EN Official Journal of the European Union C 258/2

Summary information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23 December 2003 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, processing and marketing of agricultural products.

(2005/C 258/02)

Aid No: XA 36/05

Member State: Spain

Region: Galicia

Title of aid scheme: Aid to draw up and disseminate sectoral guides for introducing quality assurance systems in Galician agri-food industries

Legal basis: Order of XXX of XXX, regulating aid to draw up and disseminate sectoral guides for introducing quality assurance systems in Galician agri-food industries. [Orden de … de … por la que se regulan ayudas para la elaboración y difusión de guías sectoriales para la implantación de sistemas de aseguramiento de la calidad en las industrias agroalimentarias gallegas.] In turn, this Order is linked to Law No 2/2005 of 18 February 2005, for promoting and protecting Galician food quality (Official Gazette of Galicia No 49, of 11 March). The aid is for agri-food enterprises to meet the quality-assurance requirements established by this Law

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme:

2005: EUR 200 000

2006: EUR 250 000

Maximum aid intensity: 80 % of the eligible expenditure, up to a maximum of EUR 30 000 per beneficiary. In addition, the ceilings on combination established in Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 are expressly included

Date of implementation: After publication of the aid Order, which is expected to be in April or May 2005.

Duration of scheme: 2005-2006

Objective of aid: To ensure that small and medium-sized agri-food enterprises meet the quality-assurance requirements (introduction of traceability systems and of food-safety systems generally) introduced by Galician law No 2/2005 of 18 February 2005, by subsidising the costs of drawing up and disseminating sectoral guides for introducing these systems, which form part of the guidelines of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. The aid is considered to fall under the objectives of Article 13 (encouraging the production and marketing of quality agricultural products) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004

Sector(s) concerned: All agri-food sectors, from production to processing and marketing

Name and address of the granting authority:

Dirección General de Industrias y Promoción Agroalimentaria. Consellería de Política Agroalimentaria y Desarrollo Rural. Rúa dos Irmandiños, s/n 15771 Santiago de Compostela

Web address: http: //www.xunta.es/doc/dog.nsf

Aid No: XA 38/05

Member State: France

Region: Département of Loire-Atlantique

Title of aid scheme: aid for intangible investments in the wine sector (technical assistance)

Legal basis: Articles L 1511-1 et suivants du code général des collectivités territoriales

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 90 000 over three years (EUR 30 000 per year)

Maximum aid intensity:

— between 25 % and 50 % of the costs of audits and of technical support (eligible expenditure: EUR 600 per unit)

— between 30 % and 70 % of the cost of analyses and company audits (eligible expenditure between EUR 600 and 2 000 per unit).

The aid will be subject to one of the two following ceilings, as laid down in point 14 of the agriculture guidelines: EUR 100 000 per beneficiary over three years or 50 % of total expenditure on technical assistance, whichever is higher

Implementation date: After the receipt advice slip has been received from the European Commission

Duration of scheme: three years, until marketing year 2006/07

Purpose of the aid: The scheme covers operators in the Nantes wine sector, across the whole département of Loire-Atlantique, and is designed to improve the quality of products and the operation of the département's wine companies, via financial support from the Conseil général for expenditure on technical consultancy

Eligible measures: Expenditure by wine producers on technical consultancy

According to Article 14 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23 December 2003, expenditure on the following is eligible for aid: operational audits and technical support for wine producers, as well as general analyses and company audits of wine companies, in order to draw up individualised action plans through a process of two-way discussion and consultation

Economic sectors concerned: All farmers in the département (mainly winegrowers)

Name and address of granting authority:

M. le Président du Conseil général de Loire-Atlantique, Hôtel du département, 3 quai Ceineray BP 94109 FR-44041 Nantes Cedex 1

Website: www.cg44.fr/action/agriculture

Aid No: XA 39/05

Member State: France

Region: Franche-Comté

Title of aid scheme: Technical support: experiments and demonstrations as part of the Franco-Swiss Interreg project ‘Development and exploitation of medicinal and aromatic plants’ (1st stage)

