Commissie opent onderzoek naar Franse staatssteun bij herstructurering machinefabrikant Ernault (en)

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The European Commission has opened a formal investigation under EC state aid rules (Article 88.2 of the EC Treaty) into restructuring aid for Ernault, a manufacturer of machine tools in France. The probe will allow the Commission to obtain more information on the measure and give interested third parties an opportunity to comment. The Commission will then finalise its assessment of whether the measure is likely to cause undue distortion of competition within the Single Market.

Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes i commented: "Restructuring aid is among the most distortive types of state aid as it might result in artificially keeping ailing companies alive to the detriment of companies competing on their own merits. As the State Aid Action Plan advocates "less and better targeted state aid", the Commission has to investigate restructuring aid when it has doubts as to whether the measure complies with Community rules."

Ernault is a French manufacturer of machine-tools (lathes). In January 2005, the company already benefited from a €2millionloan from France, approved by the Commission as rescue aid. In May 2005, France notified its plan to grant Ernault € 2 million as restructuring aid.

On the basis of the information submitted by France, the Commission doubts that the measure complies with all of the requirements laid down in the Community guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (see IP/04/856). In particular, the Commission has doubts that the restructuring plan will restore the commercial viability of Ernault, that the private contribution to the funding of the restructuring is appropriate, and that competition will not be unduly distorted by the measure.

The opening of the formal investigation will be published in the EU's Official Journal, allowing interested parties to provide the Commission with their comments. The launch of this in-depth inquiry does not prejudge in any way the Commission's final decision.