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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2002/C 113/04)

Date of adoption of the decision: 9.4.2002

Member State: Denmark

Aid No: N 505/01

Title: Electricity reform - new RE-based power plants

Objective: Under the notified aid measure, aid would be given to windpower plants and biomass plants established as from the year 2000. According to the Danish authorities the aid consists of a subsidy to cover the difference between the market price of electricity and the guaranteed minimum price that such plants receive for the electricity they sell to the system-responsible enterprises. The aid would be given only for the electricity that is sold to the market and not for electricity that is destined for the electricity producer's own use. The difference between market price and guaranteed minimum price is compensated partly directly and partly from the proceeds from the RE-certificates that the plant sells to electricity users

Legal basis: Electricity Supply Act (/Lov om elforsyning)

Budget: Not communicated

Aid intensity or amount: Variable

Duration: The Danish authorities have undertaken to renotify the scheme when it has been in force for 10 years

Other information: The measure is identical with the State aid measure N 278/2001, approved by the Commission with decision SG(2001) D/289311 of 20 June 2001. The above decision is not applicable to the agriculture sector. According to the information provided by the Danish authorities the notified aid measure is an aid to RE-based energy production exclusively destined for the market, and does not constitute an aid towards the production of Annex I-products, as the production of energy is not an Annex I-activity. Agricultural undertakings receive the aid under the same conditions as other undertakings producing RE-based energy. Therefore it would seem appropriate to assess the notified aid measure on the legal basis applied in the assessment of aid measure N 278/2001. The Commission assessed the aid N 278/2001 on the basis of the Community guidelines on State aid for environmental protection

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: 9.4.2002

Member State: Germany

Aid No: N 684/01

Title: Regional development plan "Active regions"

Objective: To demonstrate new innovative possibilites in the area of rural development by supporting and evaluating demonstration projects

Legal basis: Bundeshaushaltsordnung

Budget: An overall budget of EUR 62,6 million is envisaged, of which EUR 17,9 million will be paid in the year 2002

Aid intensity or amount: Variable

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: 9.4.2002

Member State: France

Aid No: N 690/01

Title: Compensatory payment for soil cover

Objective: To improve water quality in the region concerned

Legal basis: Décret n° 2001-34 du 10 janvier 2001 relatif aux programmes d'action à mettre en oeuvre en vue de la protection des eaux contre la pollution par les nitrates d'origine agricole

Budget: EUR 60 million over 5 years

Aid intensity or amount: First and second years: EUR 60 per hectare of area covered by nitrate catch crops; third year: EUR 50 per hectare; fourth year: EUR 40 per hectare and fifth year: EUR 30 per hectare

Duration: 5 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: 9.4.2002

Member State: Luxembourg

Aid No: N 18/02

Title: Aid to stockfarmers hit by the BSE crisis

Objective: To compensate stockfarmers for losses due to the crisis

Budget: EUR 4,83 million

Aid intensity or amount: Maximum 100 % of losses

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