EN Official Journal of the European Union C 108/8

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 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 108/08)

Aid No: XA 241/07

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Scotland

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Shetland Animal Health Scheme

Legal basis: Local Government in Scotland Act 2003; Zetland County Council (ZCC) Act 1974

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: GBP 50 000 (Fifty Thousand Pounds) total

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity is 100 % in line with Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 1 October 2007

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will start on 1 October 2007 and will close on 31 March 2012

Objective of aid: The scheme will be pursued in accordance with Chapter 2 Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The scheme will provide a screening service for a range of livestock diseases at the point of livestock entry into Shetland. This Scheme is all-inclusive, and ensures that all stock entering Shetland is tested for the selected diseases. The Scheme is provided as a service for the agricultural community at large, and makes no charge nor levy for testing of imported stock — Aid provided under this scheme is granted in kind by means of subsidized services, and will not involve direct payment of money to producers.

By testing imported livestock for disease, the principle aim of SAHS is to sustain disease-free, High Health status of Shetland's sheep and cattle, thereby meeting all of the following Objectives:

to reduce production costs,

to improve or redeploy production,

to improve quality,

to preserve and improve the natural environment, hygiene conditions and animal welfare standards

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to the production of agricultural products

Name and address of the granting authority: The organisation responsible for the scheme is:

Shetland Islands Council

Economic Development Unit

6 North Ness Business Park

Lerwick

Shetland

ZE1 0LZ

Website: http://www.sdt.shetland.org/Schemesinnotificationprocess.aspx

Other information: —

Signed and dated on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK competent authority)

Duncan Kerr

Agricultural State Aid

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Area 8D, 9 Millbank

C/o Nobel House

17 Smith Square

Westminster

London

SW1P 3JR

United Kingdom

Aid No: XA 316/07

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Kanal ob Soči

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Državne pomoči za ohranjanje in razvoj podeželja v občini Kanal ob Soči

Legal basis: Pravilnik o dodeljevnaju državnih pomoči za ohranjanje in razvoj podeželja v občini Kanal ob Soči

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

2007: EUR 33 226

2008: EUR 33 990

2009: EUR 34 772

2010: EUR 35 572

2011: EUR 36 390

2012: EUR 37 227

2013: EUR 38 083

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

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

— up to 50 % in less-favoured areas.

The support is granted in respect of investment in the restoration of farm features and the purchase of equipment to be used for agricultural production, and for investment in permanent crops and farmland and pasture management.

2. Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings:

— up to 100 % of eligible costs for investment to preserve non-productive heritage (archaeological or historical interest), up to 60 % of actual costs, or 75 % in less-favoured areas, for investment to preserve the cultural heritage of production facilities, provided that the investment does not entail any increase in the production capacity of the farm, and up to 100 % of additional costs incurred by using traditional materials.

3. Relocation of farm buildings in the public interest:

— up to 100 % of actual costs, where the relocation simply consists of the dismantling, removal and re-erection of existing buildings and does not constitute modernisation of buildings or lead to an increase in production capacity,

— municipal aid is granted up to 40 % of actual costs, or 50 % in less-favoured areas, where this results in the farmer benefiting from more modern facilities or an increase in production capacity.

4. 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, fruit and livestock against disease.

5. Aid for land reparcelling:

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

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

— The aid is to be granted in the form of subsidised services and must not involve direct payments of money to producers.

7. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector:

— the aid covers up to 100 % of eligible costs concerning education and training for farmers and farm workers and the organisation of forums for farms to exchange knowledge, competitions, exhibitions and fairs, and the cost of replacing a farmer during holidays or illness. 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: October 2007 (The aid will not be granted until the summary is published on the European Commission's website)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 December 2013

Objective of aid: To support small and medium-sized enterprises

Reference to Articles of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and eligible costs: The Draft Rules on granting State aid for the preservation and development of rural areas in the municipality of Kanal ob Soči 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: updating of agricultural holdings,

Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings,

Article 6: Relocation of farm buildings in the public interest,

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 concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of granting authority:

Website: http://www.uradni-list.si/1/ulonline.jsp?urlid=200792&dhid=91901

Other information: The measure concerning 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)

Andrej MAFFI

Mayor

Aid No: XA 327/07

Member State: Spain

Region: Comunidad Valenciana

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Régimen de ayudas a explotaciones ganaderas a través de asociaciones legalmente constituidas que presten servicios de sustitución en las mismas

Legal basis: Orden, de la Consellería de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, por la que se establecen ayudas a servicios de sustitución en explotaciones ganaderas

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The estimated overall amount of the budget appropriation for the financial years indicated is as follows:

Financial year 2007: EUR 60 000

Financial year 2008: EUR 80 000

Financial year 2009: EUR 100 000

Financial year 2010: EUR 120 000

Maximum aid intensity: The public aid will amount to 100 % of the replacement plan envisaged.

