# Official Journal C 199/2009

| | ISSN 1725-2423
  doi:10.3000/17252423.C_2009.199.eng |
| --- | --- |
| Official Journal
  of the European Union | C 199 |
| | |
| English edition | Information and Notices | Volume 5225 August 2009 |

ISSN 1725-2423

doi:10.3000/17252423.C_2009.199.eng

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 199

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 5225 August 2009

---

| Notice No | Contents | page |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | II   Information |
| | INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES |
| | Commission |
| 2009/C 199/01 | Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty — Cases where the Commission raises no objections (
  1
  ) | 1 |
| 2009/C 199/02 | Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5550 — BP/Dupont/JV) (
  1
  ) | 5 |
| 2009/C 199/03 | Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5590 — 3i Group/H.I.G. Capital/Volnay B.V.) (
  1
  ) | 5 |
| 2009/C 199/04 | Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5581 — Euroports Holdings/Benelux Port Holdings) (
  1
  ) | 6 |

Notice No

Contents

page

II   Information

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES

Commission

2009/C 199/01

Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty — Cases where the Commission raises no objections (
  1
  )

1

1

2009/C 199/02

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5550 — BP/Dupont/JV) (
  1
  )

1

5

2009/C 199/03

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5590 — 3i Group/H.I.G. Capital/Volnay B.V.) (
  1
  )

1

5

2009/C 199/04

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.5581 — Euroports Holdings/Benelux Port Holdings) (
  1
  )

1

6

| | IV   Notices |
| --- | --- |
| | NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES |
| | Commission |
| 2009/C 199/05 | Euro exchange rates | 7 |
| | NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES |
| 2009/C 199/06 | Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 | 8 |
| 2009/C 199/07 | Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 | 11 |

IV   Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES

Commission

2009/C 199/05

Euro exchange rates

7

NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES

2009/C 199/06

Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001

8

2009/C 199/07

Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001

11

| | V   Announcements |
| --- | --- |
| | ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES |
| | Commission |
| 2009/C 199/08 | Call for proposals — EACEA/22/09 — Youth in Action programme — Action 4.6 — Partnerships | 14 |
| | PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPETITION POLICY |
| | Commission |
| 2009/C 199/09 | Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.5589 — Sony/Seiko Epson) (
  1
  ) | 18 |
| | OTHER ACTS |
| | Commission |
| 2009/C 199/10 | Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs | 19 |
| 2009/C 199/11 | Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs | 24 |

V   Announcements

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

Commission

2009/C 199/08

Call for proposals — EACEA/22/09 — Youth in Action programme — Action 4.6 — Partnerships

14

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPETITION POLICY

Commission

2009/C 199/09

Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.5589 — Sony/Seiko Epson) (
  1
  )

1

18

OTHER ACTS

Commission

2009/C 199/10

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

19

2009/C 199/11

Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

24

| | |
| --- | --- |
| | (1)   Text with EEA relevance |

---

(1)   Text with EEA relevance

1

| EN | |
| --- | --- |

EN

---

II Information

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES

Commission

| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/1 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/1

---

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)

2009/C 199/01

| Date of adoption of the decision | 17.6.2009 |
| --- | --- |
| Reference number of State Aid | N 563/08 |
| Member State | Germany |
| Region | — |
| Title (and/or name of the beneficiary) | Staatliche Beihilfe für den Steinkohlenbergbau 2009 |
| Legal basis | Gesetz zur Finanzierung der Beendigung des subventionierten Steinkohlenbergbaus zum Jahr 2018 (Steinkohlefinanzierungsgesetz) vom 20. Dezember 2007
  Rahmenvereinbarung „Sozialverträgliche Beendigung des subventionierten Steinkohlenbergbaus in Deutschland“ vom 14. August 2007
  Kohlerichtlinien des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Technologie vom 28. Dezember 2007 |
| Type of measure | Aid scheme |
| Objective | Sectoral development |
| Form of aid | Direct subsidies |
| Budget | EUR 2 191 million |
| Intensity | — |
| Duration (period) | 2009 |
| Economic sectors | Hard coal |
| Name and address of the granting authority | — |
| Other information | — |

Date of adoption of the decision

17.6.2009

Reference number of State Aid

N 563/08

Member State

Germany

Region

—

Title (and/or name of the beneficiary)

Staatliche Beihilfe für den Steinkohlenbergbau 2009

Legal basis

Gesetz zur Finanzierung der Beendigung des subventionierten Steinkohlenbergbaus zum Jahr 2018 (Steinkohlefinanzierungsgesetz) vom 20. Dezember 2007

Rahmenvereinbarung „Sozialverträgliche Beendigung des subventionierten Steinkohlenbergbaus in Deutschland“ vom 14. August 2007

Kohlerichtlinien des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Technologie vom 28. Dezember 2007

Type of measure

Aid scheme

Objective

Sectoral development

Form of aid

Direct subsidies

Budget

EUR 2 191 million

Intensity

—

Duration (period)

2009

Economic sectors

Hard coal

Name and address of the granting authority

—

Other information

—

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/index.htm

| Date of adoption of the decision | 18.6.2009 |
| --- | --- |
| Reference number of State Aid | N 165/09 |
| Member State | Slovakia |
| Region | Stredné Slovensko |
| Title (and/or name of the beneficiary) | INA Kysuce a.s. |
| Legal basis | Zákon Slovenskej republiky o štátnej pomoci č. 231/1999 Z.z. v znení noviel 434/2001 Z.z.; 461/2002 Z. z. a 203/2004 Z.z.; Zákon Slovenskej republiky č. 366/1999 Z.z. z 24. novembra 1999 o daniach z príjmov clánok 35 a, odstavec 1; a; c; 9; Zákon Slovenskej republiky č. 595/2003 Z.z. clánok 52 o dani z príjmov doplnený zákonmi č. 43/2004 Z. z., č. 177/2004 Z. z. a č. 191/2004 Z.z. |
| Type of measure | Individual aid |
| Objective | Regional development |
| Form of aid | Tax advantage |
| Budget | Overall budget: SKK 547,966 million |
| Intensity | 20 % |
| Duration (period) | 2006-2010 |
| Economic sectors | Manufacturing industry |
| Name and address of the granting authority | Daňový úrad |
| Kysucké Nové Mesto |
| ulica Litovelská 1218 |
| 024 01 Kysucké Nové Mesto |
| SLOVENSKO/SLOVAKIA |

Date of adoption of the decision

18.6.2009

Reference number of State Aid

N 165/09

Member State

Slovakia

Region

Stredné Slovensko

Title (and/or name of the beneficiary)

INA Kysuce a.s.

Legal basis

Zákon Slovenskej republiky o štátnej pomoci č. 231/1999 Z.z. v znení noviel 434/2001 Z.z.; 461/2002 Z. z. a 203/2004 Z.z.; Zákon Slovenskej republiky č. 366/1999 Z.z. z 24. novembra 1999 o daniach z príjmov clánok 35 a, odstavec 1; a; c; 9; Zákon Slovenskej republiky č. 595/2003 Z.z. clánok 52 o dani z príjmov doplnený zákonmi č. 43/2004 Z. z., č. 177/2004 Z. z. a č. 191/2004 Z.z.

Type of measure

Individual aid

Objective

Regional development

Form of aid

Tax advantage

Budget

Overall budget: SKK 547,966 million

Intensity

20 %

Duration (period)

2006-2010

Economic sectors

Manufacturing industry

Name and address of the granting authority

Daňový úrad

Kysucké Nové Mesto

ulica Litovelská 1218

024 01 Kysucké Nové Mesto

SLOVENSKO/SLOVAKIA

Other information

—

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/index.htm

| Date of adoption of the decision | 24.4.2009 |
| --- | --- |
| Reference number of State Aid | N 203/09 |
| Member State | Hungary |
| Region | — |
| Title (and/or name of the beneficiary) | Temporary aid scheme for grating aid in form of guarantees |
| Legal basis | Article 23/C, Article 23/D and Article 23/E and Annex 5 of the Government Decree 85/2004. (IV. 19.) on the Procedure regarding State Aid defined by Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty and on the regional Aid map |
| Type of measure | Aid scheme |
| Objective | Aid to remedy serious disturbances in the economy |
| Form of aid | Guarantee |
| Budget | Overall budget: HUF 500 000 million |
| Intensity | — |
| Duration (period) | Until 31.12.2010 |
| Economic sectors | All sectors |
| Name and address of the granting authority | — |
| Other information | — |

Date of adoption of the decision

24.4.2009

Reference number of State Aid

N 203/09

Member State

Hungary

Region

—

Title (and/or name of the beneficiary)

Temporary aid scheme for grating aid in form of guarantees

Legal basis

Article 23/C, Article 23/D and Article 23/E and Annex 5 of the Government Decree 85/2004. (IV. 19.) on the Procedure regarding State Aid defined by Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty and on the regional Aid map

Type of measure

Aid scheme

Objective

Aid to remedy serious disturbances in the economy

Form of aid

Guarantee

Budget

Overall budget: HUF 500 000 million

Intensity

—

Duration (period)

Until 31.12.2010

Economic sectors

All sectors

Name and address of the granting authority

—

Other information

—

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/index.htm

| Date of adoption of the decision | 31.7.2009 |
| --- | --- |
| Reference number of State Aid | N 314/09 |
| Member State | Germany |
| Region | — |
| Title (and/or name of the beneficiary) | Deutsche Entlastungsregelung für wertgeminderte Vermögenswerte |
| Legal basis | Abschnitte 6a bis 6d Finanzmarktstabilisierungsgesetz |
| Type of measure | Aid scheme |
| Objective | Aid to remedy serious disturbances in the economy |
| Form of aid | Other forms of equity intervention |
| Budget | — |
| Intensity | — |
| Duration (period) | Until 22.1.2010 |
| Economic sectors | Financial intermediation |
| Name and address of the granting authority | Sonderfonds Finanzmarktstabilisierung (SoFFin) |
| Taunusanlage 6 |
| 60329 Frankfurt am Main |
| DEUTSCHLAND |

Date of adoption of the decision

31.7.2009

Reference number of State Aid

N 314/09

Member State

Germany

Region

—

Title (and/or name of the beneficiary)