Legal basis:

— Décisions de la Commission du 16 novembre 2001 et du 8 décembre 2004 approuvant le programme d'initiative communautaire INTERREG III A entre la France et la Suisse, dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre du règlement (CE) no 1260/1999 du Conseil du 21 juin 1999 portant dispositions générales sur les fonds structurels,

— Conseil Régional: Commission permanente du 27 mai 2004,

— Articles L 1511 et suivants du Code général des collectivités territoriales permettant aux collectivités territoriales d'intervenir dans le cadre de la création ou de l'extension d'activités économiques en accordant des aides directes et indirectes aux entreprises

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 21 963,36

Maximum aid intensity: 30 %

Implementation date: after the receipt advice slip has been received from the European Commission, in 2005

Duration of scheme: until 31.12.2005 at the latest

Purpose of the aid: The aid is intended to finance the following measures under Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 (technical assistance in the agriculture sector):

in conjunction with external consultants, creating a demonstration protocol for using aromatherapy and herbal medicine to treat mastitis in cattle and sheep,

domestication and breeding programme for aromatic and medicinal plants (in conjunction with external consultants, creating a demonstration protocol for cultivation, location of sites and demonstration of cultivation, monitoring and recording),

promotion and communication (events, information centre, information campaign)

The aid is designed to:

make information available to farmers and the general public on products that can be obtained from aromatic and medicinal plants and the ways these can be used in farming to treat animal diseases.

help move both professional and amateur practice towards greater respect for the environment (research and experimentation). Experiments carried out on sheep and beef farms will enable this objective to be achieved and help make farmers aware of the different ways plants can be used in veterinary medicine to treat their livestock.

collect and select references, knowledge and know-how on production, processing and the ways plants can be used for domestic and commercial use. These references will facilitate demonstration, experimentation and localisation. Preparing the information and know-how obtained from the different project components with a view to making it available to people working in this sector and the general public. Promoting plants from the cross-border Jura massif by developing production and harvesting on a much larger scale and by assessing the socio-economic impact, and reducing production and processing costs by introducing machinery capable of processing cultivated plants, forest by-products and plants growing in fallow land.

improve the image of our region as a welcoming, natural area where innovation and alternative methods flourish, promote and raise the profile of local speciality uses of the plants from the Massif, and promote local initiatives and partnerships in this field.

Economic sectors concerned: all farmers in Franche-Comté with an interest in this programme, either for industrial and medicinal plants (chapter 12 of the nomenclature) or for live animals (chapter 1 of the nomenclature)

Name and address of granting authority:

M. le Président du Conseil Regional de Franche-Comté Hôtel de Région 4 Square Castan FR-25031 Besançon Cedex

Website: Regional Council: www.cr-franche-comte.fr

(and ERDF: www.interreg3afch.org/)

Miscellaneous: the body responsible for implementing the programme is the local ‘Edgar Faure’ agricultural college in Lons le Saunier (614 avenue Edgar Faure, FR-39570 Montmorot)

Aid No: XA 41/05

Member State: Netherlands

Region: Province of Friesland

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Subsidy Regulation for historic buildings and sites and for the cultural heritage (2005-10)

Legal basis:

— Algemene wet bestuursrecht, 4. fejezet

— Algemene Subsidieverordening Provincie Fryslân 1998

— Provinciewet, 145. cikk

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The average amount of annual expenditure is EUR 882 000.

Provision is made for the following expenditure in subsequent years:

EUR 480 000 in 2005

EUR 1 274 264 in 2006

EUR 877 132 in 2007

EUR 877 132 in 2008

EUR 877 132 in 2009

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity is 50 % of subsidisable costs. The maximum amount of aid is EUR 60 000 per application

Date of implementation: Implementation is to take place following publication in the Provinciaal Blad (Provincial Journal). The expected date of entry into force is 1 July 2005 at the earliest

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will run until 31 December 2009 inclusive (1)

Objective of aid:

— Restoration, maintenance, and architectural study of historic buildings and sites in Friesland.

