve
Sir,
1.
P
ROCEDURE
(1)
On 7 May 2014, the Commission approved the French Regional aid map
(SA.38182)
1
for the period from 1 July 2014 until 31 December 2020. This
approved aid map contained a population reserve equivalent to 233,757
inhabitants. On 3 June 2015, the Commission approved the first use of the
population reserve leaving an unused population reserve of 172,207 inhabitants
for future use
2
.
(2)
By electronic notifications of 20 December 2016 (2016/125894), and 6 January
2017 (2017/001532) the French authorities notified an amendment to their map in
order to make a second use of the population reserve.
2.
D
ETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURE
(3)
In their notification, the French authorities propose 52 extra municipalities with a
total of 128,060 inhabitants to be eligible for regional aid under the derogation
provided in Article 107(3)(c) of the TFEU until 31 December 2020. These
municipalities are notified as non-predefined 'c' area.
1
Commission decision C(2014) 2609 final, OJ C 348, 3.09.2014, p. 16.
2
Commission decision C(2015) 3613 final, OJ C 325, 14.09.2015, p. 12.
2
2.1.
Population reserve
(4)
In the approved regional aid map for the period 1 July 2014 to 31 December
2020, a population reserve is foreseen in accordance with paragraph 180 of the
RAG.
This population reserve after the first use of the reserve is equivalent to
172,207 inhabitants, based on the most recent data on the resident population as
published by the national statistical office
3
.
(5)
The paragraphs 181 and 182 of the RAG provide that if a Member State decides
to use the reserve to add new ‘c’ areas in its map, this is possible until its national
coverage ceiling is reached. For this purpose, a Member State may refer to the
most recent socioeconomic data provided by Eurostat or by its national statistical
office or other recognised sources. The population of the ‘c’ areas concerned
should be calculated on the basis of the population data used for establishing the
initial map. The Member State must notify the Commission each time it intends
to use its population reserve to add new ‘c’ areas prior to putting into effect such
amendments.
2.2.
Non-predefined Article 107(3)(c) area
(6)
The French authorities propose to use this population reserve to designate 52
extra municipalities as non-predefined 'c' areas for eligibility on the basis of the
regional aid derogation laid down in Article 107(3)(c) TFEU for the period from
the date of adoption of this decision until 31 December 2020, with a total
population of 128,060 inhabitants.
(7)
The French authorities propose to add 51 municipalities as non-predefined 'c'
areas to existing contiguous zones in accordance with Criterion 1 as set out in
paragraph 168(a) of the RAG. Table 1 below presents the proposed non-
predefined 'c' areas along with the maximum aid intensity to be applied in that
area:
Table 1: non-predefined 'c' area proposed under Criterion 1
Name of zone
NUTS Code
Name of LAU 2
Population
4
Max. aid intensity
Est Lorrain -
Nord Franche-
Comté
FR414 Vosges
Ban de Laveline
1 305
10% GGE
La
Croix-aux-Mines
547
10% GGE
FR431 Doubs
Bavans
3 573
10% GGE
Bart
1 989
10% GGE
Nemours –
Montargis
FR241 Cher
Nançay
882
10% GGE
FR246 Loiret
Chevillon sur Huillard
1 308
10% GGE
Littoral
FR302 Pas-de-
Calais
Sangatte
4 673
10% GGE
Escalles
301
10% GGE
Peuplingues
697
10% GGE
Grand Perche
FR514 Sarthe
Arçonnay
1 852
10% GGE
Normandie -
Vallée de la
Seine
FR232 Seine-
Maritime
Port-Jérôme sur Seine
9 480
10% GGE
Petiville
1 057
10% GGE
FR231 Eure
Trouville la Haute
765
10% GGE
3
France - population census 2010.
4
France – population census 2010