Deutsche Entlastungsregelung für wertgeminderte Vermögenswerte

Legal basis

Abschnitte 6a bis 6d Finanzmarktstabilisierungsgesetz

Type of measure

Aid scheme

Objective

Aid to remedy serious disturbances in the economy

Form of aid

Other forms of equity intervention

Budget

—

Intensity

—

Duration (period)

Until 22.1.2010

Economic sectors

Financial intermediation

Name and address of the granting authority

Sonderfonds Finanzmarktstabilisierung (SoFFin)

Taunusanlage 6

60329 Frankfurt am Main

DEUTSCHLAND

Other information

—

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/index.htm

| Date of adoption of the decision | 1.7.2009 |
| --- | --- |
| Reference number of State Aid | N 341/09 |
| Member State | Hungary |
| Region | — |
| Title (and/or name of the beneficiary) | Guarantee scheme under the temporary framework (‘Application of rules relating to aid in the form of guarantees under the temporary framework for an existing method applied by Rural Credit Guarantee Foundation to calculate the aid element in guarantees’) |
| Legal basis | Article 8/A. of Decree 48/2002. (XII. 28.) of the Minister of Finance on the detailed rules pertaining to the assumption and drawdown of budgetary counter-guarantees |
| Type of measure | Aid scheme |
| Objective | Aid to remedy serious disturbances in the economy |
| Form of aid | Guarantee |
| Budget | Overall budget: HUF 800 million |
| Intensity | — |
| Duration (period) | Until 31.12.2010 |
| Economic sectors | All sectors |
| Name and address of the granting authority | Agrár-Vállalkozási Hitelgarancia Alapítvány (AVHGA) |
| Budapest |
| Kálmán Imre u. 20. |
| 1054 |
| MAGYARORSZÁG/HUNGARY |

Date of adoption of the decision

1.7.2009

Reference number of State Aid

N 341/09

Member State

Hungary

Region

—

Title (and/or name of the beneficiary)

Guarantee scheme under the temporary framework (‘Application of rules relating to aid in the form of guarantees under the temporary framework for an existing method applied by Rural Credit Guarantee Foundation to calculate the aid element in guarantees’)

Legal basis

Article 8/A. of Decree 48/2002. (XII. 28.) of the Minister of Finance on the detailed rules pertaining to the assumption and drawdown of budgetary counter-guarantees

Type of measure

Aid scheme

Objective

Aid to remedy serious disturbances in the economy

Form of aid

Guarantee

Budget

Overall budget: HUF 800 million

Intensity

—

Duration (period)

Until 31.12.2010

Economic sectors

All sectors

Name and address of the granting authority

Agrár-Vállalkozási Hitelgarancia Alapítvány (AVHGA)

Budapest

Kálmán Imre u. 20.

1054

MAGYARORSZÁG/HUNGARY

Other information

—

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/index.htm

---

| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/5 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/5

---

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.5550 — BP/Dupont/JV)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2009/C 199/02

On 8 July 2009, 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:

| — | in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, |
| --- | --- |

—

in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

| — | in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) under document number 32009M5550. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to the European law. |
| --- | --- |

—

in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) under document number 32009M5550. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to the European law.

---

| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/5 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/5

---

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.5590 — 3i Group/H.I.G. Capital/Volnay B.V.)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2009/C 199/03

On 17 August 2009, 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:

| — | in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, |
| --- | --- |

—

in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

| — | in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) under document number 32009M5590. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to the European law. |
| --- | --- |

—

in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) under document number 32009M5590. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to the European law.

---

| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/6 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/6

---

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.5581 — Euroports Holdings/Benelux Port Holdings)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2009/C 199/04

On 19 August 2009, 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:

| — | in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes, |
| --- | --- |

—

in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

| — | in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) under document number 32009M5581. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to the European law. |
| --- | --- |

—

in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) under document number 32009M5581. EUR-Lex is the on-line access to the European law.

---

IV Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES

Commission

| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/7 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/7

---

Euro exchange rates (1)

24 August 2009

2009/C 199/05

1 euro =

| | Currency | Exchange rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| USD | US dollar | 1,4323 |
| JPY | Japanese yen | 135,57 |
| DKK | Danish krone | 7,4431 |
| GBP | Pound sterling | 0,86820 |
| SEK | Swedish krona | 10,1046 |
| CHF | Swiss franc | 1,5184 |
| ISK | Iceland króna | |
| NOK | Norwegian krone | 8,5845 |
| BGN | Bulgarian lev | 1,9558 |
| CZK | Czech koruna | 25,440 |
| EEK | Estonian kroon | 15,6466 |
| HUF | Hungarian forint | 268,15 |
| LTL | Lithuanian litas | 3,4528 |
| LVL | Latvian lats | 0,7005 |
| PLN | Polish zloty | 4,1123 |
| RON | Romanian leu | 4,2220 |
| TRY | Turkish lira | 2,1261 |
| AUD | Australian dollar | 1,7032 |
| CAD | Canadian dollar | 1,5444 |
| HKD | Hong Kong dollar | 11,1013 |
| NZD | New Zealand dollar | 2,0865 |
| SGD | Singapore dollar | 2,0633 |
| KRW | South Korean won | 1 778,25 |
| ZAR | South African rand | 11,1195 |
| CNY | Chinese yuan renminbi | 9,7845 |
| HRK | Croatian kuna | 7,3228 |
| IDR | Indonesian rupiah | 14 331,16 |
| MYR | Malaysian ringgit | 5,0267 |
| PHP | Philippine peso | 69,280 |
| RUB | Russian rouble | 45,0410 |
| THB | Thai baht | 48,713 |
| BRL | Brazilian real | 2,6168 |
| MXN | Mexican peso | 18,3342 |
| INR | Indian rupee | 69,6310 |

Currency

Exchange rate

USD

US dollar

1,4323

JPY

Japanese yen

135,57

DKK

Danish krone

7,4431

GBP

Pound sterling

0,86820

SEK

Swedish krona

10,1046

CHF

Swiss franc

1,5184

ISK

Iceland króna

NOK

Norwegian krone

8,5845

BGN

Bulgarian lev

1,9558

CZK

Czech koruna

25,440

EEK

Estonian kroon

15,6466

HUF

Hungarian forint

268,15

LTL

Lithuanian litas

3,4528

LVL

Latvian lats

0,7005

PLN

Polish zloty

4,1123

RON

Romanian leu

4,2220

TRY

Turkish lira

2,1261

AUD

Australian dollar

1,7032

CAD

Canadian dollar

1,5444

HKD

Hong Kong dollar

11,1013

NZD

New Zealand dollar

2,0865

SGD

Singapore dollar

2,0633

KRW

South Korean won

1 778,25

ZAR

South African rand

11,1195

CNY

Chinese yuan renminbi

9,7845

HRK

Croatian kuna

7,3228

IDR

Indonesian rupiah

14 331,16

MYR

Malaysian ringgit

5,0267

PHP

Philippine peso

69,280

RUB

Russian rouble

45,0410

THB

Thai baht

48,713

BRL

Brazilian real

2,6168

MXN

Mexican peso

18,3342

INR

Indian rupee

69,6310

---

(1)  Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.

---

NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES

| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/8 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/8

---

Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001

2009/C 199/06

Aid No: XA 161/09

Member State: Spain

Region: Comunitat Valenciana

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Agrupación de Defensa Sanitaria, CAPRACAS

Legal basis: Resolución de la Consellera de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, que concede la subvención basada en una línea nominativa descrita en la ley 17/2008 de presupuestos de la Generalitat

Annual expenditure planned: EUR 5 000 in 2009

Maximum aid intensity: 100 % of the eligible expenditure

Date of implementation: From the date on which the identification number of the exemption request is published on the website of the Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Duration of individual aid award: From 2009 until 31 December 2013

Objective of the aid: Technical consultancy services for sheep and goat dairy farmers with regard to milk testing, quality control during the milking process, feed, breeding and handling (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006). The eligible costs are those relating to services provided by third parties, maintaining IT applications, analysis of samples provided these are not already customarily practiced by the farmer, and the provision of consultancy services for farmers by technical staff, provided that the expenditure relates to implementation of the milk production improvement programme

Sector(s) concerned: Sheep and goat dairy farmers

Name and address of the granting authority:

| Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación |
| --- |
| C/ Amadeo de Saboya, 2 |
| 46010 Valencia |
| ESPAÑA |

Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación

C/ Amadeo de Saboya, 2

46010 Valencia

ESPAÑA

Website: http://www.agricultura.gva.es/especiales/ayudas_agrarias/pdf/ads%20capracas%202009.pdf

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 162/09

Member State: Spain

Region: Comunitat Valenciana

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Federación Valenciana de Cunicultores

Legal basis: Resolución de la Consellera de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, que concede la subvención basada en una línea nominativa descrita en la ley 17/2008 de presupuestos de la Generalitat

Annual expenditure planned: EUR 30 000 in 2009

Maximum aid intensity: 100 % of the eligible expenditure

Date of implementation: From the date on which the identification number of the exemption request is published on the website of the Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Duration of individual aid award: From 2009 until 31 December 2013

Objective of the aid: Training, promotion and dissemination of livestock production, in accordance with market requirements, with regard to food safety and traceability in the rabbit sector in the Comunitat Valenciana (Articles 14 and 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).

