EN Official Journal of the European Union C 210/11

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 210/05)

XA Number: XA 139/08

Member State: Italy

Region: Campania

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Incentivi a favore delle aziende agricole per investimenti finalizzati all'utilizzo di fonti rinnovabili di energia per l'auto-produzione aziendale e il recupero di energia termica, elettrica e meccanica e di sistemi idonei a ridurre i consumi energetici, per la produzione primaria di prodotti agricoli

Legal basis:

— D.lgs 30 aprile 1998 n. 173, art. 1, commi 3 e 4 (Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 129 del 5.6.1998), che ha istituito un regime di aiuti per l'incentivazione dell'utilizzo di fonti rinnovabili di energia e di sistemi idonei a limitare l'inquinamento e l'impatto ambientale o comunque a ridurre i consumi energetici

— DM n. 401 del 11.9.1999 (Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 260 del 5.11.1999), recante le norme di attuazione dell'art. 1, commi 3 e 4 del D.lgs n. 173/98 per la concessione di aiuti a favore della produzione e utilizzazione di fonti energetiche rinnovabili nel settore agricolo

— Regolamento (CE) n. 1857/2006 della Commissione, del 15 dicembre 2006, relativo all'applicazione degli articoli 87 e 88 del trattato degli aiuti di Stato a favore delle piccole e medie imprese attive nella produzione di prodotti agricoli e recante modifica del regolamento (CE) n. 70/2001 (GU L 358 del 16.12.2006)

— D.G.R. n. 214 dell'1.2.2008, «Modifica della DGR n. 283 del 4 marzo 2006 ed adeguamento, alle condizioni previste dal reg. (CE) n. 1857/2006 della Commissione del 15 dicembre 2006, degli aiuti a favore dell'impiego di fonti energetiche rinnovabili e per il risparmio energetico in agricoltura, approvati con la medesima deliberazione n. 283/2006»

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The total expenditure budgeted for under this scheme is EUR 574 238. This amount may be increased to the total sum of EUR 1 990 941,22, allocated and paid to the region of Campania under Italian Ministerial Decree No 156409 of 8 November 2001 in respect of the initiatives included under Legislative Decree No 173/98, Article 1(3) and (4), following any expenditure saved in respect of actions financed under the previous scheme (XA 74/05), which is exempt under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004

Maximum aid intensity: The gross aid intensity does not exceed 40 % of the eligible costs and may be increased by 50 % for farms situated in the areas referred to in Article 36(a)(i), (ii) and (iii) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005. In the case of investments by young farmers within five years of setting up, these percentages may be increased to a maximum of 50 % and 60 % respectively.

‘Young farmers’ means producers of agricultural products who meet the criteria laid down in Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005

Date of implementation: The aid scheme will enter into force on the 30th day following its publication in the Bollettino Ufficiale della Regione Campania (BURC) (Official Regional Gazette) and, in any case, not less than ten working days following the forwarding of this document, as provided by Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will last until the budget has been used up, but its duration will not extend beyond the period of validity of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Objective of aid: The scheme is designed to support small and medium-sized regional farms, whether as individual undertakings or as groups, as defined in Annex I to Commission Regulation (EC) No 70/2001, which are not classified as enterprises in difficulty.

The measures have the following objectives:

to reduce production costs, particularly as regards saving energy and using renewable sources of energy,

to promote and improve the natural environment, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and erosion,

to promote the diversification of farm activities.

These incentives are referred to in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

The eligible costs under this scheme are as follows:

the cost of work, plant and equipment relating to the collection, storage and initial processing of plant bio-mass to be used for energy purposes, exclusively for the farm's own requirements,

the acquisition and installation of high-performance thermal generator plants powered by agricultural plant biomass, for the farm's own requirements,

machines, equipment, plant and work related to the production and recovery of energy from renewable sources (solar, wind, geo-thermal power, energy from plant and agricultural biomass, hydraulic power) to meet the energy requirements of the farm,

machinery and equipment, including IT programmes, for the application of technology designed to contain energy consumption on farms,

general costs relating to those referred to above, such as design fees, feasibility studies, consultancy, etc.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to all agricultural sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Website: www.sito.regione.campania.it/agricoltura/aiuti/energia.html

