State Aid. Differentiated social security contributions in Norway.

Reference is made to the EFTA Surveillance Authority’s letter of 25 September 2002, (Doc. No. 02-6717-D) referring to its Decision No. 172/02/COL, where the Authority informs the Norwegian Government of its proposal of appropriate measures in the above mentioned case. Reference is also made to the Norwegian Government’s letter of 26 October 2002 where it agreed to the appropriate measures proposed by the Authority

As part of the appropriate measures, the Norwegian Government was requested to communicate to the Authority the relevant measures adjusting the present aid scheme no later than 25 March 2003.

Please find enclosed a letter from the Ministry of Finance containing a notification of a transitional period, a description of a de minimis scheme, and a description of a new direct transport aid scheme. Please also find enclosed a letter from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development containing a notification of the above-mentioned direct transport aid scheme.

Yours sincerely,