EN Official Journal of the European Union C 117/16

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 EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001

(2008/C 117/09)

Aid No: XA 2/08

Member State: Denmark

Region: Denmark

Title of the scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Tilskud til certificerede partier af sædekorn og markfrø

Legal basis: Finanslov 2008

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: DKK 10 000 000

Maximum aid intensity: 50 %

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31.12.2008

Objective of aid: The purpose of the aid scheme is to contribute towards the costs of compulsory control measures in connection with the certification of cereal seeds and other seeds for sowing. The scheme comes under Article 14((2)(e) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The legal basis has not yet been published

Sector(s) concerned: Crop production (cereal and other seed for sowing)

Name and address of the granting authority:

Plantedirektoratet Skovbrynet 20 DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby

Website: www.pdir.dk

Aid No: XA 3/08

Member State: Italy

Region: Regione Marche

Title of aid scheme: Programma dei servizi di sviluppo del sistema agroalimentare per l'anno 2007

Legal basis:

— Legge Regionale 23 dicembre 1999, n. 37 ‘Disciplina dei servizi per lo sviluppo del sistema agroalimentare regionale’.

— Legge Regionale 23 ottobre 2007, n. 14 ‘Assestamento del bilancio 2007’ comma 1 dell'art. 26 ‘Interventi a favore della zootecnia’.

— Deliberazione Amministrativa n. 57/2007 del 5 giugno 2007: ‘L.R. 37/99. Proroga al 2007 del Programma Operativo 2006 dei servizi di sviluppo del sistema agroalimentare regionale’.

— Deliberazione della Giunta Regionale delle Marche n. 1079 dell'8 ottobre 2007 avente ad oggetto ‘L.R. 23 dicembre 1999 n. 37 — D.A. 57/07: Programma obiettivo 2007 dei servizi di sviluppo del sistema agroalimentare regionale. Approvazione criteri per l'attuazione del Programma annuale 2007 e per la presentazione dei programmi operativi 2007’.

— Deliberazione di Giunta Regionale n. 1182 del 31 ottobre 2007 avente ad oggetto ‘Integrazione della DGR n. 1079 dell'8 ottobre 2007’ avente ad oggetto ‘L.R. 23 dicembre 1999, n. 37 — D. A. 57/07: Programma Obiettivo 2007 dei servizi di sviluppo del sistema agroalimentare regionale. Approvazione criteri per l'attuazione del Programma Annuale 2007 e per la presentazione dei Programmi Operativi 2007’.

— Deliberazione della Giunta Regionale delle Marche n. 1500 del 18 dicembre 2007, avente ad oggetto ‘Integrazione della DGR n. 1079 dell'8 ottobre 2007’ avente ad oggetto ‘L.R. 23 dicembre 1999, n. 37 — D. A. 57/07: Programma Obiettivo 2007 dei servizi di sviluppo del sistema agroalimentare regionale. Approvazione criteri per l'attuazione del Programma Annuale 2007 e per la presentazione dei Programmi Operativi 2007’

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: Public expenditure planned for 2007 amounts to EUR 2 285 000. Public funding will in any event be set within the limits of the financial resources allocated to the activities of Agricultural Development Services under the 2007 draft budget. The above-mentioned figure for planned public expenditure for 2007 may be increased by any actual savings in expenditure on multiannual projects. The aid scheme covers 2007 only

Maximum aid intensity: Aid may cover up to 70 % of eligible costs and will be awarded in the form of services provided by implementing bodies, i.e. other than as direct payments to producers. Specialist consulting services of a highly scientific and innovative nature which are provided by provincial and regional breeders' associations (APA and ARA) are not subject to this restriction; the maximum public aid intensity for such measures is thus 100 % of the eligible costs incurred

Date of implementation: The aid scheme will not be implemented until the Commission confirms that it has received this summary information sheet. The scheme in effect extends the period of validity of the 2006 programme and will accordingly relate only to requests submitted by the implementing bodies to the competent authority (the Marche Region) in September 2006. The same also applies to requests submitted by individual firms to the implementing bodies, in other words the forms completed by those firms indicating their participation in the project. This means that all of the provisions of Article 18 of the exempting Regulation will be complied with