Includes eligible costs of services, human resources and materials, and expenditure relating to attendance at information days and meetings on health and hygiene aspects of rabbit production which relate to the purpose of the aid

Sector(s) concerned: The rabbit sector

Name and address of the granting authority:

| Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación |
| --- |
| C/ Amadeo de Saboya, 2 |
| 46010 Valencia |
| ESPAÑA |

Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación

C/ Amadeo de Saboya, 2

46010 Valencia

ESPAÑA

Website: http://www.agricultura.gva.es/especiales/ayudas_agrarias/pdf/fevacunicola09.pdf

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 163/09

Member State: Spain

Region: Comunitat Valenciana

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Asociación Nacional de Criadores de Raza Guirra

Legal basis: Resolución de la Consellera de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, que concede la subvención basada en una línea nominativa descrita en la ley 17/2008 de presupuestos de la Generalitat

Annual expenditure planned: EUR 12 000 in 2009

Maximum aid intensity: 100 % of the eligible expenditure

Date of implementation: From the date on which the identification number of the exemption request is published on the website of the Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Duration of individual aid award: From 2009 until 31 December 2013

Objective of the aid: A plan for the promotion and preservation of the Guirra breed of sheep, covering the eligible costs of identifying the animals and technical advice on maintenance of the herd book (Article 16), training for farmers on how to assess the animals and manage sheep farms, and the promotion of greater awareness of the breed by means of fairs, exhibitions and publications (Article 15)

Sector(s) concerned: Owners or holders of sheep farms in the Comunitat Valenciana whose stock includes Guirra sheep

Name and address of the granting authority:

| Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación |
| --- |
| C/ Amadeo de Saboya, 2 |
| 46010 Valencia |
| ESPAÑA |

Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación

C/ Amadeo de Saboya, 2

46010 Valencia

ESPAÑA

Website: http://www.agricultura.gva.es/especiales/ayudas_agrarias/pdf/anguirra2009.pdf

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 164/09

Member State: Germany

Region: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Beihilfen zur Förderung der Tierzucht

Legal basis: Richtlinie zur Förderung der Tierzucht (draft not yet published)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 0,6 million

Paid over: Six years

Maximum aid intensity: 95 %

Date of implementation: From date of publication as provided for in Article 20(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award:

Objective of aid: Livestock sector (Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006)

Sector(s) concerned: A104 — Animal production

Name and address of the granting authority:

| Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Lebensmittelsicherheit und Fischerei |
| --- |
| Thierfelderstraße 18 |
| 18059 Rostock |
| DEUTSCHLAND |

Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Lebensmittelsicherheit und Fischerei

Thierfelderstraße 18

18059 Rostock

DEUTSCHLAND

Website: http://cms.mv-regierung.de/cms2/Regierungsportal_prod/Regierungsportal/de/lm/_Service/Link_an_EU/Richtlinie_zur_Foerderung_der_Tierzucht.doc

Other information: —

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| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/11 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/11

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Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001

2009/C 199/07

Aid No: XA 172/09

Member State: Spain

Region: Cataluña

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Ayudas en forma de préstamos para la adquisición de maquinaria agrícola que incorpore nuevas tecnologías

Legal basis: Proyecto de Orden AAR/xxx/2009, por la que se aprueban las bases reguladoras de la línea de préstamos para la adquisición de maquinaria agrícola que incorpore nuevas tecnologías, y se convoca la línea correspondiente al año 2009

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 5 million for each year of the aid scheme

Maximum aid intensity: As provided for in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, the gross aid intensity must not exceed 50 % in less-favoured areas or 40 % elsewhere.

In addition, the maximum amount of aid for any given undertaking over a period of three financial years is EUR 400 000. This may rise to EUR 500 000 if the investment is made in a less-favoured area

Date of implementation: Expected date: 15 June 2009 and, in any event, once the Commission has given the scheme an identification number and published the summary on the internet, in accordance with Article 20 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 December 2012

Objective of the aid: To provide loans to farmers for the purpose of purchasing agricultural machinery that incorporates new technologies, in order to:

Eligible expenditure: Of the expenses provided for in Article 4(4) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 2006, the only ones eligible under this aid scheme are the costs of purchasing technologically advanced machinery.

Simple replacement investment is not eligible under the scheme

Beneficiaries: Natural or legal persons who are owners or holders of farms in Cataluña and are engaged in the primary production of agricultural products in any agricultural sector may apply for this aid provided they meet the requirement of being a small or medium-sized enterprise

Form of aid: Interest subsidy of 100 %

Sector(s) concerned: NACE Code A.01 Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities

Name and address of granting authority:

| Departamento de Agricultura, Alimentación y Acción Rural |
| --- |
| Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes, 612-614 |
| 08007 Barcelona |
| ESPAÑA |

Departamento de Agricultura, Alimentación y Acción Rural

Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes, 612-614

08007 Barcelona

ESPAÑA

Website: http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/DAR/DE_Departament/DE03_Normativa/DE03_03_Projectes_disposicions/2009/Documents/Fitxers_estatics/2009_adquisicio_maquinaria_prestecs.pdf

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 173/09

Member State: France

Region: Région Limousin

Title of aid scheme: Aides en assistance technique de la région Limousin aux agriculteurs pour créer ou développer des ateliers de finition de bovins-viande

Legal basis: Code Général des Collectivités Territoriales, en particulier articles L 1511-1 à L 1511-3

Délibération no SP7-01-0006 du Conseil régional du Limousin du 18 janvier 2007 portant approbation du Rapport d’orientation de la politique agricole régionale

Délibération no CP9-03-0201 de la Commission permanente du Conseil régional du Limousin approuvant le lancement de l’appel à projets «Développement de la finition des produits bovins en Limousin».

Annual expenditure planned under the aid scheme: EUR 250 000 per annum for 3 years

Maximum aid intensity: 80 %

Date of implementation: June 2009, depending on the prior publication of the exemption request on the website of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Duration of the aid scheme: 3 years, i.e. until 31 December 2011

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to improve and increase the technical support needed for the qualitative and quantitative development of the finishing of bovine meat products in Limousin bearing the official quality mark, and thereby achieve the following objectives:

encourage breeders to undertake a project to establish or develop a fattening house for cattle within a low-risk framework,

develop and improve the quality of the technical support provided as part of this by producer organisations, by integrating quality and market supply requirements into this support.

The regional council will contribute by paying part of the costs of the technical support to be provided by producer organisations to breeders in order to begin establishing or developing bovine finishing houses on their holdings.

Fattening in the bovine sector requires expert skills and knowledge. Breeding animals is a traditional activity in the region of Limousin, which is why the appropriate technical support by qualified advisors must be given during any project to set up or develop a fattening house on a farm holding. The success of the fattening process and the first animals fattened is all the more important because unsuccessful fattening may jeopardise the financial viability of the holding.

Through this aid measure the regional council will require producer organisations to provide quality technical support for the initial three years of the project to set up and develop the farmer’s bovine finishing house. In this context, the technical support proposed by producer organisations must be geared towards the project as a whole and be cross-discipline, allowing the breeder to assess all the effects (economic and technical, but also the impact on work organisation and material investments, etc.) which the development of fattening may have on the holding. It must also include stages for defining, with the breeder, the quality of the target product in market terms (compliance, weight, colour, etc.) and the scope for improvement, as well as a final assessment once the animals have been sold. Lastly, this technical support should link in with the agricultural policies co-financed by the regional council and the government and/or the European Union as part of the Plan de Développement Rural Hexagonal.

Producer organisations wishing to take advantage of this measure should therefore propose much broader and more cross-discipline technical support than they usually offer.

The expenditure relating to the cost of the technical support provided by producer organisations to farmers will be eligible for this aid, with the exception of the organisation’s administrative costs.

Producer organisations must make this subsidised technical support available to all farmers in the region who request it, irrespective of whether they are a member of the organisation, from the moment when the farmer decides to establish or develop a finishing house for bovine products and commits to increase the number of animals finished on the farm under the official quality mark.

Aid will be granted annually and paid out in instalments (over no more than 3 years) as the beneficiaries fulfil their commitments

Sector(s) concerned: Bovine meat production

Name and address of the granting authority:

| Monsieur le Président de la Région Limousin |
| --- |
| 27 boulevard de la Corderie |
| 87031 Limoges Cedex |
| FRANCE |

Monsieur le Président de la Région Limousin

27 boulevard de la Corderie

87031 Limoges Cedex

FRANCE

Website: http://www.region-limousin.fr/article.php3?id_article=2371

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 174/09

Member State: Spain

Region: Principado de Asturias

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Subvenciones para los servicios de sustitución en las pequeñas y medianas explotaciones agrarias del Principado de Asturias dedicadas a la producción primaria de productos agrícolas

Legal basis: Bases reguladoras que regirán la concesión de subvenciones para los servicios de sustitución en las pequeñas y medianas explotaciones agrarias del Principado de Asturias dedicadas a la producción primaria de productos agrícolas

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: In 2009 the maximum amount of aid will be EUR 250 000

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity will be 100 %

Date of implementation: From the date on which the identification number of the exemption request is published on the website of the Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until December 2013

Objective of the aid: To cover expenditure by agricultural cooperatives and agricultural processing companies on setting up services to replace farmers, farmers’ partners or farm workers during illness and holidays, in small and medium-sized enterprises in Asturias engaged in the primary production of agricultural products.

Article 15(2)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 applies.

In accordance with Article 15(3) of the Regulation, the aid will be granted in kind in the form of subsidised services provided by third parties and will not involve any direct payments to producers.

As provided for in Article 15(4) of the Regulation, the replacement service provided by agricultural cooperatives and agricultural processing companies will be accessible to all small and medium-sized agricultural holdings in Asturias engaged in the primary production of agricultural products; membership of such groups or organisations will not be a precondition for using the service

Sector(s) concerned: Primary production of agricultural products

Name and address of the granting authority:

| Consejería de Medio Rural y Pesca del Principado de Asturias |
| --- |
| C/ Coronel Aranda, s/n, 4a planta |
| 33071 Oviedo |
| ESPAÑA |

Consejería de Medio Rural y Pesca del Principado de Asturias

C/ Coronel Aranda, s/n, 4a planta

33071 Oviedo

ESPAÑA

Website: The text of the general rules governing the aid can be found at http://www.asturias.es, on the following page:

http://www.asturias.es/Asturias/descargas/PDF%20DE%20TEMAS/Ganadería/servicios_de_sustitucion.pdf

Other information: —

El Director General de Ganadería y Agroalimentación

Luis Miguel ÁLVAREZ MORALES

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V Announcements

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

Commission

| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/14 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/14

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS — EACEA/22/09

‘Youth in Action’ programme

Action 4.6 — Partnerships

2009/C 199/08

I.   OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION

This call is launched within the framework of sub-action 4.6 of the ‘Youth in Action’ programme and in accordance with the Annual Work Programme for 2009 (Commission Decision C(2008) 5446) (1).

The main purpose of this call is to support partnerships between the European Commission — via the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency — and those regions, municipalities or European NGOs which aim to develop or reinforce their long-term actions, strategies and programmes in the field of non-formal learning and youth.