In any event, the maximum amount of aid granted with regard to a single subsidised service may not exceed EUR 20 000

Date of implementation: Once acknowledgement of receipt by the Commission has been received, on the day following publication in the Diario Oficial de la Comunidad Valenciana (Official Gazette of Valencia)

Duration of aid scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 December 2010

Objective of aid: The objective is to cover the costs incurred by the livestock holding's owner for replacement services in connection with holidays, weekly rest or illness.

Article 15, provision of technical support in the agricultural sector.

The eligible costs will be the actual costs, including pay, subsistence and mileage allowance of the person contracted to perform the replacement service

Sector(s) concerned: Production sector. Livestock subsectors generally

Name and address of the granting authority:

Consellería de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación C/ Amadeo de Saboya, no 2 E-46010 Valencia

Website: https://www.docv.gva.es/

Other information: —

Director-General for Agricultural Research, Development and Innovation

Eduardo PRIMO MILLO

Aid No: XA 330/07

Member State: Italy

Title of aid scheme: Aggregazione dell'offerta dei prodotti biologici e sostegno all'interprofessione

Legal basis: Decreto legislativo 17 marzo 1995, n. 220, recante «Attuazione degli articoli 8 e 9 del regolamento (CEE) n. 2092/91 in materia di produzione agricola ed agro-alimentare con metodo biologico»

Planned annual expenditure under the scheme: Individual aid. The maximum planned expenditure is EUR 1,1 million, broken down as follows: computer-based exchange forum, maximum aid amount EUR 150 000; support to interprofessional organisations, maximum aid amount EUR 400 000; commercial organisation, maximum aid amount EUR 550 000

Maximum aid intensity: The aid covers 100 % of planned expenditure and involves no direct cash payments to producers

Date of implementation: The time limit for submission of projects shall be 40 days from the day the notice calling for applications is sent for publication in the Italian official gazette

Implementation date: Implementation shall take place by December 2007

Duration of scheme: Aid will be granted in 2008. Since the projects must be executed within 12 months starting from their approval, the balance of the aid shall be paid by June 2009

Objective of aid: In relation to the objectives set out in the National action programme for organic farming and products for 2005, the projects to be financed shall be aimed at helping to bring together demand and supply in respect of non-processed organic farming products, further integrating sector operators and bearing the costs of organising their commercial association.

The individual measures may be regarded as provision of technical assistance in the agricultural sector, which is provided for in Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

Those entitled to submit projects are individual interprofessional associations or groups thereof, provided that:

they operate only in the organic and/or biodynamic sector,

they represent at least one component of the sector,

they have interregional representation (in at least two Regions)

Sectors concerned: All non-processed organic agricultural products

Granting authority:

Ministero delle Politiche agricole alimentari e forestali Dipartimento delle politiche di sviluppo Via XX Settembre, 20 I-00187 Roma

Website: www.politicheagricole.gov.it

Other information: The act governing the implementation of the aid shall be published in the official gazette of the Italian Republic and on the Ministry's website: www.politicheagricole.gov.it under Concorsi e gare (Competitions and calls for tender). Relevant documents and information shall be published under the same

Aid No: XA 336/07

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: England

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Rural Development Programme for England: Adding value to agricultural products for SMEs involved in Primary Agricultural Production (measure code 123)

Legal basis: Section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 (this is a United Kingdom Act empowering Ministers to implement European regulations within the United Kingdom).

Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

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

Period Total Expenditure 2007-2013 GBP 1 000 000

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity will be limited to:

up to 50 % in less favoured areas,

up to 40 % in other areas

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will close on the 31 December 2013

Objective of aid: In line with Articles 20(b)(iii) and 28 of the Rural Development Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 this scheme will provide tangible or intangible investments in order to improve the overall performance of the enterprise or to develop new products, processes or technologies.

These investments will comply with the criteria set out in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 which deals with investment in agricultural holdings that are purely involved in primary production activities

Eligible costs: Value added will be increased through investments in the development of new products, processes and technologies. Investments will be in line with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and will be assessed on a case by case basis. However, examples of eligible investments are the construction, acquisition or improvement of immovable property, or the purchase or lease purchase of new machinery and equipment and general costs linked to expenditure such as patent rights and licences

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to small and medium sized enterprises in the farming industry involved only in primary production activities

Name and address of the granting authority:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Nobel House 17 Smith Square Westminster London SW1P 3JR United Kingdom Contact: Brian Symes Tel. (44-207) 238 62 76

Website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/pdfs/rdp07_13/wholedoc.pdf

(Section 5.17, pages 212 to 215 detail this particular measure)

Signed and dated on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK competent authority)

Duncan Kerr

Agricultural State Aid

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Area 8D, 9 Millbank

C/o Nobel House

17 Smith Square

Westminster

London

SW1P 3JR

United Kingdom

(1) This Scheme will be operated as a service for the agricultural community at large.