EN Official Journal of the European Union C 283/7

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 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 283/04)

Aid No: XA 268/08

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Northern Ireland

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: The New Entrants Scheme for Young Farmers

Legal basis: Financial Assistance for Young Farmers (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (SI 2004/3080 (NI 21), the Financial Assistance for Young Farmers Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2005 (SR 2005/69), the Financial Assistance for Young Farmers Scheme (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2005 (SR 2005/540) and the Financial Assistance for Young Farmers Scheme (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008 (SR 2008/186)

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

Scheme entrants Total participants Average total loan repayments Average annual loan repayments per applicant Sum 2008/2009 95 95 15 994 3 199 0 (1) 2009/2010 0 95 15 994 3 199 303 905 2010/2011 0 95 15 994 3 199 303 905 2011/2012 0 95 15 994 3 199 303 905 2012/2013 0 95 15 994 3 199 303 905 2013/2014 0 95 15 994 3 199 303 905 Total amount of aid payable is GBP 1,6 million.

Maximum aid intensity: The scheme allows for an interest rate subsidy on loans taken out by young farmers. The maximum amount of aid available is GBP 17 000 over 5 years. The interest rate for which subsidy is payable is capped at 3,5 % above the Bank of England Base Rate (approximately 2,5 % above the Base Rate of local lending institutions). Applicants who secure loans above this rate are liable for the excess interest payment

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 1 August 2008

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The maximum duration of subsidised interest payment is 5 years and the final payments to the majority of Scheme participants will be made no later than 31 March 2014. However, as the Scheme permits applicants to draw down on a loan until 31 July 2010, it is possible that some payments will run into the 2015/2016 financial year. There is no restriction on the amount of loan or on the term of the loan, but the scheme will be closed to new entrants by 27 February 2009, or sooner if all available funds have been committed

Objective of aid: Sectoral development. In line with Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, the eligible costs will be an interest rate subsidy on a loan to cover the costs of setting up for new entrant farmers under 40 years of age setting up as the head of holding for the first time. This will promote additional farm investment which will generate new activities or add value to farming in Northern Ireland

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to young farmers who will predominately be involved in production, although processing and marketing could make up part of the farm business. The scheme applies to all types of production.

This scheme applies to small and medium sized enterprises (SME) only as set out in Article 2(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Name and address of the granting authority: The statutory body responsible for the scheme is:

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Dundonald House

Upper Newtownards Road

Belfast BT4 3SB

United Kingdom

The organisation operating the scheme is:

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Dundonald House

Upper Newtownards Road

Belfast BT4 3SB

United Kingdom

Website: http://www.dardni.gov.uk/financial_assistance_for_young_farmers_scheme_in_northern_ireland.doc

Other information: Further and more detailed information relating to eligibility and rules for the scheme can be found in the web links above. This scheme is extending the duration of an existing scheme XA 123/07 but will not increase the cumulative expenditure above the original planned provision. In all other aspects the scheme remains the same. When this scheme comes into force XA 123/07 will be closed to new applications.

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

Mr Neil Marr

UK Agricultural State Aid Adviser

DEFRA

Area 5D, 9 Millbank

C/o Nobel House

17 Smith Square

Westminster

London SW1P 3JR

United Kingdom

Aid No: XA 291/08

Member State: Republic of Cyprus

Region: —

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Σχέδιο Αγροτικής Πολιτικής της Αρχής Ηλεκτρισμού Κύπρου

Legal basis: Οι περί Αναπτύξεως Ηλεκτρισμού (Τροποποιητικοί) Κανονισμοί του 2008

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The available appropriations for 2008 total EUR 3 417 203. Operating costs for the Plan for the coming years will be covered by available appropriations from the budget of the Cyprus Electricity Authority

Maximum aid intensity: 60 % (for new farmers, as defined in Article 2(11) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 operating and/or living in less favoured areas, where investment is made within five years of their establishment)

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31.12.2013

Objective of aid: The provision of electricity to farm buildings involved in the process of primary production of agricultural products and which form part of the unit, such as livestock holdings, agricultural stores, water pumps, animal and bird housing buildings, water and waste processing installations, biological station installations and presses (Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006)

Sector(s) concerned: All farming and livestock sectors involved in the primary production of agricultural products

Name and address of the granting authority:

Aρχή Ηλεκτρισμού Κύπρου Αμφιπόλεως 11 Στρόβολος, Τ.Θ. 24506 CY-1399 Λευκωσία, Κύπρος

Website: www.moa.gov.cy/da

Other information: Participants for the Plan will be selected on the basis of the objective criteria set out therein

Aid No: XA 305/08

Member State: Spain

Region: Comunidad Valenciana

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU

Legal basis: Resolución de la Consellera de Agricultura Pesca y Alimentación, que concede la subvención basada en una línea nominativa descrita en la ley 15/2007 de presupuestos de la Generalitat

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 60 000 in 2008

Maximum aid intensity: 100 %

Date of implementation: From the date on which the registration number of the exemption request is published on the website of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Year 2008

Objective of aid: Project to provide technical assistance for the education and training of livestock owners and those working directly in the livestock sector for the year 2008.

The costs of organising the training programme, participants' travel and subsistence costs, the costs of renting premises, of publications, and of measures to disseminate scientific knowledge, provided that no companies or brands are mentioned, will be deemed to be included.

The eligible costs covered by the aid are those referred to in Article 15 (technical support in the agricultural sector) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Sector(s) concerned: Livestock owners and those working directly in the livestock sector

Name and address of the granting authority:

Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación Amadeo de Saboya, 2 E-46010 Valencia

Other information: —

Website: http://www.agricultura.gva.es/especiales/ayudas_agrarias/pdf/UCH_CEU_2008 %20.pdf

Valencia, 18 July 2008.

Director-General for Agricultural Production

Laura PEÑARROYA FABREGAT

(1) As the aid is payable annually in arrears there will be no payments in year 1.