1.   Specific objectives

The specific aims of such partnerships will be to:

| — | pool resources and practices with a view to maximise the impact of the ‘Youth in Action’ programme as well as other initiatives in favour of young people and youth workers carried at local, regional or European level, |
| --- | --- |

—

pool resources and practices with a view to maximise the impact of the ‘Youth in Action’ programme as well as other initiatives in favour of young people and youth workers carried at local, regional or European level,

| — | provide inspiration and capacity-building — through models and practices developed under the ‘Youth in Action’ programme — to those bodies and organisations which aim to increase their investment in youth through non-formal learning activities and the development of skills and competences, |
| --- | --- |

—

provide inspiration and capacity-building — through models and practices developed under the ‘Youth in Action’ programme — to those bodies and organisations which aim to increase their investment in youth through non-formal learning activities and the development of skills and competences,

| — | add value to the scope and quality of the initiatives in the area of youth carried out at regional and local level by fostering their European dimension, |
| --- | --- |

—

add value to the scope and quality of the initiatives in the area of youth carried out at regional and local level by fostering their European dimension,

| — | transfer lessons learned from the implementation of successful actions and initiatives in the area of non-formal learning and youth, |
| --- | --- |

—

transfer lessons learned from the implementation of successful actions and initiatives in the area of non-formal learning and youth,

| — | encourage synergies and cooperation between the public sector and non-governmental organisations working in the field of youth, |
| --- | --- |

—

encourage synergies and cooperation between the public sector and non-governmental organisations working in the field of youth,

| — | encourage the raising of overall skills levels among young people, giving priority to education and training of those with low skills and young people with fewer opportunities, including early school-leavers and young people with low levels of educational attainment, unemployed, migrants and people with disabilities, |
| --- | --- |

—

encourage the raising of overall skills levels among young people, giving priority to education and training of those with low skills and young people with fewer opportunities, including early school-leavers and young people with low levels of educational attainment, unemployed, migrants and people with disabilities,

| — | foster the recognition of youth work and the validation non-formal learning activities in the European Union. |
| --- | --- |

—

foster the recognition of youth work and the validation non-formal learning activities in the European Union.

2.   Characteristics of the partnership

This call for proposals will support the development of an activity programme combining one or more of the following activities taking inspiration from the ‘Youth in Action’ programme:

| (a) | transnational youth exchanges |
| --- | --- |

(a)

transnational youth exchanges

| (b) | national or transnational youth Initiatives |
| --- | --- |

(b)

national or transnational youth Initiatives

| (c) | European voluntary service |
| --- | --- |

(c)

European voluntary service

| (d) | training and networking. |
| --- | --- |

(d)

training and networking.

Such activity programme can be:

| — | either directly implemented by the applicant itself (procedure A in the rest of the text), |
| --- | --- |

—

either directly implemented by the applicant itself (procedure A in the rest of the text),

| — | or cooperatively implemented with ‘co-organising partner(s)’ who are extensively involved in the design and implementation of the project and designated by the applicant at the time of submitting the application (procedure B in the rest of the text). |
| --- | --- |

—

or cooperatively implemented with ‘co-organising partner(s)’ who are extensively involved in the design and implementation of the project and designated by the applicant at the time of submitting the application (procedure B in the rest of the text).

In both cases (procedure A or procedure B) the activity programme can involve ‘associated partners’. Associated partners take part in the implementation of the proposed activities of the project, but not to the same extent and at the same level of participation as co-organising partners.

II.   ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Proposals must be submitted by:

| — | a local or regional public body, or |
| --- | --- |

—

a local or regional public body, or

| — | a non-profit body active at European level in the youth field (ENGO) which has member organisations in at least eight (8) programme countries of the ‘Youth in Action’ programme. |
| --- | --- |

—

a non-profit body active at European level in the youth field (ENGO) which has member organisations in at least eight (8) programme countries of the ‘Youth in Action’ programme.

If the project indicates that the programme of activities is to be implemented jointly with one or more co-organisers (procedure B) this/these organisation/s can be:

| — | non-profit non-governmental organisations, or |
| --- | --- |

—

non-profit non-governmental organisations, or

| — | local or regional public bodies, or |
| --- | --- |

—

local or regional public bodies, or

| — | non-profit bodies active at European level in the youth field (ENGO) which have member organisations in at least eight (8) programme countries of the ‘Youth in Action’ programme. |
| --- | --- |

—

non-profit bodies active at European level in the youth field (ENGO) which have member organisations in at least eight (8) programme countries of the ‘Youth in Action’ programme.

Applicants must have a legal status and must — at the specified deadline for submitting their proposals — have been legally registered for at least two (2) years in one of the programme countries. The programme countries are as follows:

| — | the Member States of the European Union
   (2): Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom, |
| --- | --- |

—

the Member States of the European Union
   (2): Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom,

| — | those countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which are parties to the agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA): Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, |
| --- | --- |

—

those countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which are parties to the agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA): Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway,

| — | candidate countries for which a pre-accession strategy has been established, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions laid down in the framework agreements concluded with these countries with a view to their participation in EU programmes: Turkey. |
| --- | --- |

—

candidate countries for which a pre-accession strategy has been established, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions laid down in the framework agreements concluded with these countries with a view to their participation in EU programmes: Turkey.

III.   ELIGIBLE ACTIONS

Projects must be set up including an activity programme of non-profit-making purpose and come under the field of youth and non-formal education.

The programme of activities must start between 1 April 2010 and 1 September 2010.

The programme of activities may run for two years (24 months).

IV.   AWARD CRITERIA

Eligible applications will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

1.   Qualitative criteria

Qualitative criteria will represent 80 % of the points available within the evaluation procedure.

The following qualitative criteria will be taken into consideration:

| — | relevance of the project in relation to the objectives and priorities of the programme (30 %), |
| --- | --- |

—

relevance of the project in relation to the objectives and priorities of the programme (30 %),

| — | quality of the project and of the working methods it comprises (50 %). |
| --- | --- |

—

quality of the project and of the working methods it comprises (50 %).

2.   Quantitative criteria

Quantitative criteria will represent 20 % of the points available within the evaluation procedure.

The following quantitative criteria will be taken into consideration:

| — | profile and number of participants (including those with fewer opportunities) and of partners involved in the project (20 %). |
| --- | --- |

—

profile and number of participants (including those with fewer opportunities) and of partners involved in the project (20 %).

V.   BUDGET AVAILABLE

The total budget allocated to the co-funding of projects under this call for proposals is estimated at EUR 1 200 000.

The maximum grant allocated to each project may not exceed EUR 100 000.

Within the partnership, the beneficiary will share project co-financing on an equal footing with the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.

The Agency reserves the right not to allocate all the funds available.

VI.   DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

Grant applications must be sent no later than 1.12.2009 to the following address:

| Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency |
| --- |
| ‘Youth in Action’ programme — EACEA/22/09 |
| BOUR, 04/029 |
| Avenue du Bourget 1 |
| 1140 Brussels |
| BELGIUM |

Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency

‘Youth in Action’ programme — EACEA/22/09

BOUR, 04/029

Avenue du Bourget 1

1140 Brussels

BELGIUM

| — | by post, date as postmark, |
| --- | --- |

—

by post, date as postmark,

| — | by an express courier company, the date of receipt by the courier company being taken as proof of posting (please include a copy of the receipt in the application form). |
| --- | --- |

—

by an express courier company, the date of receipt by the courier company being taken as proof of posting (please include a copy of the receipt in the application form).

Only applications that are submitted using the correct form, duly completed and dated, including a budget drawn up in accordance with the relevant funding rules and sent in one unique package and as a single copy (the original document), will be accepted. The application must be signed by the person authorised to enter into legally binding commitments on behalf of the applicant organisation and where applicable of the co-organising partners.

Applications which have not been submitted within the specified deadline will be disregarded.

Applications sent by fax or e-mail will not be accepted.

VII.   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Detailed guidelines for applicants and application forms can be found on the Internet at the following address: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/funding/2009/call_action_4_6_en.php

or by writing to:

| Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency |
| --- |
| ‘Youth in Action’ programme — EACEA/22/09 |
| BOUR, 04/029 |
| Avenue du Bourget 1 |
| 1140 Brussels |
| BELGIUM |

Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency

‘Youth in Action’ programme — EACEA/22/09

BOUR, 04/029

Avenue du Bourget 1

1140 Brussels

BELGIUM

Grant applications must use the application form specifically designed for this purpose and contain all the annexes and information required.

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(1)  The Annual Work Programme for 2009 can be consulted at the following website: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/calls/docs/c_2008_5446-wp2009.pdf

(2)  Persons from overseas countries and territories and, if applicable, public or private institutions based there, are eligible under the ‘Youth in Action’ programme, depending upon the rules of the programme and those which apply in the Member State with which they are connected. A list of these overseas countries and territories is given in Annex 1A of Council Decision 2001/822/EC of 27 November 2001 on the association of the overseas countries and territories with the European Community (Overseas Association Decision) OJ L 314, 30.11.2001.

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PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPETITION POLICY

Commission

| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/18 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/18

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5589 — Sony/Seiko Epson)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2009/C 199/09

| 1. | On 18 August 2009, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Sony Corporation (‘Sony’, Japan) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the small- and medium-sized TFT-LCD business of Seiko Epson Corporation (‘Epson’, Japan) by way of purchase of assets. |
| --- | --- |

1.

On 18 August 2009, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Sony Corporation (‘Sony’, Japan) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the small- and medium-sized TFT-LCD business of Seiko Epson Corporation (‘Epson’, Japan) by way of purchase of assets.

| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:






  — | for Sony: electronic consumer products, including activities in the small- and medium sized LCD segment; games; entertainment; financial services, and a variety of other businesses, |
| --- | --- | --- |

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—

for Sony: electronic consumer products, including activities in the small- and medium sized LCD segment; games; entertainment; financial services, and a variety of other businesses,

| — | for the small- and medium-sized TFT-LCD business of Epson: development, production, marketing, and sale of small- and medium-sized thin film transistor liquid crystal displays. |
| --- | --- |

—

for the small- and medium-sized TFT-LCD business of Epson: development, production, marketing, and sale of small- and medium-sized thin film transistor liquid crystal displays.

