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I Information

Commission

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Euro exchange rates (1)

8 December 2006

(2006/C 300/01)

1 euro= 

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(1)

Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

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Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2006/C 300/02)

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

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Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 300/03)

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

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Summary information communicated by Member States on State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23 December 2003 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production, processing and marketing of agricultural products

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 300/04)

XA Number: XA 96/06

Member State: Belgium

Region: Flemish Region

Name of company receiving individual aid: pcfruit (Proefcentrum Fruitteelt vzw) [Test Centre for Fruit Growing]

Legal basis: Decreet van 19 mei 2006 betreffende de oprichting en de werking van het Fonds voor Landbouw en Visserij, meer bepaald art. 4. § 2

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 5 000 for 1 year (renewable)

Maximum aid intensity: 100 % EUR 5 000

Date of implementation: 

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 1 year, until 31 October 2007

Objective of aid: To support small and medium-sized enterprises and sectoral development

More specifically, ‘aid to encourage the production and marketing of quality agricultural products’ on the basis of Article 13 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23 December 2003 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production, processing and marketing of agricultural products

Economic sector(s) concerned: Production and marketing of propagating material and plants of high quality in the tree nursery sector (fruit-bearing and ligneous ornamental plants)

Name and address of the granting authority: 

Website: http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/welcome.pl

http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/doc/rech_n.htm

XA Number: XA 26/06

Member State: Netherlands

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Aid to the Hoofdbedrijfschap Agrarische Groothandel [Agricultural Wholesale Main Trade Association] for wholesale in the flower and plant sector in the Netherlands

Legal basis: Algemene heffingsverordening bloemen en planten 2004, alsmede de Verordening heffing bloemen en planten 2005 alsmede hun jaarlijkse rechtsopvolgers, welke heffingsverordeningen hun wettelijke basis vinden in artikel 126 van de Wet op de bedrijfsorganisatie

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The Hoofdbedrijfschap Agrarische Groothandel has estimated a sum of EUR 1 500 000 for technical support to wholesalers in the flower and plant sector in the Netherlands

Maximum aid intensity: EUR 1 500 000 a year

Date of implementation: After national adoption of the levy Ordinance (see legal basis), which will take place after expiry of the 10 working days stipulated in Regulation (EC) No 1/2004

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The technical support will be for an indefinite period, since there is a continuous need for up-to-date knowledge and market information.

Objective of aid: To make wholesalers in the flower and plant sector more competitive by providing generally applicable knowledge and information, the enterprises concerned being too small to obtain such knowledge and information themselves. This comprises technical support under Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004

Economic sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to flower and plant wholesalers and therefore to the trading and marketing of agricultural products, without distinction according to the products' origin

Name and address of the granting authority: 

Website: www.hbag.nl and www.HBAGbloemen.nl

Aid No: XA 69/06

Member State: Netherlands

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Aid for TSE tests on slaughter goats

Legal basis: Begroting van het Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit.

Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001, as amended by Regulation (EC) No 214/2005, requires Member States to test goats for TSEs. In accordance with the budget, costs connected with those tests are not passed on to goat owners

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The total budgetary allocation comprises an annual maximum of EUR 315 000, based on a maximum of 26 250 goats a year

Maximum aid intensity: The total cost of a test is EUR 42. The Netherlands contributes EUR 12 per slaughter goat (over 18 months old) in addition to the EUR 30 part-financed by the European Commission.

Date of implementation: The requirement to test goats was introduced by Regulation (EC) No 214/2005 amending Regulation (EC) No 999/2001. Test costs are not passed on to the original goat owner. The aid scheme has been applied in the Netherlands since the beginning of 2005 and at that time was already notified as a temporary measure. Initially the Commission stated that goat testing should be continued until mid-2006. It recently stated that goat testing would continue until mid-2007. The planned amendment of the rules on TSE tests is expected to have been completed by then.

By means of the present notification the Netherlands therefore wishes to extend the above-mentioned temporary measure's period of validity.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The aid will be granted in this form until the Commission has taken a final decision on amending the Community requirements on testing slaughter goats for TSEs. At an earlier stage the Commission stated that goat testing would be continued until mid-2006. Slaughter goat testing is currently expected to be continued until mid-2007.

Objective of aid: To obtain epidemiological data on TSEs in goats. The background to the aid is as follows. Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 requires slaughter goats to be tested for TSEs, the aim being to ascertain within a short period the prevalence of BSE in goats. However, the cost of a TSE test far exceeds the small income obtained from a goat. Passing on the cost of testing would deter goat owners from offering their animals for slaughter. This would mean that no tests could be carried out and that therefore no epidemiological data could be collected, which would be highly undesirable given the importance for public health. Refunding test costs in full means that goats are offered for slaughter, whereby TSE tests can be carried out and test results obtained.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agricultural undertakings, particularly goat owners.

