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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2003/C 76/04)

Date of adoption of the decision: 25.2.2003.

Member State: France.

Aid No: N 3/03.

Title: Aid to restructure the poultry industry.

Objective: To reduce capacity for economic, health and environmental reasons.

Budget: EUR 6000000.

Aid intensity or amount: EUR 14 per square metre of closed poultry house.

Duration: Two years.

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: 25.2.2003.

Member State: Germany.

Aid No: N 07/03.

Title: Promotion of research and development projects in organic farming.

Objective: To close knowledge and experience gaps in organic farming and to strengthen the competitiveness of organic farming from production through to marketing on a long-term basis.

Legal basis: Richtlinie zur Durchführung des Programms zur Förderung von Forschungs- und Entwicklungsvorhaben sowie von Maßnahmen zum Technologie- und Wissenstransfer im ökologischen Landbau - Teil A: Vorhaben im Bereich der Erzeugung, Verarbeitung und Vermarktung von Produkten des Anhangs I des EG-Vertrags

Budget: EUR 45 million.

Aid intensity or amount: Variable.

Duration: Until 31 December 2008.

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: 24.2.2003.

Member State: Spain (Cantabria).

Aid No: N 13/03.

Title: Aid for setting up centres to clean livestock transport vehicles.

Objective: To support investments needed to set up centres to clean livestock transport vehicles.

Legal basis: Proyecto de orden por la que se regulan y convocan ayudas a la instalación y adecuación de centros de limpieza y desinfección de los vehículos destinados al transporte de animales en la Comunidad de Cantabria

Budget: EUR 216000 per year.

Aid intensity or amount: 35 % of the cost.

Duration: Unspecified.

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: 25.2.2003.

Member State: Spain.

Aid No: N 357/02.

Title: Aid for livestock health protection groups.

Objective: To allow livestock health protection groups to undertake health programmes.

Legal basis: Proyecto de Real Decreto por el que se establece la normativa básica de las subvenciones estatales destinadas al fomento de las agrupaciones de defensa sanitaria ganaderas

Budget: EUR 9616194 a year.

Aid intensity or amount: Up to 50 %.

Duration: Unspecified.

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: 24.2.2003.

Member State: the Netherlands.

Aid No: N 521/02.

Title: Pig Farming 2000.

Objective: Technical support to pig farmers.

Legal basis: Kaderwet LNV-subsidies (artikel 2 en 5, onderdeel a)

Budget: Maximum EUR 45378,02.

Aid intensity or amount: 50 %.

Duration: Once off.

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

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

Date of adoption of the decision: 25.2.2003.

Member State: Italy (Molise).

Aid No: N 576/02.

Title: Rules for the enhancement and development of apiculture.

Objective: To promote the development of the beekeeping sector in the Molise region.

Legal basis: Disegno di legge regionale n. 89 del 2002

Budget: EUR 200000 for 2002.

Aid intensity or amount: Variable according to the measure.

Duration: Five years.

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: 25.2.2003.

Member State: Italy (Tuscany).

Aid No: N 628/02.

Title: Aid for producers participating in the serological surveillance and vaccination plans for Blue Tongue.

Objective: Aid to compensate farmers for animal losses as a result of compulsory vaccination. Compensation for the additional costs borne by producers as a result of their voluntary inclusion in the serological surveillance plan for Blue Tongue.

Legal basis: Legge regionale n. 24 del 9 ottobre 2002 (ex disegno di legge regionale n. 12/2002)

Budget: EUR 400000 (EUR 200000 in 2002 and 2003).

Aid intensity or amount: Varies, depending on the measure.

Duration: Until 31 December 2003.

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: 25.2.2003.

Member State: Spain (Navarre).

Aid No: N 637/02.

Title: Aid for cessation of milk production.

Objective: To restructure milk production through the definitive cessation of milk production in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92.

Legal basis: Proyecto de orden Foral por la que se aprueba un programma de abandono voluntario y definitivo de la producción lechera

Budget: EUR 90151,82.