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. |
| --- | --- |

3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

| 4. | The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
  Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301 or 22967244) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.5589 — Sony/Seiko Epson, to the following address:





  European Commission |
| --- | --- |
| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| J-70 |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

4.

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

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301 or 22967244) or by post, under reference number COMP/M.5589 — Sony/Seiko Epson, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

J-70

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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

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OTHER ACTS

Commission

| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/19 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/19

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Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2009/C 199/10

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of this publication.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘POMMES DES ALPES DE HAUTE DURANCE’

EC No: FR-PGI-0005-0498-29.09.2005

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1.   Responsible department in the Member State:

| Name: | Institut National des Appellations d’Origine et de la Qualité |
| --- | --- |
| Address: | 51 rue d’Anjou |
| 75008 Paris |
| FRANCE |

Name:

Institut National des Appellations d’Origine et de la Qualité

Address:

51 rue d’Anjou

75008 Paris

FRANCE

Tel.

+33 153898000

Fax

+33 142255797

E-mail:

info@inao.gouv.fr

2.   Group:

| Name: | Association de Promotion des Fruits des Alpes de Haute Durance |
| --- | --- |
| Address: | Maison de l’Entreprise |
| 11 Allée des Genêts |
| 04200 Sisteron |
| FRANCE |

Name:

Association de Promotion des Fruits des Alpes de Haute Durance

Address:

Maison de l’Entreprise

11 Allée des Genêts

04200 Sisteron

FRANCE

Tel.

+33 0492331839

Fax

+33 0492331838

E-mail:

assopromofruits.ahd@freesbee.fr

Composition:

Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( )

Producers, fruit-packing stations, trading companies.

3.   Type of product:

| Class 1.6. | Fruit, vegetables, cereals, whether or not processed |
| --- | --- |

Class 1.6.

Fruit, vegetables, cereals, whether or not processed

4.   Specification:

(summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

4.1.   Name:

‘Pommes des Alpes de Haute Durance’

4.2.   Description:

Fresh fruit (apples) of the Golden Delicious and Gala varieties and their mutants put into cold storage rapidly after picking, picked when ripe, with a guaranteed minimum sugar content (refractometric index of at least 12) and a minimum degree of firmness to ensure ‘crunchiness’.

The minimum degree of firmness (kg/cm2) is as follows:

| — | for Golden Delicious: 5 kg/cm2 where colouration (in terms of the official Golden Delicious colour code produced by the Centre technique interprofessionnel des fruits et légumes — CTIFL) is 3 or less; 4 kg/cm2 where it is over 3, |
| --- | --- |

—

for Golden Delicious: 5 kg/cm2 where colouration (in terms of the official Golden Delicious colour code produced by the Centre technique interprofessionnel des fruits et légumes — CTIFL) is 3 or less; 4 kg/cm2 where it is over 3,

| — | for Gala: 6 kg/cm2. |
| --- | --- |

—

for Gala: 6 kg/cm2.

The colouration of the apples, both when they are harvested and when they are marketed, is as follows:

| — | for Golden Delicious and its mutants, colouration 2 (C3 and C4), 3 (C5 and C6), 4 (C7), in terms of the official Golden Delicious colour code produced by the Centre technique interprofessionnel des fruits et légumes (CTIFL), |
| --- | --- |

—

for Golden Delicious and its mutants, colouration 2 (C3 and C4), 3 (C5 and C6), 4 (C7), in terms of the official Golden Delicious colour code produced by the Centre technique interprofessionnel des fruits et légumes (CTIFL),

| — | for Gala and its mutants, between F2 and F4; intensity of red colouration: R2 to R4, in terms of the official Gala colour code produced by the Centre technique interprofessionnel des fruits et légumes (CTIFL), where F corresponds to the scale for the basic colour and R to the intensity of the red colouration. |
| --- | --- |

—

for Gala and its mutants, between F2 and F4; intensity of red colouration: R2 to R4, in terms of the official Gala colour code produced by the Centre technique interprofessionnel des fruits et légumes (CTIFL), where F corresponds to the scale for the basic colour and R to the intensity of the red colouration.

4.3.   Geographical area:

The production area for the fruit is in the Alpes de Haute-Durance and is made up of six cantons in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Department and thirteen in the Hautes-Alpes at altitudes of between 450 m and 900 m; these are:

| | Department of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: La Motte, Le Lauzet, Seyne, Sisteron, Turriers and Noyers-sur-Jabron, |
| --- | --- |

Department of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: La Motte, Le Lauzet, Seyne, Sisteron, Turriers and Noyers-sur-Jabron,

| | Department of the Hautes-Alpes: Aspres-sur-Büech, Barcillonnette, La Bâtie-Neuve, Chorges, Embrun, Gap, Laragne, Orpierre, Ribiers, Savines, Serres, Tallard and Veynes. |
| --- | --- |

Department of the Hautes-Alpes: Aspres-sur-Büech, Barcillonnette, La Bâtie-Neuve, Chorges, Embrun, Gap, Laragne, Orpierre, Ribiers, Savines, Serres, Tallard and Veynes.

4.4.   Proof of origin:

Fruit-packing stations approved under the PGI scheme must demonstrate that they can ensure traceability, by means of:

| — | identifying batches after picking, |
| --- | --- |

—

identifying batches after picking,

| — | knowing which batches make up each pallet sent out and where they are going, |
| --- | --- |

—

knowing which batches make up each pallet sent out and where they are going,

| — | withdrawing batches that do not conform to standard, |
| --- | --- |

—

withdrawing batches that do not conform to standard,

| — | for each PGI-labelled apple, proving geographical origin and compliance with all rules in the specification, |
| --- | --- |

—

for each PGI-labelled apple, proving geographical origin and compliance with all rules in the specification,

| — | in the event of a complaint, tracing back the batch from which the fruit came. |
| --- | --- |

—

in the event of a complaint, tracing back the batch from which the fruit came.

The above is achieved as follows:

Producers are approved by the control body after checks on their land parcel, the varieties they grow and their compliance with the specification. The register of approved producers and parcels is updated and published every year by the producer organisations (POs) or the producers themselves at the start of the production season.

Labelling of pallet boxes or crates

The label contains the following information:

| — | the producer, |
| --- | --- |

—

the producer,

| — | the variety, |
| --- | --- |

—

the variety,

| — | the date of picking, |
| --- | --- |

—

the date of picking,

| — | the parcel and possibly the batch number, if the parcel has to be split into several batches. |
| --- | --- |

—

the parcel and possibly the batch number, if the parcel has to be split into several batches.

Identification and tracing of batches

Batches can be identified at any point in the packaging chain, with markers showing the start and end of each batch.

Control of information

Packing stations manage and maintain information on delivery dates, destinations, calibre, category and weights of PGI apples.

The same applies to information as to the origin (producer, parcel) of batches in storage, dates of picking and the number of the cold-room in which the fruit is stored.

4.5.   Method of production:

The producers have mastered the methods for growing the fruit and knowing when it should be picked:

| — | Growing methods:






  — | Pruning and thinning out: pruning is carried out so as to ensure maximum light exposure and select the best branches for bearing fruit. Thinning-out is done chemically and/or manually so that the load is compatible with the balance of the tree. |
| --- | --- | --- |

—

Growing methods:

—

Pruning and thinning out: pruning is carried out so as to ensure maximum light exposure and select the best branches for bearing fruit. Thinning-out is done chemically and/or manually so that the load is compatible with the balance of the tree.

| — | Fertilisation:
  Fertiliser use must be kept within reasonable limits in line with the strength of the orchard's rootstock. It is subject to the following annual limits:






  — | for type 106 rootstocks: 80 units of nitrogen, 70 units of phosphoric acid and 140 units of potash, |
| --- | --- | --- |

—

Fertilisation:

Fertiliser use must be kept within reasonable limits in line with the strength of the orchard's rootstock. It is subject to the following annual limits:

—

for type 106 rootstocks: 80 units of nitrogen, 70 units of phosphoric acid and 140 units of potash,

| — | for type 9 rootstocks: 140 units of nitrogen, 70 units of phosphoric acid and 140 units of potash. |
| --- | --- |

—

for type 9 rootstocks: 140 units of nitrogen, 70 units of phosphoric acid and 140 units of potash.

Nitrogen use must be limited to 50 units at a time.

| — | Plant-health treatments: it is prohibited to use pest-control products intensively and systematically under a pre-established programme. |
| --- | --- |

—

Plant-health treatments: it is prohibited to use pest-control products intensively and systematically under a pre-established programme.

| — | Harvest: the apples are picked when they are fairly ripe but can still ripen further so that they are in ideal condition by the time they reach to the consumer. The starch test is used. Harvesting may not begin before stage 4 (EUROFRU starch code), i.e. the start of starch regression, for the Golden Delicious and Gala varieties.
  The apples are put into cold storage quickly after picking and no more than two hours after loading at the orchard. |
| --- | --- |

—

Harvest: the apples are picked when they are fairly ripe but can still ripen further so that they are in ideal condition by the time they reach to the consumer. The starch test is used. Harvesting may not begin before stage 4 (EUROFRU starch code), i.e. the start of starch regression, for the Golden Delicious and Gala varieties.

The apples are put into cold storage quickly after picking and no more than two hours after loading at the orchard.

4.6.   Link:

(a)   Particular climatic and soil conditions in the geographical area and specific characteristics of the product

The quality of apples from this region (high sugar content, firmness and colouration) is intimately linked to the characteristics of the growing environment, especially the climate in the Alpes de Haute Durance, where there are 300 days of sunshine a year on average. As E. Vernet wrote in 1933, ‘a wide range of altitudes, permeable and irrigable soil, the intense light and a cold, dry winter — these are the reasons why the Hautes-Alpes are so ideally suited to fruit production’, adding that this produces apples with ‘a flavour and a colour that bear comparison with fruit from the Tyrol and Switzerland’.

The exposure to the sun makes for better photosynthesis in the leaves, thus increasing the sugar content. Very wide variations in temperature between day and night, along with moderate maximum temperatures in the daytime, mean that photosynthesis is sustained, which tends to encourage the accumulation of sugar. The fruit ripens at a time when it is relatively cold and this blocks the degradation of acids, while the wide temperature variations encourage yellowing/reddening and firmness. Also, the fact that the nights are so cool at these altitudes means that the apples’ malic acidity level degrades more slowly, this produces a sugar/acidity balance ideally suited to conservation and the remarkable organoleptic qualities linked to the geographical area (taste, crunchiness).

