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

(2005/C 162/03)

Aid No: XA 13/05

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: England

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Cross Compliance Advice Programme — Practical Advice for Land Managers (England)

Legal basis: The scheme is non-statutory. The Agriculture Act 1986 (section 1) provides the legal base for the provision by Government of advice in connection with any agricultural activity.

Expenditure planned under the scheme: Total value of GBP 2 007 052,23 over 3 programme years. The funding is provided from 4 financial years listed below:

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity is 100 %.

Date of implementation: Farmers will be able to sign up from 4 April 2005 the first events will take place after this date.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will be open to new participants throughout. Activities funded under the scheme will take place after 4 April 2005 and until 30 June 2007.

Objective of aid: Sectoral development. This is a programme for practising farmers and other interested businesses. The purpose of the programme, consisting of a range of on-farm workshops, farm walks, helpline and website, is to provide farmers and other land managers with clear and targeted guidance on what the Statutory Management Requirements (SMR) and Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) requirements are and what they mean in terms of required farm management. This will increase the professionalism of the sector.

The aid will be paid in line with Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 and the eligible costs will be costs of organising and delivering training programmes and consultancy services.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to businesses active in the production of agricultural products only. The scheme is open to businesses producing any type of agricultural product.

Name and address of the granting authority: 

Web address: www.defra.gov.uk/farm/state-aid/setup/exist-exempt.htm.

Click on ‘Cross Compliance Advice Programme — Practical Advice for Land Managers’.

Alternatively, you can go direct to:

www.defra.gov.uk/farm/state-aid/setup/schemes/cross-compliance.pdf.

Other information: The scheme will be made available to all rural businesses, not just agricultural businesses. Aid to non-agricultural businesses will be paid with regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 69/2001 on de minimis aid.

Beneficiaries will not be able to choose the service provider. The service provider will be Momenta who were selected by a tender exercise.

Aid No: XA 14/05

Member State: Latvia

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving individual aid: Aid scheme for risk reduction in branches of the agricultural industry

Legal basis: 

Ministru kabineta 2005. gada 25. janvāra noteikumi Nr. 70 ‘Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu lauksaimniecībai 2005. gadā un tā piešķiršanas kārtība’ 10. pielikums

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Overall aid scheme expenditure in 2005: LVL 506 250 (EUR 720 329).

Maximum aid intensity: Aid is granted towards the cost of insurance premiums to insure cultivated plants and productive livestock. Aid is granted at a level of 50 % relative to agreements established between insurance undertakings and policy holders, but does not exceed LVL 25 per unit (hectare or unit of livestock), LVL 50 for potatoes and vegetables, and LVL 150 for fruit trees and berry bushes.

Date of implementation: 

Duration of scheme or individual aid grant: 

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to reduce the production risks involved in cultivating plants and breeding livestock by partly compensating losses incurred by farmers.

Sectors concerned: Aid is intended for small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in agricultural work.

Aid is intended for branches of the industry concerned with plant cultivation and livestock breeding.

Name and address of granting authority: 

Web address: www.zm.gov.lv

http://www.zm.gov.lv/data/n0195_5p12.doc

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