Other information: —

XA Number: XA 142/08

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Scotland

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Shetland Johne's Disease 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 35 000 (thirty-five thousand pounds)

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

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity is 100 % in line with Chapter 2 Article 10 of the Regulation

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 1.4.2008

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will start on 1.4.2008 and will close on 31.3.2013

Objective of aid: The scheme will be pursued in accordance with Chapter 2 Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The Shetland Johne's Disease Scheme (SJDS) is designed to provide a screening service for Johne's Disease in cattle both at the point of livestock entry into Shetland, and in all the existing Shetland cattle herds. Testing is effective in bulls and female cattle over 2 years of age. This Scheme is all-inclusive, and ensures that all relevant cattle entering Shetland, and in all existing 201 cattle herds in Shetland are tested for Johne's Disease. The Scheme is provided as a service for the agricultural community at large, and makes no charge nor levy for testing of imported or existing 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 SJDS is to sustain disease-free, High Health status of Shetland's 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: Livestock — cattle

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

United Kingdom

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

Alternatively, you can go to the UK's central website for exempted agricultural state aids at:

http://defraweb/farm/policy/state-aid/setup/exist-exempt.htm

Click on the link ‘Shetland Johne's Disease Scheme’

Other information: —

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

Neil Marr

Agricultural State Aid Team Leader

Defra

5D 9 Millbank

c/o Nobel House

17 Smith Square

Westminister

London SW1P 3JR

United Kingdom

XA Number: XA 143/08

Member State: Belgium

Region: Vlaanderen

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Vlaams Varkensstamboek vzw

Legal basis:

— Decreet van 21 december 2007 houdende de algemene uitgavenbegroting van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap voor het begrotingsjaar 2008

— Koninklijk besluit van 2 september 1992 betreffende de verbetering van fokvarkens/Arrêté royal du 2 septembre 1992 relatif à l'amélioration des reproducteurs porcins

— Ministerieel besluit van 3 september 1992 betreffende de verbetering van de fokvarkens/Arrêté ministériel du 3 septembre 1992 relatif à l'amélioration des reproducteurs porcins

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 463 000

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 100 % of the administrative costs of establishing and maintaining herd books.

Up to 70 % of the costs of tests performed by or on behalf of third parties to determine the genetic quality or yield of livestock; with the exception of controls undertaken by the owner of the livestock and routine controls of milk quality

Date of implementation: Aid may be granted as from 1 April and, at the earliest, 15 days after submission of an application.

Aid can be granted by means of an implementing decree. These decrees are drawn up annually. A draft implementing decree has yet to be drawn up, and will include a ‘standstill’ clause

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The subsidy will be granted in the period to 31.12.2008

Objective of the aid: Vlaams Varkensstamboek (VVS) is a recognised not-for-profit association which maintains the herd books for the various breeds of pig. It indicates that it will use the aid to pay the administrative costs of establishing and maintaining herd books, entering the birth data and genealogical records in the database, and producing and issuing zootechnical and pedigree certificates.

The VVS also carries out tests to determine the genetic quality or yield of breeding stock. Three types of test are carried out:

The measure comes under Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and fulfils the conditions thereof.

Article 16(1)(a): aid at a rate of up to 100 % to cover the administrative costs of the establishment and maintenance of herd books.

Article 16(1)(b): aid at a rate of up to 70 % of the costs of tests performed by or on behalf of third parties, to determine the genetic quality or yield of livestock, with the exception of controls undertaken by the owner of the livestock and routine controls of milk quality

Sector(s) concerned: Livestock

Name and address of the granting authority:

Departement Landbouw en Visserij Duurzame Landbouwontwikkeling Ellips, 6e verdieping Koning Albert II laan, 35, bus 40 B-1030 Brussel

Website: http://www2.vlaanderen.be/ned/sites/landbouw/info/steun/eu.html

Other information: —

Jules VAN LIEFFERINGE

Secretaris-generaal

XA Number: XA 144/08

Member State: France

Region: Department of Hérault

Title of aid scheme: Régime d'aides aux frais administratifs de cessions d'immeubles ruraux non bâtis permettant la constitution d'îlots culturaux regroupés (remembrement)

Legal basis:

— Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006,

— Articles L121-24, L121-25 et L124-1 à L124-13 du Code rural,

— Convention cadre avec la Région Languedoc-Roussillon selon l'article L 1511-3 Code Général des Collectivités Territoriales (projet)

— Délibération du Conseil général de l'Hérault (projet)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 50 000

Maximum aid intensity: 60 % of the actual costs incurred, subject to the following conditions:

Eligible expenditure:

administrative costs relating to transfers of land and their taxation, including expenditure on surveying where this is necessary to draw up the deeds.

