EN Official Journal of the European Union C 29/18

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

(2009/C 29/07)

Aid No: XA 370/08

Member State: Latvia

Region: —

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Atbalsta shēma “Nelabvēlīgo klimatisko apstākļu radīto zaudējumu kompensēšana”

Legal basis: Ministru kabineta 2008. gada 18. augusta noteikumi Nr. 669 “Kārtība, kādā administrē un uzrauga lauksaimniecības risku fondu, nosaka iemaksu veikšanu un kompensāciju izmaksu no fonda”

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

Total amount available under the aid scheme in 2008: LVL 1 000 000

Total amount available under the aid scheme in 2009: LVL 1 000 000

Total amount available under the aid scheme in 2010: LVL 1 000 000

Total amount available under the aid scheme in 2011: LVL 1 000 000

Total amount available under the aid scheme in 2012: LVL 1 000 000

Total amount available under the aid scheme in 2013: LVL 1 000 000

Maximum aid intensity: Compensation is provided for losses due to adverse climatic events if, as a result of such events, more than 30 % of a holding's annual harvest of a particular crop is destroyed.

The aid intensity of the compensation is up to 30 % of the losses due to the adverse climatic events

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 30 December 2013

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to compensate for losses due to adverse climatic events if, as a result of such events, more than 30 % of a holding's annual harvest of a particular crop is destroyed.

The aid is granted under Article 11 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001

Sector(s) concerned: The aid is intended for small and medium-sized enterprises active in the primary production of agricultural products.

It is aimed at the livestock and crop sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Latvijas Republikas Zemkopības ministrija LV-1981 Rīga

Website: http://www.likumi.lv/doc.php?id=180589

Other information: The aid scheme is in conformity with Article 11(2)-(6), (9) and (10) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 in relation to plants or animals: the amount of aid is determined on the basis of an assessment of the losses caused on a holding by adverse climatic events. If more than 30 % of the annual harvest of a particular crop on that holding has been destroyed and the information provided by the Latvian Environmental, Geological and Meteorological Agency confirms the occurrence of such events, compensation is calculated using the following formula:

Z = A × B – C × D – E

where:

Z are the losses caused by adverse climatic events,

A is the average harvest for the previous three years,

B is the average national buying-in price for the previous three years,

C is the size of the annual harvest for the year in which the adverse weather conditions occurred,

D is the average annual buying-in price in the country for the year in which the adverse weather conditions occurred,

E is insurance compensation received from other insurers.

Article 9 of Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council has been fully implemented insofar as agriculture is concerned, and it will be ensured that the costs of water supply services to agriculture are recovered with adequate contributions from this sector.

Aid will not be granted retroactively in respect of activities which have already been carried out by the beneficiary.

The aid scheme is in conformity with Article 11(10): The aid scheme will be introduced within three years following the occurrence of the expense or loss. The aid will be paid out within four years following the relevant event