(b)   Public recognition and reputation

Apples have been produced in the Haute Durance region, to the north of Sisteron, for hundreds of years. E. Vernet (1933) refers to a transaction as long ago as 1358 which involved a number of ‘fruits of the earth’, of which ‘apples are the foremost’. Later, in the early 19th century, apples emerged as a speciality of the mountainous areas in Provence. It seems that the apple really started to come to prominence around the 1930s. The orchards were to be found first of all on the hillsides and also in some small production areas higher up. In the mountains, the apples ripen later on in the autumn. In addition, the conditions in winter are such that they can be kept exposed to the open air, which used to be the only form of storage. Motte-au-Caire is one example of this in the geographical area.

In 1962, it was stated in a Ministry of Agriculture publication entitled The Orchards of the Hautes-Alpes that, by virtue of the particular characteristics of the climate and the soil that are referred to above, ‘the quality of our fruit, both visually and in terms of taste, has always surprised the experts and drawn the appreciation of consumers’. The qualities of the ‘Pommes des Alpes de Haute Durance’ were thus recognised by insiders and consumers alike and, as stressed by F. Alavoine-Mornas and A. Trimouille (1995), there were no doubts in the sector as to the existence of an area of apple production in the Haute Durance region.

Nowadays, and since 1996, the Alpes de Haute Durance fruit promotion board and all packagers use the term ‘Pommes des Alpes de Haute Durance’ in all their packaging and brand names, as well as in promotional material and advertising.

4.7.   Inspection body:

| Name: | Ulase |
| --- | --- |
| Address: | ZA de Champgrand, BP 68 |
| 26270 Loriol sur Drôme |
| FRANCE |

Name:

Ulase

Address:

ZA de Champgrand, BP 68

26270 Loriol sur Drôme

FRANCE

Tel.

+33 0475611300

Fax

+33 0475856212

E-mail:

info@ulase.fr

COFRAC accreditation No 7-007/97.

4.8.   Labelling:

Each tray or individual fruit sold to the consumer carries the standardisation label in accordance with the marketing rules in Regulation (EC) No 85/2004, as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1238/2005, identifying in particular the packager and/or supplier, the variety and category of the fruit, the packing station and the batch number.

Any changes to the label must be approved by the Certifying Body.

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| 25.8.2009 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 199/24 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

25.8.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 199/24

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Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2009/C 199/11

This publication confers the right to object to the amendment application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.

AMENDMENT APPLICATION

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

Amendment application pursuant to Article 9

‘GRANA PADANO’

EC No: IT-PDO-0217-0011-26.07.2006

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1.   Heading in the specification affected by the amendment:

| — |  | Name of product |
| --- | --- | --- |
| — | | Description |
| — | | Geographical area |
| — | | Proof of origin |
| — | | Method of production |
| — |  | Link |
| — | | Labelling |
| — | | National requirements |
| — | | Other [to be specified] |

—



Name of product

—

Image

Description

—

Image

Geographical area

—

Image

Proof of origin

—

Image

Method of production

—



Link

—

Image

Labelling

—

Image

National requirements

—

Image

Other [to be specified]

2.   Type of amendment:

| — |  | Amendment to single document or summary sheet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| — | | Amendment to specification of registered PDO or PGI for which neither the single document nor the summary sheet has been published |
| — |  | Amendment to specification that requires no amendment to the published Single Document (Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006) |
| — |  | Temporary amendment to specification resulting from imposition of obligatory sanitary or phytosanitary measures by public authorities (Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006) |

—



Amendment to single document or summary sheet

—

Image

Amendment to specification of registered PDO or PGI for which neither the single document nor the summary sheet has been published

—



Amendment to specification that requires no amendment to the published Single Document (Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

—



Temporary amendment to specification resulting from imposition of obligatory sanitary or phytosanitary measures by public authorities (Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

3.   Amendment(s):

3.1.   Description:

The description ‘semi-fat’ is replaced by the expression ‘produced [...] with milk [...] partially skimmed by natural surface skimming’ (Article 1 of the specification):

according to the rules in force, cheese may only be described as ‘semi-fat’ when the fat content on the dry matter is less than 35 %, whereas Grana Padano has, on average, 40 to 42 % fat on the dry matter, so use of the adjective ‘semi-fat’ may mislead the consumer.

The term ‘manufactured’, which creates the impression of a mechanised industrial process, is replaced by the term ‘produced’ which is more neutral and does not have any such connotation and is therefore more appropriate (Article 1 of the specification).

The description of the milk will now include the adjective ‘raw’ (Article 1 of the specification): the fact that the milk must be ‘raw’ is an essential element for maintaining the link with the territory and so the expression ‘raw’ has been expressly included in order to clear away with any ambiguity which in the past has given rise to questions concerning interpretation — which in some cases have gone all the way to the courts — regarding whether the milk may be heat-treated (which is in any event not provided for in the approved specification).

The expression ‘resistance to ripening: 1 to 2 years’ (Article 2 of the specification) has been removed. This is because the expression could have been misleading with regard to the minimum maturing period (nine months) after which the product could properly be marketed under the Grana Padano Protected Designation of Origin. Furthermore, the expression in question could have penalised those cheeses which, since they were over the two-year limit, satisfied and, possibly, more than satisfied the requirements laid down in the specification but which, because of the above mentioned expression, could actually be downgraded.

The expression ‘artificial colouring is expressly prohibited’ is specifically introduced (Article 2 of the specification). The inclusion of the express prohibition is intended to dispel doubts arising in practice regarding the possible use of artificial colouring.

Express mention is made of the fat-to-casein ratio in the cheese vat (fifth paragraph of Article 5 of the specification): ‘... the fat-to-casein ratio in the cheese vat is 0.80 to 1.05. For Trentingrana, the maximum fat-to-casein in the milk in the vat is 1.15’. That specification was inserted because the fat-to-casein ratio is the only indicative parameter which may be expected to measure fat content of the final product.

3.2.   Geographical area:

The current wording describing the extent of the geographical area (Article 3 of the specification) is essentially an update of the original text which concerns the new provinces which have been set up within the administrative territories of other provinces which were already included in the production area.

The production area has been extended with the insertion of five municipalities belonging to the autonomous province of Bolzano: Anterivo, Trodena, Lauregno, Proves and Senale-San Felice. Although they are administratively within the territory of the province of Bolzano, those five municipalities belong orographically to the valley of the province of Trento, namely to the Val di Fiemme (Anterivo and Trodena) and to the Val di Non (Lauregno, Proves and Senale-San Felice) and are thus, obviously, bordering on the province of Trento. The municipalities which now belong to the autonomous province of Bolzano used to belong, until 1948, to an administrative area (for example, the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme Cavalese) which made no distinction between the economic aggregates concerned according to whether they belonged administratively to the Autonomous Provinces of Trento or Bolzano.

It should be noted that since the total area of the five above mentioned municipalities is barely 92 km2, the increase is absolutely insignificant in relation with regard to the production area for ‘Grana Padano’ PDO, a production area which has already been recognised and spans five regions.

3.3.   Proof of origin:

Analytical parameters have been introduced in order to guarantee the origin of the product by means of specific analyses which make it possible to monitor the particular characteristics of ‘Grana Padano’ PDO.

Specifically, the following paragraphs have been inserted (second, third and fifth paragraphs of Article 2):

| | ‘A description of the amino acid composition — determined by ion-exchange chromatography with photometric ninhydrin detection — of “Grana Padano” PDO has been lodged with the Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano (Syndicate for the Protection of Grana Padano Cheese) and with the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy’; |
| --- | --- |

‘A description of the amino acid composition — determined by ion-exchange chromatography with photometric ninhydrin detection — of “Grana Padano” PDO has been lodged with the Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano (Syndicate for the Protection of Grana Padano Cheese) and with the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy’;

| | ‘A description of the isotopic composition — determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) – of “Grana Padano” PDO has been lodged with the Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano (Syndicate for the Protection of Grana Padano Cheese) and with the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy’; |
| --- | --- |

‘A description of the isotopic composition — determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) – of “Grana Padano” PDO has been lodged with the Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano (Syndicate for the Protection of Grana Padano Cheese) and with the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy’;

| | ‘The lysozyme content of the finished product — where it is used in cheese-making — measured using a reverse phase liquid chromatography and a fluorescent marker, must correspond to the quantity declared and verified in the curdling process’. |
| --- | --- |

‘The lysozyme content of the finished product — where it is used in cheese-making — measured using a reverse phase liquid chromatography and a fluorescent marker, must correspond to the quantity declared and verified in the curdling process’.

More specifically, a databank has been created, using analysis of the stable isotope ratios of bioelements and analysis of macro and micro elements, which defines and characterises Grana Padano and thus makes it possible — by checking against these data the result of analyses carried out on individual product samples — to determine whether the product in question comes from the area of origin and whether it has the specific characteristics peculiar to the trademarked cheese which the packager claims to have used to produce the sample of grated cheese in question.

Cross-checking analyses of the isotopes, amino acids and the lysozyme content provides a mechanism for ascertaining with accuracy the origin of the Grana Padano PDO product.

There is a new requirement regarding the inclusion of a microbiological tracer (fourth paragraph of Article 2 of the specification): ‘Grana Padano’ PDO cheese contains micro-organisms native to milk which serve as an anti-counterfeiting system by acting as a tracer which are added to the milk in the vat during caseation. The qualitative and quantitative characteristics of such tracers have been lodged with the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy and notified to the Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano in order to guarantee the authenticity of the Grana Padano PDO cheese. The micro-organism used as a tracer, which is always distinguishable from others already present in the bacterial flora of the milk, is changed from time to time in order to prevent others who are not involved in producing Grana Padano PDO from counterfeiting the product by inserting the same tracer.

In practice, a certain quantity of micro-organisms already present in the bacterial flora of the milk intended for making ‘Grana Padano’ PDO is inserted into the milk in the vat during caseation. Such lactic bacteria are inactive and thus do not reproduce and are not such as to affect the chemical, physical or organoleptic characteristics of the product. This is a system for identifying ‘Grana Padano’ PDO cheese, and is thus an anti-counterfeiting device, which traces the cheese by means of natural biological tracers derived from the flora naturally present in the milk intended for Grana Padano PDO.