— Projects and activities aimed at the preservation, reinforcement and promotion of the cultural-historical heritage of Friesland.

Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 is used.

Where subsidisable costs are concerned, the policy rules of the Government Department for the Conservation of Historic Buildings and Sites serve as a basis. These policy rules were published under reference WJZ/1998/53812 (8077) in Staatscourant (Official Gazette) No 17 of 26 January 1999

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme does not apply to production and/or processing and/or marketing

Name and address of the granting authority:

Provincie Fryslân Postbus 20120 NL-8900 HM Leeuwarden

Web address (Indicate the internet address where the full text of the scheme or the criteria and conditions under which individual aid is granted outside of an aid scheme can be found): URL: www.fryslan.nl

Other information: The Provincial Regulation covers various categories of historic buildings and sites. For 2005 and 2006 priority is to be given to subsidies for farms (and church buildings). This schedule complies with the Regulation on exemption

Aid No: XA 42/05

Member State: Netherlands

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Aid for TSE tests on goats for slaughter

Legal basis: Begroting van het Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit. Budget of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.

Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001, as amended by Regulation (EC) No 214/2005, obliges Member States to test goats for TSEs. In accordance with the budget, costs connected with those tests are not passed on to goat-owners

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The overall budgetary allocation amounts to a maximum of around EUR 84 000 per year. This is based on a maximum of 7 000 goats

Maximum aid intensity: The total cost of a test is EUR 42. The Netherlands contributes EUR 12 per goat for slaughter (over 18 months old), which complements the amount of EUR 30 part-financed by the European Commission

Date of implementation: The obligation to test goats came into effect under Regulation (EC) No 214/2005 amending Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. On account of the very swift entry into force of this Community requirement, the testing of goats got under way immediately in the Netherlands. Test costs are not passed on to the original goat-owner

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The aid will be granted in this form until the European Commission takes a decision on whether to continue TSE testing of goats for slaughter. The Commission has indicated that it will take a decision in autumn 2005. As soon as a decision has been taken on the continuation or otherwise of TSE testing of goats, a new decision will have to be taken on whether aid is to be granted and, if so, in what form

Objective of aid: The Dutch Government considers that this aid falls within the scope of Article 15 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23 December 2003.

The objective is to gather epidemiological data on TSEs in goats.

The background to the aid lies in the compulsory TSE testing of goats imposed by Regulation (EC) No 999/2001. This was to be carried out over a short period in order to determine the prevalence of BSE in goats. However, the revenue from a goat is so small that it is substantially exceeded by the cost of a TSE test. Passing on the cost of testing would deter goat-owners from offering their animals for slaughter. This would mean that no tests could be carried out and, therefore, no epidemiological data could be collected, which would be highly undesirable in view of its importance to public health. Refunding test costs in full ensures that goats are offered for slaughter so that TSE tests may be performed and test results collected

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agricultural undertakings, particularly goat-owners

Name and address of the granting authority: Ministerie van Landbouw Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit

Website: www.minlnv.nl/loket

Other information: As indicated, this is a temporary measure. Aid for BSE and TSE testing is permitted under the Community guidelines for State aid concerning TSE tests, fallen stock and slaughterhouse waste (OJ C 324, 24.2.2002)

Aid No: XA 47/05

Member State: FRANCE

Region: Département du Var

Title of aid scheme: Aid to ensure the safe storage of plant-health products

Legal basis:

— Article 4 du règlement (CE) no 1/2004 de la Commission

— Articles L 1511-1 et suivants du Code général des collectivités territoriales

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 100 000

Maximum aid intensity: 20 % of eligible investments up to a maximum of EUR 1 400.

