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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2002/C 85/06)

Date of adoption of the decision: 27.2.2002

Member State: The Netherlands

Aid No: N 25/02

Title: Extension of funding for an advertising campaign for mushrooms

Objective: To promote mushroom sales abroad

Legal basis: Verordening PT bijzondere heffing fruit en champignons 2001

Budget: Unspecified

Aid intensity or amount: 50 %

Duration: Unspecified

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: 27.2.2002

Member State: Italy

Aid No: N 30/02

Title: Aid for advertising products listed in Annex I to the Treaty

Objective: To promote sales of agricultural products

Legal basis: Aid schemes approved under files N 558/2000 and N 729/A/2000

Budget: Unspecified (the advertising measures are part of a wide range of measures financed within the framework of the two schemes referred to above: the budget for the first is approximately EUR 500 million, while the budget for the second has not been specified)

Aid intensity or amount: 50 % (may be increased to 75 % for Objective 1 regions)

Duration: Unspecified

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: 27.2.2002

Member State: Finland

Aid No: N 732/01

Title: Amendments to Skolt Act

Objective: To improve the economic situation of Skolts the following articles of Skolt Act would be amended as follows:

(a) Article 14; reduction of interest rate on new state loans to Skolts from 4 % to 3 %. Existing loans will not be affected

(b) Article 60; possibility to grant postponements on instalments and interest payments on loans taken under the Skolt Act would be introduced (applies to debt restructuring)

(c) Article 60; possibility would be introduced to grant exemptions in exceptional circumstances of instalments and interest payments on loans taken under the Skolt Act even when the instalment in question could be paid by realising the assets used as collateral for the loan

(d) Article 68; possibility to revise interest rates upwards or downwards on loans granted to Skolts under the legislation preceding the Skolt Act would be introduced. The revision would reflect the changes in the interest rates applied on the financial markets

(e) Article 68; interest rates on housing loans granted to Skolts between 1985 and 1991 would be maintained at 4 %. Under applicable legislation this interest rate would be otherwise 9,25-9,50 % from the beginning of 2000

Amendment (a) and (d) modify the existing aid scheme N 579/96; amendments (b) and (c) modify the existing aid scheme N 589/96. The existing aid schemes are not otherwise affected

Legal basis: Kolttalain muuttamisesta annettu laki N:o 296/2001; laki kolttalain 68 §:n muuttamisesta

Lag om ändring av skoltlagen nr 296/2001 - Lag om ändring av art. 68 i skoltlagen

Budget: Approximately EUR 6000 per year

Aid intensity or amount: Variable

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: 10.10.2001

Member State: The Netherlands

Aid No: N 266/01

Title: Animal welfare measures in Annex I and II areas following the foot-and-mouth disease

Objective: To alleviate animal welfare problems. This measure aims to stimulate the slaughtering of piglets which cannot be exported live and for which there is also no use in the Netherlands. Only for piglets where in the view of a veterinary serious animal welfare problems are present, the subsidy for destruction can be granted

Legal basis: Regeling MKZ-welzijnsmaatregelen

Budget: NLG 121500 (EUR 55134,30)

Aid intensity or amount: The subsidy amounts to NLG 55 per piglet

Duration: Only applications made before 9 May 2001 will be honoured

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: 27.2.2002

Member State: Italy

Aid No: NN 103/99

Title: National Law No 441 of 15 December 1998, Article 14 "Aid to young farmers"

Objective: To increase the donation/inheritance, purchase/lease of land in favour of young farmers and to favour the introduction of accountability

Legal basis: Legge 15 dicembre 1998, n. 441 "Norme per la diffusione e la valorizzazione dell'imprenditoria giovanile in agricoltura" articolo 14, paragrafi da 1 a 6

Budget: Undefined

Aid intensity or amount: Up to 55 % in case of fiscal exemptions that can be assimilated to investments

Duration: Undefined

Other information: Aid provided for in paragraphs 3 and 4 "non-application of the re-evaluation of income in favour of the landowner" is granted within Commission Regulation (EC) No 69/2001 "de-minimis aid"

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