The subsequent check to see whether the above mentioned tracer is present in the finished product in the quantities expected makes it possible to ascertain whether the cheese being analysed is the genuine product, since it is possible to detect with accuracy whether there has been any mixing with cheese other than Grana Padano PDO at levels down to less than 5 %, thus rendering pointless any mixing.

In view of the fact that the original application for recognition of the name ‘Grana Padano’ already provided for the use of ‘bacteria’ during the curdling stage and that they are ingredients naturally occurring in the milk intended for ‘Grana Padano’, it is clear that the amendments applied for do not constitute to a change in the existing production method but rather allow better traceability and help guarantee the authenticity of the product.

The above mentioned requirement to add the ‘tracer’ to the milk in the vat is set out for avoidance of doubt as part of the production method (ninth paragraph of Article 5 of the specification): ‘The tracer (mentioned in Article 2) provided by the Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano to any producer who needs it must be added in order to guarantee the authenticity of Grana Padano PDO cheese; this does not apply to Trentingrana’.

A reference to analysis of the alkaline phosphatase content of the cheese has been added (Article 5: ‘Only cheese whose level of alkaline phosphatase one centimetre below the rind lifted halfway from the heel, measured by the fluorimetric method, is consistent with the use of raw milk, and furthermore satisfies all the requirements laid down in the present specification at Article 2 is subject to inspection no earlier than the eighth month of ripening’). This addition was necessary inasmuch as the alkaline phosphatase is, so far, the only element capable of proving that raw milk has been used in the cheese-making process.

There has been introduced a reference to the screening or bleaching of cheese not fit to bear the Grana Padano mark (Article 5: ‘... or will give rise to the deletion of the signs of origin stamped at the mould stage, by means of screening or bleaching, where the product does not have the characteristics required by Article 2’). Again, this is merely a specific reference to the activity which follows inspection of the cheese for the purpose of checking whether the requirements laid down in the specifications for the award of the PDO have been observed. Since the mark is affixed at origin, should the inspection body find at the end of the maturing period that the product does not meet the requirements to justify use of the designation, all PDO identification marks must be removed from the cheese wheel. The identification marks on the cheeses are cancelled or bleached away.

3.4.   Method of production:

When presented as ‘grattugiato’ (grated), the shavings used must be from the cutting and packaging of ‘Grana Padano’ (sixth paragraph of Article 2: ‘Subject to Article 7 below, the use is nonetheless permitted of shavings from the cutting and packaging of Grana Padano in pieces of variable weight and/or fixed weight, in small blocks, cubes, bite-size pieces, etc., for the production of grated Grana Padano’) provided they are traceable and there is no doubt as to the origin of the product (as set out in the penultimate paragraph of Article 7 of the Specification: ‘Limits and conditions for the use of shavings of Grana Padano PDO in the production of grated Grana Padano’). It was necessary to make this provision since it was uneconomic and counterproductive for producers not to use the shavings which inevitably and naturally result from cutting ‘Grana Padano’ PDO cheese.

A description of the feeding regime for the milk cows has been added to Article 4. The decision has been taken to describe it strictly and in greater detail. In order to improve the qualitative aspects of ‘Grana Padano’ PDO, stricter rules have been applied to the feeding regime drawn from empirical observations and from checks carried out on the cheese-making properties of the milk intended for ‘Grana Padano’ PDO.

The temperature at which the milk must be kept has been set (second paragraph of Article 5: ‘Raw milk, whether kept in the dairy or while being transported, must have a temperature of no less than 8 °C’). This limit is justified by the fact that, at temperatures below 8 °C, the solubility of β-casein fraction is increased, giving rise to difficulty in curding and draining the cheese with inevitable consequences for the quality of the finished product.

The maximum limit for the use of lysozyme is set at 2,5 g per 100 kg of milk (eighth paragraph of Article 5: ‘The use of lysozyme is permitted up to a maximum level of 2,5 g per 100 kg of milk; this does not apply to Trentingrana’). The use of lysozyme was already provided for in the dossier which gave rise to recognition but no maximum value had been fixed until now. Experience has shown that quantities of lysozyme greater than the aforementioned limit provide no further advantage in containing the fermenting gases generated by Clostridium tyrobutyrricum.

It goes without saying that lysozyme must not be used for Trentingrana since, in its case, milk cows are not fed with silage so that there is no need to resort to the use of lysozyme.

3.5.   Labelling:

Further details are provided (second paragraph of Article 7) regarding the processing into authentic grated cheese of all types and sizes of the cheese, despite not having a heel and thus no longer being recognisable.

From the day following the entry into force of the legislation governing the use of the designation Grana Padano for the ‘grattugiato’ variety, it was realised that the risks attaching to such production were and continue to be those typical of grated cheese, given that there is no sign of origin and that therefore it is impossible to identify the product.

Use of a casein nameplate has been added (Article 8: ‘Identification of origin by means of marking bands includes the affixing of a casein nameplate bearing the words “Grana Padano”, the year of manufacture and an alphanumeric code which unambiguously identifies each cheese wheel ...’. The purpose is to enable greater and more reliable traceability of the product, thus improving the checks on the quality of the product and offering greater guarantee to the consumer.

The words ‘Riserva’ (Reserve) and ‘Oltre 16 mesi’ (more than 16 months) have been added (Article 8). The addition of these particular words on the label is intended to give operators and consumers precise information concerning the ripening of the product (generally referred to as ‘segmentation of the market’). The need became obvious from targeted market research carried out among consumers. The amendment in question is thus justified by the need to provide as clear and complete information as possible to operators and, above all, to consumers: if ‘Grana Padano’ is matured for longer, its organoleptic characteristics will be somewhat different to the same product which has not been allowed to mature as long; the consumer must be shown that there is a difference and the difference in price must also be justified allowing the consumer, when purchasing the product, to make choices on the basis of knowledge.

It should be pointed out that while the category ‘Oltre 16 mesi’ concerns the packaged product, the ‘Riserva’ category entails the addition of a second brand which is affixed only within the production area and only on cheese which has never left the production area itself, bearing in mind that, as required by the production specification, before the mark may be affixed, the product must be subjected to checks.

3.6.   National requirements:

No further use is made of the derogation under Article 9 of Presidential Decree No 54/97 regarding the germ (bacterial) content and the somatic cell count (first paragraph of Article 4: ‘... except in respect of milk produced in the Trentingrana area, does not avail itself of the derogation under the health legislation in force so far as concerns total bacterial content and somatic cell content’).

This amendment is a significant step forward in the process of constantly raising the qualitative level of Grana Padano cheese. It is a well-known fact that in order to obtain best-quality cheese it is necessary to start with best-quality raw materials.

The amendment does not affect Trentingrana brand cheese because of its special nature, acknowledged by the Presidential Decree of 26 January 1987: in this case (exclusively) the derogation is maintained in view of the socio-economic importance of the product to the Trentingrana area and the difficulty of otherwise achieving the value in question there.

3.7.   Other:

As regards the characteristics of ‘Grana Padano’ PDO when released for consumption, the additional clarification, useful for the purpose of carrying out checks, has been added to the effect that the weight ‘is to be understood as referring to the average weight of the entire consignment subject to inspection with a tolerance of 2,5 % in respect of individual cheeses, provided the cheese which benefits from the tolerance is part of a larger consignment which meets the above mentioned requirements’ (Article 2 of the specification).

Bearing in mind that over four million ‘Grana Padano’ cheeses are produced every year and in view of the size of the cheese wheels, it is clear that if the inspection body were to weigh each one it would lengthen the inspection time enormously, resulting in significantly increased costs for producers.

It has been made clear that ‘The milk must be collected within 24 hours from first milking’ (second paragraph of Article 4). The previous wording was not, in fact, sufficiently clear in this respect.

A new prohibition has been added regarding manufacturing on behalf of others or under contract (first paragraph of Article 5). This prohibition is dictated by the need essentially to improve traceability and having individual cheese manufacturers accept greater responsibility.

In view of the benefits brought by this system, it would be absurd to disregard the great economic and other efforts made by the Consorzio and the researchers working for them which have resulted in a system which is finally capable of providing definitive reliable answers regarding the actual origin and provenance of the product and the raw materials.

Article 6 on checks has been added; it had not been included in the dossier which gave rise to recognition.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘GRANA PADANO’

EC No: IT-PDO-0217-0011-26.07.2006

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1.   Name:

‘Grana Padano’

2.   Member State or Third Country:

Italy

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1.   Type of product (Annex II):

| Class 1.3 — | Cheeses |
| --- | --- |

Class 1.3 —

Cheeses

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in 1 applies:

Hard cheese made from cooked paste; it is matured slowly, manufactured throughout the year and used whole or grated; it is produced from raw, partially skimmed milk from cows, milked twice a day, whose basic diet consists of fresh or dried fodder; the milk used may come from one milking or from two milkings mixed together. The cheese is cylindrical in form with a slightly convex or virtually straight heel, and with flat faces featuring a slightly raised edge.

It has a diameter of 35 to 45 cm and the heel is 18 to 25 cm high, which may vary according to technical production conditions.

Weight: from 24 to 40 kg; rind: hard and smooth, 4–8 mm thickness.

The paste is hard, with a finely grained structure, flaky from the middle out and with barely visible eyes. The minimum fat content on the dry matter is 32 %. The colour of the rind is a natural golden yellow and the paste is white or straw-coloured. The paste has a fragrant aroma and a delicate taste.

3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only):

Raw cow's milk, natural whey and calf rennet.

The milk comes from cows reared in the geographical area defined in point 4.

3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only):

The basic feed for the dairy cattle, consisting of green or preserved fodder, is fed to lactating cows, dry cows and heifers over seven months old.

Milk cows are fed primarily with feed produced on the home farm or in the Grana Padano PDO production area.

No less than 50 % of the dry matter of the daily feed should be made up of feed with a ratio of fodder to feed of no less than 1, by reference to the dry matter.

At least 75 % of the dry matter of the fodder in the daily ration should come from feed produced in the production area of the milk.