Aid intensity or amount: Varies according to the beneficiaries

Duration: 2003.

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: 24.2.2003.

Member State: United Kingdom.

Aid No: N 659/02.

Title: National Scrapie Plan (NSP) and Northern Ireland Scrapie Plan (NISP) Semen Archive.

Objective: The proposed semen archive aims to establish an archive of sheep semen which would ensure that viable populations of sheep could be produced and re-admitted to the national flock in the case if it should be discovered that genotypes being removed from the national sheep flock were needed in a future animal disease situation (TSE or otherwise).

Legal basis: Non-statutory initiative.

Budget: GBP 1466000 (EUR 2219195).

Aid intensity or amount: Up to 100 %.

Duration: 2002 to 2007.

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: 25.2.2003.

Member State: France.

Aid No: N 718/02.

Objective: To encourage meat poultry hatcheries to apply health protection measures as set out in the quality chart established by the Syndicat National des Accouveurs (the French hatcherymen's association) and to undertake investment with a view to better preventing health risks to breeding flocks.

Budget: EUR 275000 for each three-year period.

Aid intensity or amount: 25 % of the expenditure (not including tax), with a ceiling of EUR 7700 per hatchery in respect of the investment and 50 % in respect of the technical investment costs, with a ceiling of EUR 100000 for each three-year period.

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: 25.2.2003.

Member State: France.

Aid No: N 719/02.

Title: To promote genetic developments on pig breeding undertakings.

Objective: To improve the pig gene pool.

Budget: EUR 750000.

Aid intensity or amount: 40 % of eligible expenditure for investments in animal reproduction centres and 50 % for the costs of technical assistance, with a ceiling of EUR 100000 per three-year period.

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: 25.2.2003.

Member State: France.

Aid No: N 732/02.

Title: Aid for the purchase of breeding animals of high genetic quality - C.G. Cher.

Objective: To pay some of the costs of buying animals registered in the Charolais Herd Book.

Budget: EUR 45000 per year.

Aid intensity or amount: 15 % (40 % maximum).

Duration: Three years.

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: 24.2.2003.

Member State: Germany (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern).

Aid No: N 793/02.

Title: Aid for the destruction of carcasses.

Objective: To compensate livestock farmers for the extra disposal costs arising from the new Community rules on specified risk material and meat and bone meal.

Legal basis: Zuwendungsbescheid des Landes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern; Landeshaushaltsordnung (LHO) Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 10. April 2000 (GVOBI. M-V S. 159) in Verbindung mit den Allgemeinen Nebenbestimmungen für Zuwendungen zur Projektförderung

Budget: EUR 1890000.

Aid intensity or amount: 33,33 % of total disposal costs.

Duration: One year (from 1.1.2003 to 31.12.2003).

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: 25.2.2003.

Member State: Italy (Lombardy).

Aid No: N 808/02.

Title: Aids to stockfarmers whose agricultural farms are affected by avian flu. Regional Decree 11427 of 29.11.2002.

Objective: Compensation for loss of income in favour of the breeders of poultry and game affected by avian flu.

Legal basis: Legge regionale n. 7/2000 "misure regionali di sostegno a favore degli allevamenti avicoli e fauna selvatica colpiti dall'influenza aviaria - indennizzi per mancato reddito" e delibera 11427 del 29.11.2002

Budget: EUR 5000000 for the first three years.

Aid intensity or amount: Up to 80 % of the losses.

Duration: 10 years.

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: 19.2.2003.

Member State: Germany (Saarland).

Aid No: N 386/02.

Title: Aid towards the costs of disposal of specified risk material to slaughtering enterprises.

Objective: The aid would cover all the costs slaughtering companies in Saarland have incurred for the disposal of specified risk material from bovine, caprine and ovine animals in 2001 and 2002.

Legal basis: A decision of the Government of Saarland.

Budget: Up to EUR 100000 for 2001 and 2002.

Aid intensity or amount: 100 % of the documented costs.

Duration: Until end 2002.

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