Fuente: © European Union
http://europa.eu.int

EU: State aid: Commission authorises aid of €35.2 million to France for MaXSSIMM R&D programme

/noticias.info/ The European Commission has decided not to raise any objections under EC Treaty state aid rules to the financial aid of €35.2 million granted by France to the MaXSSIMM research and development (R&D) programme. MaXSSIMM, which involves a consortium of 10 partners headed by Gemalto, is designed to meet the needs for personal management of multimedia data for the internet and mobile telephony, and the deployment of secure services for digital set-top boxes.

EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said, "We are confident that the positive contribution the MaXSSIMM programme will make to research will outweigh any distortion of competition caused by the aid."

The aid granted by the French authorities for the MaXSSIMM R&D programme represents a total cost of €35.2 million over 30 months. The MaXSSIMM programme centres around far-reaching changes to the existing SIM card and the simultaneous adaptation of mobile terminals and service platforms for GSM and 3G networks, involving significant software and hardware developments. Its aim is to meet the needs for personal management of multimedia data for the internet and mobile telephony as well as other industrial needs such as the rationalisation of mobile terminal platforms, distance management of these platforms by operators and mass industrial personalisation of the new high-capacity SIM cards essential for the growth of this market.

On 21 December 2006 the programme was selected by the former French Industrial Innovation Agency, which on 1 January 2008 merged with OSEO, a French public body which finances and supports small and medium-sized enterprises. The Industrial Innovation Agency's aid scheme had been authorised by the Commission on 19 July 2006 subject to the requirement that any aid under the scheme in excess of certain thresholds must be notified individually to the Commission (see IP/06/1020).

The programme is coordinated by Gemalto, a world leader in smart cards (SIM cards). Under MaXSSIMM, Gemalto will contribute to developing a significant common architecture incorporating mobile communication, microelectronics and distance management of cards and services by operators (OTA servers). Other partners will also contribute to the development of the new terminals compatible with the MaXSSIMM solution (Sagem) and the integration of the essential microcontroller components (ST Microelectronics, NXP Semiconductors), while SMEs will contribute their expertise to the supply of mobile services on the new platform (Vox Inzebox, Cityvox).

Following an in-depth examination, the Commission takes the view that the measure meets the conditions set out in the Community framework for state aid for R&D and innovation (see IP/06/1600). In particular, it considers that MaXSSIMM brings positive benefits for the EU as a whole. The programme provides an appropriate solution for market shortcomings such as problems of coordination between the various players in the mobile communications industry and the commercial uncertainties and risks regarding the success of the programme. Furthermore, any distortions in competition produced by the aid should be limited, since Gemalto is not expected to significantly increase its market power. The consortium undertakes to make public the programme results and the system interface specifications through a licensing policy based on the FRAND rule (fair, reasonable and non discriminatory licensing conditions).

The non-confidential version of today's decision will be made available under case number N 602/2007 in the State Aid Register on the DG Competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved. The electronic newsletter State Aid Weekly e-News lists the most recent decisions on state aid published in the Official Journal and on the website. notas_de_prensa_archivo