Where investments are made by young farmers during the five years following set-up, the maximum aid intensity is increased to 25 % up to a maximum of EUR 1 450

Where additional financing is provided by other local authorities, the rate of financing from the Conseil général is reduced on a case-by-case basis so as to comply with the maximum authorised rate of public aid

Implementation date: After the receipt advice slip has been received from the European Commission

Duration of the scheme: Until 31.12.2009 at the latest

Purpose of aid: The scheme for investments in the storage of plant-health products will encourage improved practices in the agricultural sector so as to protect and respect the environment and natural resources while ensuring human safety

To that end, the following expenditure is eligible:

the purchase of secure buildings for the storage of drums and small containers and fitting those buildings out (thermal insulation, shelving systems, absorbent floor coverings for chemicals, etc.);

the fitting out of existing buildings and structures (safety cabinets, storage bins, ventilation of premises, spillage retention trays, etc.);

the installation of specific, professional protection equipment for the on-farm storage of plant-health products and of external equipment and optional material (galvanising of storage modules, protective covers, etc.)

The scheme complies with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004

The scheme promotes investments to ensure the security of plant-health product storage facilities in order to protect the health of those working on agricultural holdings and does not therefore relate to the environment, the hygiene conditions of livestock enterprises or animal welfare, compliance with the minimum Community requirements for which will be subject to prior verification. The objective of the scheme is solely to ensure public health, a field governed by a corpus of rules whose scope extends beyond the agricultural sector

Economic sectors concerned: All agricultural holdings in the department

Name and address of granting authority:

Monsieur le Président du Conseil général du Var Direction de l'activité économique et du développement — service agriculture BP 1 303 FR-83076 Toulon Cedex

Website: www.cg83.fr

Aid No: XA 50/05

Member State: Federal Republic of Germany

Region: Schleswig-Holstein

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Aid towards the cost of preparing falling stock (bovine animals, sheep and goats) for the taking of samples in the context of the rapid tests for BSE/TSE performed on fallen stock (bovine animals, sheep and goats) in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001, laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Beneficiaries are the respective livestock owners who are to be regarded as small or medium-sized enterprises within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004

Legal basis: Richtlinien für die Gewährung von Beihilfen im Rahmen der Bekämpfung Transmissibler Spongiformer Enzephalopathien bei Rinder, Schafen und Ziegen (TSE-Beihilfe-Richtlinien) in der Fassung vom 16. Dezember 2004

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Cost of preparing the fallen stock (bovine animals, sheep and goats) for the taking of samples: EUR 770 000 in 2005.

From 2006, EUR 161 000 a year

Maximum aid intensity: 100 % or EUR 7,41 for preparing each sample in the case of bovine animals; EUR 3,86 for preparing each sample in the case of sheep and goats

Date of implementation: Implementation since entry into force of the Guidelines as amended of 16 December 2004 for granting aid in the context of controlling transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in bovine animals, sheep and goats (TSE aid guidelines), with retroactive effect as of 1 January 2001

Note: The delayed notification is only appearing now because there was a previous attempt to file a single aid application for the Federal Republic of Germany (Aid No 373/2003). Since this was not successful and exemption Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 has in the meantime entered into force, a separate request for exemption is being filed for Schleswig-Holstein

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Aid will be granted for as long as the examination is required under Annex III, Chapter A, Number I. 3 and Number II.3 of Regulation (EC) No 999/2001

Objective of aid: Livestock owners in Schleswig-Holstein are obliged in principle to bear the costs of diagnostic measures which need to be performed on their stock under animal health rules. The objective of the measure is therefore to ensure that fallen stock, too, is monitored for TSE by settling the fee which owners of fallen bovine animals, sheep and goats are required to pay to prepare such fallen stock for sampling in carcass disposal establishments.

