Article 9 Entry into force and period of validity

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply to aid schemes which enter into force, or are put into effect, after 31 December 2006.

It shall remain in force until 31 December 2013.

Notifications pending at the time of entry into force of this Regulation shall be assessed in accordance with its provisions. Aid schemes put into effect before the date of entry into force of this Regulation and aid granted under those schemes, in the absence of a Commission authorisation and in breach of the obligation to notify laid down in Article 88(3) of the Treaty, shall be compatible with the common market within the meaning of Article 87(3) of the Treaty and shall be exempted under this Regulation if they fulfil all the conditions of this Regulation.

At the end of the period of validity of this Regulation, the exemption for aid schemes exempted under this Regulation shall expire at the date of expiry of the approved regional aid maps.