APERAM R&D AND COHESION REGIONS

The project comprises the following distinct components:
• The promoter's EU-based research, development and innovation (RDI) activities addressing the development of new products and the optimisation of production processes, mainly located in Isbergues, France.
• The revamping of the hot strip mill plant at Châtelet, Belgium.
• The modernisation of the cold rolling plant at Isbergues, France.

The project comprises the promoter's EU-based 2016-2019 RDI activities and the modernisation activities at two of the promoter's production sites at Châtelet (Belgium) and Isbergues (France). The project's purpose is to strengthen the company's competitiveness by stepping up its RDI activities and revamping and modernising its production plants.

The RDI component of the project will be carried out in existing facilities already authorized and is therefore not expected to require an environmental impact assessment (EIA) under Directive 2011/92/EU. The components concerning the modernisation of the two plants might fall under Annex II of this directive. The Bank's services will establish during project appraisal whether this is the case, as well as any other environmental details.

The promoter has been assessed by the EIB as being a private company not operating in the utilities sector and not having a status of a contracting entity, thus not subject to EU rules on public procurement. However, if after the project appraisal, the EIB were to conclude that the promoter is after all subject to EU public procurement legislation (i.e. Directive 2004/17/EC), then the Bank would require the promoter to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the project have been/will be tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation (Directive 2004/17/EC and Directive 92/13/EEC), with publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the EU, as and where required.