Duration of scheme: The aid scheme covers 2007 only

Objective of aid: The primary objective of the aid is to provide small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises engaged in the production of products mentioned in Annex I to the Treaty, with support in the form of technical assistance services. The general objectives of the provision of development services are to:

provide farmers with assistance, at both technical and organisational/management level, in establishing multifunctional farming,

create optimum conditions for farmers to access knowledge and acquire skills related to environmental protection and land conservation and preservation,

promote and support generational turnover, primarily with a view to improving enterprise structure,

ensure the continued presence of centres of production in inland disadvantaged areas,

encourage, through extension and promotion initiatives in firms, high-quality production activities linked to enhancing the value of typical and traditional regional agri-food sector products, the aim being to introduce and increase the uptake of process and product certification and subsequently improve the image of the farm products concerned by means of quality-seal programmes,

seek the best business conditions so as to contain the direct and indirect costs of businesses,

encourage business owners to improve supply organisation and, where appropriate, to enter into sector agreement and related contracts and agreements,

disseminate the results of research and experimentation in order to encourage the modernisation of agricultural enterprises.

These objectives will be pursued by means of the following:

The technical assistance services provided do not constitute a continuous or periodic activity nor do they relate to the enterprise's usual operating expenditure; for each project, therefore, monitoring of indicators is required to assess improvements made under the assistance measures, accompanied by a detailed report of the results obtained.

Reference is made to Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and, more specifically, to paragraphs 2 and 3 thereof as regards whether the costs incurred as a result of the granting of the aid provided for under the legal basis are eligible and can be reimbursed

Sector(s) concerned: Animal production (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, etc.) and vegetable production (tree crops and grasses), sylvicultural production (only in respect of production for the sale of nursery plants), and related activities such as rural tourism and the processing and direct sale of agricultural products.

As regards rural tourism, aid will be granted only for the provision of technical assistance services, the aim of which is to boost farm sales of agricultural products referred to in Annex I to the Treaty, where these are produced on the farm and sold using premises which are not separate from the farm and are not used exclusively for that purpose.

As regards processing and marketing by farms of products included in Annex I to the Treaty which they have produced themselves, aid will be granted only for the provision of services, the aim of which is the sale of those products on the farm, using premises which are not separate from the farm and are not used exclusively for that purpose

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Marche — Servizio Agricoltura — PF Competitività e sviluppo dell'impresa agricola Via Tiziano, 44 I-60125 Ancona

Website: http://www.agri.marche.it/Aree tematiche/Aiuti di stato/documentazione.pdf

Other information: The scheme extends until the end of 2007 the period of validity of two earlier measures: N 16/04 and N 700/06.

As shown in the comparative table attached to this summary information sheet, the aid schemes for the three years from 2003 to 2005 (Aid N 16/04), for 2006 (Aid N 700/06) and for 2007, are identical, apart from a few minor amendments, aimed at bringing the scheme into line with national legislation on producer organisations. The only significant difference is the fact that the aid rate has increased (although it still remains within the maximum limit of 100 % of eligible costs, in accordance with Article 15 of the new exempting Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006) for programmes initiated by stockbreeders' associations, on account of the innovative efforts required for these programmes.

Development services for agricultural enterprises will supplied by ‘implementing bodies’, identified in the relevant regional law, namely:

— professional agricultural organisations and/or institutes and organisations providing technical assistance and advice and professional training set up by such organisations,

— cooperative associations, including through their own associates, and/or institutes and organisations providing technical assistance and advice and professional training set up by such associations;

Support services: Agro-meteorological assistance and assistance for the genetic and functional improvement of milk production will be entrusted to ASSAM; ASSAM will provide these services via, respectively, plant health associations (operating via the Italian CALs, or Local Agri-Meteorological Centres) and the system of regional breeders' associations.

In accordance with Article 15(3) and (4) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, the end beneficiaries of the development services system provided for under this aid scheme are small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises meeting the requirements of Regional Law No 37 of 23 December 1999‘Disciplina dei servizi per lo sviluppo del sistema agroalimentare regionale’ in Administrative Decision No 57/2007 of 5 June 2007 (‘L.R. 37/99. Proroga al 2007 del Programma Operativo 2006 dei servizi di sviluppo del sistema agroalimentare regionale’) and the Regional Authority Decisions forming the legal basis of this aid scheme.

It should be noted that the end beneficiaries will not receive any direct payments but will only benefit from the services provided by the implementing bodies specified at 3.1.1. of the Annex to DGR No 1079 of 8 October 2007, as amended by DGR No 1500 of 18 December 2007 and included in the comparative table referred to above.

