EN Official Journal of the European Union C 5/11

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 5/08)

Aid No: XA 207/07

Member State: Federal Republic of Germany

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Richtlinien des Bundesministeriums für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz über die Verwendung des Zweckvermögens des Bundes bei der Landwirtschaftlichen Rentenbank (LR), Ziffer 2.2 Markt- und Praxiseinführung

Legal basis: § 2 Abs. 1 des Gesetzes über das Zweckvermögen des Bundes bei der Landwirtschaftlichen Rentenbank vom 12. August 2005 (BGBl. I S. 2363), zuletzt geändert durch Art. 175 der Neunten Zuständigkeitsanpassungsverordnung vom 31. Oktober 2006 (BGBl. I S. 2407)

Annual expenditure planned or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 7 million in the form of a low-interest loan

Maximum aid intensity: 40 %, up to a maximum EUR 400 000 over three calendar years

Date of implementation: From the day following publication of the above guidelines in the Federal Gazette. The guidelines have been submitted for publication in the Federal Gazette. They will be published at the earliest 10 working days after notification of the aid number by the Commission

Duration of scheme or individual aid award:

Objective of aid: To support small and medium-sized enterprises in bringing innovations onto the market and into practical use by promoting investments in agriculture and horticulture (Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006)

Sectors concerned: Agriculture and horticulture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank Hochstr. 2 D-60313 Frankfurt am Main

Web address: http://www.rentenbank.de/d/Kredite/Richtlinie_Zweckvermoegen.pdf

Aid No: XA 208/07

Member State: France

Region: Limousin

Title of aid scheme: Aide au maintien de la certification «agriculture biologique»

Legal basis: Article 14 du règlement (CE) no 1857/2006 de la Commission

Articles L. 1511-1 et L. 1511-2 du code général des collectivités territoriales

Décision du Conseil régional du Limousin du 10 mai 2006

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 50 000 per year

Maximum aid intensity: The Regional Council will bear part of the cost of certification, namely: a subsidy equal to 80 % of the unit cost of certification excluding taxes, amounting to between EUR 200 and EUR 800 for 2007 and 2008

Date of implementation: Following acknowledgement of receipt by the European Commission

Duration of scheme: Until 31 December 2008

Objective of aid: This aid is the same as that pursued under aid scheme XA 48/06. Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 requires all operators in the organic farming sector to undergo inspection and certification by certification bodies authorised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries under standard EN 45011. The purpose of the aid is to support the development of organic farming by bearing the costs of farm certification.

Any such aid shall be accessible to all those eligible in the area concerned, based on objectively defined conditions.

Sector(s) concerned: All farmers whose farm is situated in Limousin, who notified their organic farming activity or conversion in 2007 (and 2008) and who are not receiving conversion aid (CTE-CAB or CAD-CAB (1)) on 1 July 2007 (and 2008), or whose combined CTE or CAD/CAB aid (over the five years) and requested certification aid is less than EUR 15 000.

Organic notification must be made to the ‘Agence Bio’ and is compulsory. The amount of aid will be checked against the copy of the CTE/CAD/CAB.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Monsieur le Président du Conseil régional du Limousin 27, boulevard de la Corderie F-87031 Limoges Cedex

Internet address: www.cr-limousin.fr; rubrique «guide des aides»

(1) CTE: contrat territorial d'exploitation, CAB: conversion agriculture biologique, CAD: contrat agriculture durable.