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1. The special programme shall be the subject of joint financing between the Member State and the Community. The contribution from the Fund shall be provided within the framework of the appropriations entered for this purpose in the general budget of the European Communities. The Community's contribution is laid down as follows:

(a) reclamation and conversion operations under Article 4 (1): 50 % of public expenditure;

(b) operations relating to sectoral analyses under Article 4 (2): 70 % of their cost;

(c) operations relating to investment under Article 4 (3): 50 % of the public expenditure resulting from the granting of aid to the investment. Such aid may contain a supplementary element compared to the most favourable existing regional arrangements. The supplementary aid which is to be borne by the Community for four years may be up to 10 % of the cost of the investment. The public aid may take the form of a capital grant or an interest rebate;

(d) operations relating to consultancy services under Article 4 (4): aid covering part of the expenditure of undertakings relating to services provided by consultancy firms or bodies. The aid shall last for three years and shall be degressive. It shall cover 70 % of expenditure in the first year and shall not exceed 55 % of the total expenditure over the three-year period (indirect aid); the Member State may replace this system by an equivalent system of aid to consultancy firms or bodies (direct aid);

(e) operations relating to economic promotion under Article 4 (4): aid covering a part of the operating costs arising from the activities of promoters. The aid shall last for five years and shall be degressive. It shall cover 60 % of expenditure in the first year and shall not exceed 50 % of the total expenditure per promoter over the five-year period. These activities, which must be new and concern specifically the zones referred to in Article 2, may be entrusted by the Member State concerned to special bodies;

(i) operations relating to risk capital under Article 4 (7): contribution towards the operating costs of financial institutions providing risk capital for SMUs. The contribution shall be 70 % of the costs of risk evaluation studies carried out by or on behalf of the financial institutions. These studies may also examine commercial aspects.

2. For the aid referred to in paragraph 1 (a) and (c), aggregation of aid from the quota and non-quota sections of the Fund shall be excluded.

3. The categories of beneficiaries of Fund assistance in respect of operations provided for in paragraph 1 may be: public and local authorities, other bodies, undertakings of individuals. The aids referred to in paragraph 1 (d) and (f) and, where they directly benefit undertakings, those referred to in paragraph 1 (h) may not have the effect of reducing the share paid by undertakings to less than 20 % of total expenditure.

4. The amount of the Fund's assistance in favour of the special programme may not exceed the amount fixed by the Commission at the time when the programme is approved under Article 3 (7).

5. Budgetary commitments relating to the financing of the special programme shall be implemented by annual tranche. The first tranche shall be committed at the time of the Commission's acceptance of the programme. The commitment of subsequent annual tranches shall be made according to budgetary availability and progress on the programme.

(f) operations relating to common services under Article 4 (5): aid covering part of the expenditure of undertakings relating to the operation of these services. The aid shall last for three years and shall be degressive. It shall cover 70 % of expenditure in the first year and shall not exceed 55 % of the total expenditure over the three-year period;

(g) operations concerning the collection and dissemination of information on innovation under Article 4 (6) (a): aid covering part of the operating costs of bodies engaged in such activities, provided that these activities are new and concern specifically the zones covered by Article 2. The aid shall last for three years and be degressive. It shall cover 70 % of the operating costs in the first year and shall not exceed 55 % of the total cost over the three-year period;

(h) operations for implementing innovation under Article 4 (6) (b): 70 % of the cost of feasibility studies that may concern all aspects, including commercial, of the implementation of innovation, limited to 120 000 ECU per study. These studies must be undertaken by or on behalf of undertakings situated in the zones covered by Article 2;