All beneficiaries in the area affected by the project will have access to the services provided. The fact that an end beneficiary is controlled by an implementing body will not be a condition for access to the service. Any contributions from beneficiaries not forming part of the organisation of the implementing body to the administrative costs of the implementing body, will be restricted to the cost of the service provided

Aid No: XA 14/08

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Hrastnik

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Podpore programom razvoja podeželja v občini Hrastnik 2007–2010

Legal basis: Pravilnik o dodeljevanju finančnih pomoči za programe razvoja podeželja in kmetijstva v občini Hrastnik

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company:

2007: EUR 21 574

2008: EUR 22 033

2009: EUR 22 033

2010: EUR 22 033

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

— up to 50 % of eligible costs in less-favoured areas and up to 40 % in other areas.

2. Aid for conservation of traditional buildings:

— up to 50 % of eligible costs for investments to conserve non-productive heritage features located on farms and for investment to conserve the heritage features of productive assets on farms, such as farm buildings, provided that the investments do not entail any increase in the production capacity of the farm.

3. Aid for land reparcelling:

— up to 100 % of actual legal and administrative costs incurred.

4. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector:

— up to 100 % of costs concerning education and training of farmers, consultancy services that are provided by third parties and that do not include the enterprise's usual operating expenditure, the organisation of forums, competitions, exhibitions and fairs, publications, catalogues and websites, and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. The aid is to be granted in the form of subsidised services and does not involve direct payments of money to producers

Date of implementation: June 2007

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31.12.2010

Objective of the aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and eligible costs: Chapter II of the draft Rules on granting financial aid for agricultural and rural development programmes in the municipality of Hrastnik includes measures constituting State aid in accordance with the following Articles of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 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 (OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3):

Article 4: Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production,

Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings,

Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of granting authority:

Občina Hrastnik Pot Vitka Pavliča 5 SLO-1430 Hrastnik

Website: http://sftp.slovenka.net/o-hrastnik/h/os/pravilnik_kmetijstvo_hrastnik_2007.doc

Other information: The measure for the payment of insurance premiums to insure crops and fruit includes the following adverse climatic events which can be assimilated to natural disasters: spring frost, hail, lightning, fire caused by lightning, storm and floods.

The municipality's Rules meet the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 relating to the measures to be adopted by the municipality and the general provisions applicable (steps preceding grant of aid, cumulation, transparency and monitoring of aid)

Miran JERIČ

Mayor of the municipality of Hrastnik

Aid No: XA 16/08

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Razkrižje

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Pomoči za ohranjanje in razvoj kmetijstva ter podeželja v občini Razkrižje za programsko obdobje 2007–2013

Legal basis: Pravilnik o dodeljevanju pomoči za ohranjanje in razvoj kmetijstva ter podeželja v občini Razkrižje (II. poglavje).

Annual expenditure planned or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company:

2007: EUR 7 000

2008: EUR 9 000

2009: EUR 10 000

2010: EUR 11 000

2011: EUR 12 000

2012: EUR 13 000

2013: EUR 14 000

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings:

— up to 50 % of eligible costs in less-favoured areas,

— up to 40 % of eligible costs in other areas,

— up to 60 % of eligible costs in less-favoured areas, and up to 50 % of eligible costs in other areas, in the case of investments made by young farmers within five years of setting up.

The purpose of the aid is investment to restore farm features and to purchase equipment to be used for agricultural production, to invest in permanent crops, to improve farmland and to manage pastures.

2. Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings:

— up to 100 % of actual costs for investment or efforts to conserve non-productive heritage features,

— up to 60 % of actual costs, or 75 % in less-favoured areas, for investment or efforts to conserve the heritage features of productive assets on farms, provided that the investment does not entail any increase in the production capacity of the farm,

— additional aid may be granted at a rate of up to 100 % to cover the extra costs incurred by using traditional materials necessary to conserve the heritage features of buildings.

3. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

— in line with the Decree on the co-financing of insurance premiums for insuring agricultural production for the current year, the amount of municipal co-financing may not exceed the difference between the amount of co-financing of insurance premiums from the national budget and 50 % of eligible costs for insurance premiums, including tax on insurance transactions.

4. Aid for land reparcelling:

— up to 100 % of eligible legal and administrative costs, including inspection costs.

5. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector:

— up to 100 % of eligible costs concerning education and training of farmers, consultancy services and the organization of forums, competitions, exhibitions, fairs, publications, catalogues and websites, and the costs of replacement services. The aid is to be granted in the form of subsidised services and must not involve direct payments of money to producers

Date of implementation: December 2007 (The aid will not be granted until a summary has been published on the European Commission's website)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Aid will be granted up to 31.12.2013

Objectives of aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006: Chapter II of the draft Rules on granting aid for preserving and developing agriculture and rural areas in the municipality of Razkrižje includes measures constituting State aid in accordance with the following Articles of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 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 (OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3):

Article 4: Investment in agricultural holdings,

Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings,

Article 12: Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums,

Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector

Economic Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Občina Razkrižje Šafarsko 42 SLO-9240 Ljutomer

Website: http://www.uradni-list.si/1/ulonline.jsp?urlid=2007112&dhid=93013

Other information: The measure for the payment of insurance premiums to insure crops and fruit includes the following adverse climatic events which can be assimilated to natural disasters: spring frost, hail, lightning, fire caused by lightning, storm and floods.

The municipality's Rules meet the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 relating to the measures to be adopted by the municipality and the general provisions applicable (steps preceding grant of aid, cumulation, transparency and monitoring of aid)

Stanko IVANUŠIČ

Mayor of the municipality of Razkrižje

Aid No: XA 17/08

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Velika Polana

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Dodeljevanje državnih pomoči v kmetijstvu na območju občine Velika Polana 2007–2013

Legal basis: Pravilnik o dodeljevanju državnih pomoči, pomoči de minimis in izvajanju drugih ukrepov razvoja kmetijstva in podeželja v občini Velika Polana

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company:

2007: EUR 9 390

2008: EUR 9 400

2009: EUR 9 450

2010: EUR 9 500

2011: EUR 9 600

2012: EUR 9 650

2013: EUR 9 700

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

— up to 50 % of eligible costs in less-favoured areas,

— up to 40 % of eligible costs in other areas,

— up to 50 % of eligible costs for investment in other areas, if the investment is made by young farmers within five years of setting up their farm and fulfils the criteria set out in Article 22 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005.

The purpose of the aid is investment to restore farm features and to purchase equipment to be used for agricultural production, to invest in permanent crops, to improve farmland and to manage pastures.

2. Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings:

— up to 50 % of eligible costs for investment to conserve the cultural heritage of productive assets (farm buildings), provided that the investment does not entail any increase in the production capacity of the farm,

— up to 50 % of eligible costs for investment for the purposes of conserving non-productive heritage located on farms (sites of archaeological or historical interest),

— up to 50 % of additional aid to cover the extra costs incurred by using traditional materials necessary to conserve the heritage features of buildings.

3. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

— the amount of municipal co-financing is the difference between the amount of co-financing of insurance premiums from the national budget and up to 50 % of eligible costs of insurance premiums for insuring crops and fruit and for insuring livestock against disease.

4. Aid for land reparcelling:

— up to 100 % of eligible legal and administrative costs, including inspection costs.

5. Aid to encourage the production of quality agricultural products:

— the aid is granted in the form of subsidised services to cover up to 100 % of costs and must not involve direct payments of money to producers.

6. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector:

— up to 100 % of costs concerning education and training of farmers, consultancy services that are provided by third parties and that do not include the enterprise's operating expenditure, the organisation of forums, competitions, exhibitions and fairs, publications, catalogues and websites. The aid is to be granted in the form of subsidised services and must not involve direct payments of money to producers

Date of implementation: December 2007

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31.12.2013

Objective of the aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and eligible costs: Chapter II of the draft Rules on granting State aid and de minimis aid and implementing other agricultural and rural development measures in the municipality of Velika Polana includes measures constituting State aid in accordance with the following Articles of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 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 (OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3):

Article 4: Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production,

Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings,

Article 12: Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums,

Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

Article 14: Aid to encourage the production of quality agricultural products,

Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of granting authority:

Občina Velika Polana Velika Polana 111 SLO-9225 Velika Polana

Website: http://www.uradni-list.si/1/ulonline.jsp?urlid=2007113&dhid=93094

Other information: The measure for the payment of insurance premiums to insure crops and fruit includes the following adverse climatic events which can be assimilated to natural disasters: spring frost, hail, lightning, fire caused by lightning, storm and floods.

The municipality's Rules meet the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 concerning the measures to be adopted by the municipality and the general provisions applicable (steps preceding grant of aid, cumulation, transparency and monitoring of aid)

Damijan JAKLIN

Mayor