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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2003/C 299/06)

Date of adoption of the decision: 14.11.2003

Member State: United Kingdom

Aid No: N 5/03

Title: Agri-environment Entry Level Scheme - Pilot

Objective: The Entry Level Scheme will aim to deliver environmental and landscape benefits across a wide area. In particular, it is being designed to address the following environmental problems:

- diffuse pollution - can only be tackled and prevented effectively by environmental management measures that affect a high proportion of land from which the pollution is coming,

- loss of biodiversity - a broad approach is deemed necessary to tackle and prevent declines in dispersed species such as farmland birds, brown hares, bats and many common invertebrates (e.g. butterflies, bees),

- loss of landscape character - a broad approach is deemed necessary to consistently influence what happens across large tracts of the countryside, to avoid the fragmentation of traditional landscape patterns,

- damage to the historic environment - safeguarding extensive aspects of the historic environment, such as archaeological sites and ridge and furrow grassland which are at risk of plough damage, also requires a broad approach

Legal basis: Non-statutory initiative

Budget: The budget for the Entry Level Scheme Pilot is GBP 2,2 million (EUR 3,42 million) a year. This budget consists of direct costs (payments to farmers) of GBP 1,6 million (EUR 2,49 million) and government administration costs of GBP 0,6 million. The actual expenditure will depend upon the levels of uptake of the scheme in the four pilot areas

Aid intensity or amount: Variable

Duration: Agreements under the Entry Level Scheme Pilot will be for 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: 14.11.2003

Member State: Spain (Navarre)

Aid No: N 278/03

Title: Aid for the promotion of agri-environmental measures in the production of seed potatoes

Objective: The promotion of agri-environmental measures in the production of seed potatoes

Legal basis: Proyecto de orden por la que se fomenta la aplicación de medidas agroambientales en el cultivo de patata de siembra

Budget: EUR 75000 per year

Aid intensity or amount: Variable

Duration: Indefinite

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: 14.11.2003

Member State: Italy (Calabria)

Aid No: N 317/03

Title: Regional Law No 24 of 8 July 2000, Article 3, paragraph 1, letter (a) - "Aid for the setting up and extension of producer organisations in the agriculture and livestock sector"

Objective: The scheme consists of two aid measures: start-up aid for producer organisations, and aid in the form of technical assistance. Its aim is to favour the organisation of production and the provision of advisory services to farmers

Legal basis: Legge Regionale 8 luglio 2000 n. 24 (Interventi a favore del settore agricolo e agroalimentare)

Budget: EUR 500000 for 2004

Aid intensity or amount: Start-up aid for producer organisations: 100 % of start-up costs, degressive over five years. Technical assistance: maximum EUR 100000 per beneficiary over three years (50 % of eligible expenses if SMEs)

Duration: Unlimited

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: 14.11.2003

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 January 2003 to 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