The basis for the exemption is Article 16(c) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agriculture. Owners of bovine animals, sheep and goats at the production stage.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit, Familie, Jugend und Senioren des Landes Schleswig-Holstein Adolf-Westphal-Straße 4 DE-24143 Kiel

Internet address: http://www.landesregierung-sh.de/landesrecht/6623.18h.htm

(Reference: Amtsbl. Schl.-H. 2004 S. 853) [Schleswig-Holstein Official Gazette 2004, page 853]

Aid No: XA 51/05

Member State: France

Region: Picardy

Title of aid scheme: Aid for certification and controls in organic farming

Legal basis:

— Article 13 du règlement (CE) no 1/2004 du 23 décembre 2003 de la Commission

— Article L. 1511-1 et L. 1511-2 du code général des collectivités territoriales

— Délibération no ECO 103-2 de la commission permanente du conseil régional du 29 octobre 2004

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 50 000

Maximum aid intensity:

— 100 % of the actual cost of certification and controls in the case of 100 % organic production;

— 50 % of the actual cost of certification and controls in the case of mixed production (partly organic and partly conventional production).

Ceiling for eligible annual expenditure: EUR 1 000

Implementation date: As soon as acknowledgement of receipt has been received from the European Commission

Duration of scheme: Indefinite, subject to budget availability

Purpose of the aid: To systematically encourage and support the development of organic farming in Picardy by bearing all or part of the initial certification costs and the costs of controls on organic farming methods under Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91

With this aid for organic farming, the Regional Council is seeking to develop high-quality agriculture in Picardy

Sector(s) concerned: All sectors involved in producing, processing and marketing organic produce.

The scheme is open to organic farms and processors of organic produce, and organic producer associations or groups

Name and address of granting authority:

Conseil régional de Picardie 11, mail Albert 1er BP 2616 FR-80026 Amiens Cedex 1

Internet address: http://www.picardie.fr/fr/page.cfm?pageref=guidedesaidesagri

Aid No: XA 52/05

Member State: France

Region: Picardy

Title of aid scheme: Aid for investment in organic farming

Legal basis:

— Article 4 du règlement (CE) no 1/2004 du 23 décembre 2003 de la Commission

— Article L. 1511-1 et L. 1511-2 du code général des collectivités territoriales

— Délibération no ECO 103-1 de la commission permanente du conseil régional du 29 octobre 2004

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 300 000

Maximum aid intensity:

— 40 % for holdings that are 100 % organic (all land used for organic production), or converting to 100 % organic

— 30 % for the holdings practising a mix of organic and conventional, with a 5 % bonus for farmers who have been in farming for less than 5 years

Ceiling for eligible investment: EUR 50 000 per project, or ceilings of EUR 20 000, EUR 15 000 and EUR 17 500 respectively.

These ceilings can be doubled where there are agreements with other authorities (départements, local authorities, municipalities, etc.).

For associations with several members that are farmers, the ceilings for eligible investment — and thus the corresponding maximum aid rates as indicated above — can be doubled

Implementation date: As soon as the receipt advice slip has been received from the European Commission

Duration of scheme: Indefinite, subject to budget availability

Purpose of the aid: To encourage the spread of organic farming in Picardy by providing aid for investment in the following:

boosting output and redeploying production,

improving quality

preserving and improving the environment, hygiene and animal welfare,

promoting diversification in farm activities.

The aid covers all investment directly related to organic farming (apart from expenditure that is strictly for renewing equipment) both during and after conversion and for the production, processing and marketing of organic products

Economic sectors concerned: All sectors involved in producing, processing and marketing organic produce. The scheme is open to all organic holdings and any bodies involved in pooling resources to exploit organic produce

Name and address of granting authority:

Conseil régional de Picardie 11, mail Albert 1er BP 2616 FR-80026 Amiens Cedex 1

Website: http://www.picardie.fr/fr/page.cfm?pageref=guidedesaidesagri

(1) The scheme and all individual measures based on the scheme lasting beyond 31 December 2006 will be adapted in accordance with the rules applicable following a review of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004. The obligation includes notifying the European Commission of amendments pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 or its successor.