Eligible transactions:

transfers of undeveloped rural land with an area of no more than 1,5 ha and a value greater than EUR 1 500,

transfers endorsed by the Departmental Committee for Land Consolidation in accordance with Article L124-4 of the Rural Code,

aid will be limited to a total of no more than 10 ha of land per purchaser

Date of implementation: Upon approval by the Commission

Duration of scheme: Ends 31.12.2013

Objective of aid: The objective is to facilitate land restructuring through the sale of land by working proprietors who thus aim to improve the profitability of their holding.

Urban sprawl and fragmentation of properties are not conducive to good agricultural practices and increase costs, thereby affecting productivity and, where applicable, crop diversification.

In contrast, forming large enough blocks of land for crop cultivation will promote better optimisation of farming practices.

Provided that it is not prevented by physical (roads, ditches, etc.) or administrative barriers, the Departmental Committee for Land Consolidation can request regrouping of land, as defined for tax purposes

Sectors concerned: The agricultural (‘A’) and nature (‘N’ on current local urban planning documents) sectors in the department of Hérault

Name and address of the granting authority:

Conseil général de l'Hérault Pôle développement et emploi Direction agriculture et développement rural Service foncier agricole et territoire Leader Hôtel de Département 1000, rue d'Alco F-34087 Montpellier Cedex 4 Tél. (33-0) 467 67 70 00 — Fax (33-0) 467 67 67 53 E-mail: agrirural@cg34

Website: http://www.cg34.fr/economie/index.html

Under:

Économie/Agriculture/Territoire/Aménagement foncier/

[en savoir plus]: cessions de certains immeubles ruraux

Other information: —

Beneficiaries: Farmers, provided that the following conditions are met:

the farmers must be beneficiaries of a local development initiative, as described on sheet 341-B1 of the Regional Rural Development Document for 2007-2013 (Languedoc-Roussillon section),

the parties involved in a bilateral transaction must not be family members (including second-degree relatives)

XA Number: XA 147/08

Member State: Latvia

Region: —

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Atbalsta shēma „Atbalsts demonstrējumiem saimniecībās“

Legal basis: Ministru kabineta noteikumi „Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu lauksaimniecībai 2008. gadā un tā piešķiršanas kārtību“ 4. pielikuma III. atbalsta programma 46.–53. punkts

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

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2008: LVL 120 000

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2009: LVL 130 000

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2010: LVL 140 000

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2011: LVL 150 000

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2012: LVL 160 000

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2013: LVL 170 000

Maximum aid intensity: Aid for demonstration activities on holdings and at agricultural exhibitions is granted at a rate of 100 % in respect of operating expenditure for the provision of services and for the acquisition of materials needed for demonstration activities and expenditure on the maintenance of infrastructure

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 30.12.2013

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to organise long-term demonstrations in the plant and animal production sectors (including organic farming) across Latvia. It is aimed at promoting the link between agricultural science and production.

The aid is granted in accordance with Article 15(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

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

The aid is intended for the animal production and plant production sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Latvijas Republikas Zemkopības ministrija LV-1981 Rīga

Website: http://www.zm.gov.lv/doc_upl/4.pielikums.doc

Other information: Aid for demonstration activities on holdings and at agricultural exhibitions for small and medium-sized enterprises active in the primary production of agricultural products will be granted in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006: pursuant to Article 15(3) the aid will be granted in kind in the form of subsidised services and will not involve direct payments of money to producers, and pursuant to Article 15(4) the aid will be accessible to all those eligible in the area concerned, based on objectively defined conditions. No aid remains in an intermediary enterprise; all aid is passed on to the final beneficiaries.

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