BRUSSELS, May 28 (Reuters) - European Union competition

regulators approved on Tuesday a 1.4-billion-euro ($1.52

billion) hydrogen schemed to be funded by seven EU countries

which they expect to unlock an additional 3.3 billion euros in

private investments.

The regulators also approved a separate 1-billion-euro

healthcare scheme to be funded by six other EU countries.

Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia and

Spain will fund the hydrogen scheme, the European Commission

said in a statement.

It said 11 companies, including Airbus, BMW

and Michelin, will take part in 13 projects

under the scheme.

This is the fourth such joint hydrogen scheme cleared by the

Commission which also acts as the EU competition enforcer.

The healthcare scheme will be funded by Belgium, France,

Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Spain to support research and

innovation and is expected to unlock an additional 5.9 billion

euros in private investments, the Commission said.

Sanofi, Euroapi and 11 other companies

will participate in 14 healthcare projects, which include

studying cells and tissues, sustainable production technologies

of breakthrough therapies and application of advanced digital

technologies.

Both schemes fall under a so-called Important Project of

Common European Interest (IPCEI) which allows EU governments to

fund them under looser EU state aid rules.

Participating companies which generate extra net revenue

from the projects will have to return part of the state aid they

received under a claw back mechanism.

Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager said IPCEI

projects were part of the EU's drive to spur its

competitiveness.

"The Commission has approved a total of aid of more than 37

billion euros. These public investments, well they have

attracted 66 billions of euros in additional private

investment," she told a press conference.

"So in total this means more than 100 billion euros in

investment to foster the competitiveness of European industry,"

Vestager said.

($1 = 0.9193 euros)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)