Name and address of the granting authority: Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit.

Website: www.minlnv.nl/loket

Other information: As indicated, the measure is temporary. The aid was initially notified in the expectation that the measure would be in force for a year at the most. Goat testing is currently expected to last until mid-2007.

Aid for BSE and TSE testing is permitted under the Community guidelines for State aid concerning TSE tests, fallen stock and slaughterhouse waste (OJ C 324, 24.12.2002)

XA number: XA 95/06

Member State: Belgium

Region: Flemish Region

Name of company receiving individual aid: PBB (Pépinière Belge — Belgische Boomkwekerij vzw) [Belgian Tree Nursery]

Legal basis: Decreet van 19 mei 2006 betreffende de oprichting en de werking van het Fonds voor Landbouw en Visserij, meer bepaald art. 4. § 2

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 15 000 for 1 year (renewable)

Maximum aid intensity: 100 % EUR 15 000

Date of implementation: 

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 1 year, until 31 October 2007

Objective of aid: To support small and medium-sized enterprises and sectoral development.

More specifically, ‘aid to encourage the production and marketing of quality agricultural products’ on the basis of Article 13 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23 December 2003 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production, processing and marketing of agricultural products.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Production and marketing of propagating material and plants of high quality in the tree nursery sector (fruit-bearing and ligneous ornamental plants)

Name and address of the granting authority: 

Website: http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/welcome.pl

http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/doc/rech_n.htm

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Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 of 12 January 2001, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 364/2004 of 25 February 2004, on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 300/05)

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Initiation of proceedings

(Case COMP/M.4381 — JCI/VB/FIAMM)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 300/06)

On 4 December 2006, the Commission decided to initiate proceedings in the above-mentioned case after finding that the notified concentration raises serious doubts as to its compatibility with the common market. The initiation of proceedings opens a second phase investigation with regard to the notified concentration. The decision is based on Article 6(1)(c) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their observations on the proposed concentration to the Commission.

In order to be fully taken into account in the procedure, observations should reach the Commission not later than 15 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (fax No (32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.4381 — JCI/VB/FIAMM, to the following address:

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Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 68/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to training aid

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 300/07)

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.4323 — Arla/Ingman Foods)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 300/08)

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(1)OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

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Communication from the French Government concerning Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 1994 on the conditions for granting and using authorisations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons (1)

(Notice regarding an application for an exclusive licence to prospect for oil and gas, designated the ‘Permis de Plivot’)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 300/09)

On 14 April 2006, Lundin International, with registered offices at Maclaunay, 51210 Montmirail (France), applied for an exclusive five-year licence, designated the ‘Permis de Plivot’, to prospect for oil and gas in an area of approximately 396 km2 covering part of the department of Marne.

The perimeter of the area covered by this licence consists of the meridian and parallel arcs connecting in turn the points defined below by their geographical coordinates, the original meridian being that of Paris.

Submission of applications

The initial applicant and competing applicants must prove that they comply with the requirements for obtaining the licence, as specified in Articles 3, 4 and 5 of Decree No 95-427 of 19 April 1995, as amended, concerning mining rights.

Interested companies may, within 90 days of the publication of this notice, submit a competing application in accordance with the procedure summarised in the ‘Notice regarding the granting of mining rights for hydrocarbons in France’ published in Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 of 30 December 1994, p. 11, and established by Decree No 95-427 of 19 April 1995, as amended, concerning mining rights (Journal officiel de la République française, 22 April 1995).

Competing applications must be sent to the Minister responsible for mines at the address below. Decisions on the initial application and competing applications will be taken within two years of the date on which the French authorities received the initial application, i.e. by 14 April 2008 at the latest.

Conditions and requirements regarding performance of the activity and cessation thereof

Applicants are referred to Articles 79 and 79(1) of the Mining Code and to Decree No 2006-649 of 2 June 2006 on mining operations, underground storage and the regulations governing them (Journal officiel de la République française, 3 June 2006).

Further information can be obtained from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Finance and Industry (Directorate-General for Energy and Raw Materials, Directorate for Energy and Mineral Resources, Bureau of Mining Legislation), 61, boulevard Vincent Auriol, Télédoc 133, F-75703 Paris Cedex 13, France (telephone: (33) 144 97 23 02, fax: (33) 144 97 05 70).

The abovementioned laws and regulations can be consulted at

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr

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(1)OJ L 164, 30.6.1994.

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.4393 — Istithmar/Mubadala/DAE/SR Technics)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 300/10)

On 21 November 2006, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

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Corrigenda

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Corrigenda to information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 2204/2002 of 12 December 2002 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid for employment

(Official Journal of the European Union C 278 of 11 November 2005)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 300/11)

On page 18, Aid No XE 11/04 reads as follows:

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(1)  With the exception of the shipbuilding sector and of other sectors subject to special rules in regulations and directives governing all state aid within the sector.’

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