The authorised feeds are listed in a positive list which includes:

| — | fodder: fresh fodder, hay, straw, silage (not permitted for Trentingrana production), |
| --- | --- |

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fodder: fresh fodder, hay, straw, silage (not permitted for Trentingrana production),

| — | raw materials for feed, by category, which may be added to the fodder: cereals and their derivatives, oil seeds and their derivatives, tubers and root vegetables and products derived from them, dehydrated fodder, derivatives of the sugar industry, legume seeds, fats, minerals, additives. |
| --- | --- |

—

raw materials for feed, by category, which may be added to the fodder: cereals and their derivatives, oil seeds and their derivatives, tubers and root vegetables and products derived from them, dehydrated fodder, derivatives of the sugar industry, legume seeds, fats, minerals, additives.

3.5.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area:

The production and maturing operations must take place on the territory of the production area delineated in point 4.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:

Grating and related packaging must take place within the production area defined in point 4 since freshly grated cheese is a highly sensitive product and the preservation of its organoleptic characteristics requires it to be packaged immediately in conditions such as to avoid any drying out; furthermore, immediate packaging in a packaging bearing the designation of origin is better able to guarantee the authenticity of the grated product, which by nature is more difficult to identify than a whole cheese (as confirmed by the judgment of the Court of Justice in Case C-469/00).

The use, for the production of grated ‘Grana Padano’, of cheese left over from the cutting and packaging of ‘Grana Padano’ PDO marketed in pieces of varying or fixed weight, as blocks, cubes, bite-sized pieces, etc., is permitted only under the following conditions: the maximum proportion of rind should be 18 %; traceability of the whole ‘Grana Padano’ PDO cheese from which the leftover cheese comes must be guaranteed; where the stages are separate and/or are transferred from one establishment to another, the leftover cheese must be kept apart by registration number and month of production; the leftover cheese may be transferred only within the same farm or between farms of the same group and only within the area of origin. The marketing of leftover cheese for the production of grated ‘Grana Padano’ is therefore prohibited.

3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling:

The official mark attesting to having met the requirements justifying the use of the Grana Padano Protected Designation of Origin and which must therefore appear both on the whole wheel and on all the packaging of Grana Padano PDO cheese in portions and grated, consists of a rhomboid shape over which the words ‘Grana’ and ‘Padano’ are stamped in upper case letters. In the upper and lower corners of the rhomboid, which are rounded, are inscribed respectively the initials ‘G’ and ‘P’.

The marking bands which cold stamp the origin mark on the wheels at the moulding stage are made up of a number of rhomboidal diamond shapes which contain within them the alternating words ‘Grana’ and ‘Padano’, and bear the cheese manufacturer's identification references and the month and year of manufacture.

Only ‘Grana Padano’ PDO produced in the Autonomous Province of Trento, made using milk from cows fed throughout the year with fodder which does not include silage of any kind, qualifies for the special Trentingrana brand consisting of a line of rhomboidal diamond shapes split by the word ‘Trentino’; in the centre, between the outlines of stylised mountains, the word ‘Trentino’ appears right way up and in vertical rotation.

Identification of origin is completed with the affixing of a casein nameplate bearing the words ‘Grana Padano’, the year of manufacture and an alphanumeric code which unambiguously identifies each cheese wheel.

‘Grana Padano’ cheese which has been matured for at least 20 months after being moulded — within the production area — may be described as ‘Riserva’. Classification in the category ‘Grana Padano’ Riserva is shown by a second brand, affixed to the heel of the cheese at the request of the operators, in accordance with the same rules governing the affixing of the PDO mark. The mark in question is composed of a circle with the word ‘Riserva’ written across the centre. In the upper half are written the word ‘Oltre’ and the number ‘20’, and in the lower half appears the word ‘Mesi’.

The following additional categories are applicable in the case of packaged products: ‘Grana Padano’ Oltre 16 Mesi and ‘Grana Padano’ Riserva.

On the packaging containing cheese of the category ‘Grana Padano’ Oltre 16 Mesi, the Grana Padano logo also bears the words ‘Oltre 16 Mesi’ on a single line between two parallel lines.

On the packaging containing cheese of the category ‘Grana Padano’ Riserva, the brand Riserva appears in addition to the Grana Padano logo.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area:

The production area for the cheese, whole or grated, consists of the territory of the provinces of Alessandria, Asti, Biella, Cuneo, Novara, Torino, Verbania, Vercelli, Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Mantova on the left bank of the Po, Milano, Monza, Pavia, Sondrio, Varese, Trento, Padova, Rovigo, Treviso, Venezia, Verona, Vicenza, Bologna to the right of the Reno, Ferrara, Forlì Cesena, Piacenza, Ravenna and Rimini, as well as the following municipalities of the province of Bolzano: Anterivo, Lauregno, Proves, Senale-San Felice and Trodena.

5.   Link with the geographical area:

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:

The production area for ‘Grana Padano’ PDO is largely contiguous with the region of the Po plain, that is to say the geographical area of the Po river plain, characterised by fairly flat water meadows with alluvial soil of fluvial-glacial origin and well supplied with water, which is one of the most fertile areas of the world and among the best suited for growing fodder.

In particular, these soil characteristics, together with the area's microclimate, favour the production of maize, which represents the greatest proportion of the fodder for the cows whose milk is intended for ‘Grana Padano’ PDO, since it can make up to 50 % of the dry matter ingested.

The reclamation and irrigation of the Po plain since the 11th century has given rise to the local development of livestock rearing. The resulting availability of substantial quantities of milk which was surplus to the daily needs of the rural population prompted the need to transform it into a durable cheese. Even today, the large supply of local fodder, in particular maize, linked to the vast supply of water, is an essential element for maintaining livestock rearing and the consequent supply of milk.

5.2.   Specificity of the product:

The specificity of Grana Padano PDO may be ascribed to the following elements:

| — | size and weight of the cheese, |
| --- | --- |

—

size and weight of the cheese,

| — | particular morphology of the paste, linked to the production technique, characterised by a granular texture which gives rise to its typical flakiness, |
| --- | --- |

—

particular morphology of the paste, linked to the production technique, characterised by a granular texture which gives rise to its typical flakiness,

| — | white or straw colour, with a delicate flavour and fragrant aroma, due essentially to the widespread use of waxy corn in the fodder fed to the cattle, |
| --- | --- |

—

white or straw colour, with a delicate flavour and fragrant aroma, due essentially to the widespread use of waxy corn in the fodder fed to the cattle,

| — | water and fat content largely similar to the protein content, |
| --- | --- |

—

water and fat content largely similar to the protein content,

| — | high level of natural breakdown of the proteins in peptones, peptides and free amino acids, |
| --- | --- |

—

high level of natural breakdown of the proteins in peptones, peptides and free amino acids,

| — | resistance to lengthy ripening, in some cases for more than 20 months. |
| --- | --- |

—

resistance to lengthy ripening, in some cases for more than 20 months.

5.3.   Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI):

The causal link between Grana Padano PDO and its area of origin may be traced to the following factors.

| — | The high irrigation potential of the Po plains and the resulting availability of fodder, including mainly waxy corn, to which are ascribable the specific characteristics of the white or straw colour, flavour and aroma of the paste as set out in point 5.2. Indeed, the direct result of using corn or waxy corn silage is the inclusion in the diet of fewer colorants such as carotene, anthocyanins and chlorophyll than if using a feed based on straw of various kinds or green fodder essences. This is a direct effect of storage in silos, |
| --- | --- |

—

The high irrigation potential of the Po plains and the resulting availability of fodder, including mainly waxy corn, to which are ascribable the specific characteristics of the white or straw colour, flavour and aroma of the paste as set out in point 5.2. Indeed, the direct result of using corn or waxy corn silage is the inclusion in the diet of fewer colorants such as carotene, anthocyanins and chlorophyll than if using a feed based on straw of various kinds or green fodder essences. This is a direct effect of storage in silos,

| — | The use of raw milk, which has the effect of including in the process of cheese-making lactic bacteria typical of the area, |
| --- | --- |

—

The use of raw milk, which has the effect of including in the process of cheese-making lactic bacteria typical of the area,

| — | The use of natural whey, which creates an unbroken microbiological link with the production area. In fact, the milk which turns to curds and thus to whey, is the link in the chain joining the cheese-making process to the production area and also ensures the continued and constant inclusion of lactic bacteria typical of the area of origin, to which are due the main special characteristics of Grana Padano PDO cheese. |
| --- | --- |

—

The use of natural whey, which creates an unbroken microbiological link with the production area. In fact, the milk which turns to curds and thus to whey, is the link in the chain joining the cheese-making process to the production area and also ensures the continued and constant inclusion of lactic bacteria typical of the area of origin, to which are due the main special characteristics of Grana Padano PDO cheese.

The causal link between the characteristics of the product and its area of origin is also provided by the ‘casaro’ (cheesemaker) who has since time immemorial been of central and fundamental importance in the manufacture of Grana Padano PDO.

Even today, the task of transforming milk into ‘Grana Padano’ PDO is entrusted to cheesemakers rather than to technicians or scientists.

Reference to publication of the specification:

The Government has launched the national objection procedure in respect of the proposal to amend the ‘Grana Padano’ protected designation of origin.

The full text of the product specification is available:

| — | at the following site:
  http://www.politicheagricole.it/DocumentiPubblicazioni/Search_Documenti_Elenco.htm?txtTipoDocumento=Disciplinare%20in%20esame%20UE&txtDocArgomento=Prodotti%20di%20Qualit%E0>Prodotti%20Dop,%20Igp%20e%20Stg
  or: |
| --- | --- |

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at the following site:

http://www.politicheagricole.it/DocumentiPubblicazioni/Search_Documenti_Elenco.htm?txtTipoDocumento=Disciplinare%20in%20esame%20UE&txtDocArgomento=Prodotti%20di%20Qualit%E0>Prodotti%20Dop,%20Igp%20e%20Stg

or:

| — | by going direct to the home page of the Ministry (http://www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Prodotti di Qualità’ (on the left of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE [regolamento (CE) n. 510/2006]’. |
| --- | --- |

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by going direct to the home page of the Ministry (http://www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Prodotti di Qualità’ (on the left of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE [regolamento (CE) n. 510/2006]’.

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