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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2002/C 117/04)

Date of adoption of the decision: 16.4.2002

Member State: Finland

Aid No: N 137/01

Title: Aid to apiculture

Objective: To support the keeping of bees

Legal basis: Laki maa- ja puutarhatalouden kansallisista tuista N:o 1059/1994

(Act on national aids in agriculture and horticulture)

Budget: EUR 1 million per year

Aid intensity or amount: Maximum EUR 25 per bee colony

Duration: Unlimited

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids

Date of adoption of the decision: 16.4.2002

Member State: Germany

Aid No: N 765/01

Title: Promotion of the use of vegetable-based, quickly degradable lubricants

Objective: Promotion of the introduction of lubricants and forming oils based on agricultural raw materials, which degrade quickly and have no negative effects on CO2 levels

Legal basis: Richtlinien zur Förderung von Projekten zum Schwerpunkt "Praxiseinsatz von biologisch schnell abbaubaren Schmier- und Verfahrensstoffen auf Basis nachwachsender Rohstoffe in land- und forstwirtschaftlichen Maschinen" im Rahmen des Markteinführungsprogramms "Biogene Treib- und Schmierstoffe" des Bundesministeriums für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten (BML)

Budget: EUR 8 million per year

Aid intensity or amount: The aid intensity amounts up to 100 % of the extra costs that result from the use of environmentally friendly lubricants

Duration: Indefinite

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids

Date of adoption of the decision: 16.4.2002

Member State: Germany

Aid No: N 766/01

Title: Bio-diesel tanks on agricultural holdings

Objective: The use and possible spread into the environment of normal diesel contributes to the increase in CO2 levels and the pollution of the environment. The measure is intended to address these problems by supporting the introduction of diesel from plants

Legal basis: Support for projects to build or refit mobile or stationary bio-diesel and oil tanks that are used for own consumption only in agriculture and forestry undertakings

Budget: EUR 10225838 per year

Aid intensity or amount: The aid is granted in the form of a direct grant. The aid amounts to 40 % of the costs of new tanks and of the costs necessary to refit existing tanks (this aid amount can be increased to 50 % in less favoured areas in the sense of Article 17-20 of Regulation (EC) 1257/1999)

Duration: Until 31 December 2004

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids

Date of adoption of the decision: 16.4.2002

Member State: Germany (Niedersachsen)

Aid No: N 788/01

Title: Setting-up a consultancy centre for organic farming

Objective: The aim of the measure is to provide information and advice to enterprises interested in converting to organic farming and to improve the consultancy skills available for organic farming

Legal basis: Haushaltsordnung des Landes Niedersachsen

Budget: EUR 1022584 per year

Aid intensity or amount: The aid is in the form of direct subsidies. The maximum aid intensity (expressed as a percentage of eligible expenditure) is 100 %, the aid amounts to a maximum of EUR 100000 per beneficiary within three years

Duration: Until 31 December 2005

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids

Date of adoption of the decision: 16.4.2002

Member State: France

Aid No: N 795/01

Title: Programmes of studies, research, dissemination of information, and technical and economic development in the milk sector

Objective: To collect useful financial information, technical and economic data and results of studies and disseminate them to professionals in the milk sector

Budget: EUR 1,09 million in 2001

Aid intensity or amount: 100 % of expenditure

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids

Date of adoption of the decision: 16.4.2002

Member State: France

Aid No: N 821/01

Title: Traceability in the cereals sector

Objective: To safeguard technological quality and control cereal product safety

Budget: EUR 3,74 million in 2002

Aid intensity or amount: 20 % of expenditure

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids

Date of adoption of the decision: 16.4.2002

Member State: Austria (Burgenland)

Aid No: N 838/01

Title: Aid towards partial compensation for the frost damage to commercial fruit growing in 2001

Objective: On the basis of the weather data on Burgenland provided by the Austrian authorities the minimum temperatures in Burgenland on 15 and 16 April 2001 were from - 5,1 up to - 2,7 °C. The actual temperature would have been about 1 °C lower due to air humidity. The Austrian authorities have argued that fruit blossoms would sustain damage in temperatures under - 2 °C and flower buds in temperatures under - 3 °C.

In the view of this damage the Land Burgenland proposes the following aid scheme in order to partly compensate the commercial fruit growers for frost-related losses sustained.

Only the fruit growing undertakings that have sustained a damage of more that 50 % of average crops will receive compensation. The average crop is the average yearly crop of the period 1998-2000. The extent of the damage has been determined on the basis of the damage report filed by the undertaking with the appropriate public authorities. Österreichische Hagelversicherung acting as an independent expertise body on behalf of the Land has verified the content of the damage report. To control the accuracy of the damage reports and to assess the damage the representatives of the Hagelversicherung visited the undertakings.

If the undertaking has sustained a loss of less than ATS 300000 and the damage to production was more than 50 % of the average total fruit production the compensation will be 40 % of the actual documented loss calculated using the above method.

If the undertaking has sustained a loss of more than ATS 300000 the compensation will be paid only in respect of those fruit cultures where the damage to production was more than 50 % of the average total fruit production. The compensation will be 40 % of the actual documented loss calculated using the above method

Legal basis: Richtlinie der Burgenländischen Landesregierung über die teilweise Schadensabgeltung für Frostschäden im Erwerbsobstbau 2001

Budget: ATS 10173189 (approximately EUR 739314,48 million), nationally financed

Aid intensity or amount: 40 % of the economic loss sustained in 2001

Duration: One-off measure

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids

Date of adoption of the decision: 16.4.2002

Member State: Italy (Lombardia)

Aid No: N 105/01

Title: Aid for agricultural undertakings falling within protected regional areas

Objective: Investments/agro-environmental commitments in regional protected areas

Legal basis: Delibera della Giunta regionale della Lombardia n. 2867, del 22.12.2000, "Approvazione del Progetto speciale agricoltura per le aree protette regionali"

Budget: For the first three years: approximately EUR 1975500 (ITL 3825000000)

Aid intensity or amount: Depending on the measure

Duration: Undertermined

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids

Date of adoption of the decision: 16.4.2002

Member State: France

Aid No: N 168/02

Title: Aid to promote the livestock and meat products sector

Objective: To inform consumers and the various economic operators about these products

Budget: EUR 7,5 million per year

Aid intensity or amount: 100 % of expenditure

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

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids