EN Official Journal of the European Union C 213/3

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 213/03)

Aid No: XA 123/08

Member State: Latvia

Region: —

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Atbalsta shēma „Atbalsts apdrošināšanas prēmiju daļējai segšanai“

Legal basis: Ministru kabineta noteikumi „Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu lauksaimniecībai 2008. gadā un tā piešķiršanas kārtību“ 9. pielikums 1. programma

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

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2008: LVL 150 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2009: LVL 150 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2010: LVL 150 000

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

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2012: LVL 150 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2013: LVL 150 000

Maximum aid intensity: Aid for compensation of insurance premium acquisition costs may attain 50 % in accordance with contracts concluded with insurance companies and insurance policy holders, but may not exceed LVL 25 per unit (hectare or livestock unit), LVL 50 for potatoes and vegetables, and LVL 150 for fruit trees and berry plants

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award:

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to reduce the production risk in the plant and livestock production sectors by partially compensating the insurance policy acquisition costs incurred by small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of primary agricultural products.

Aid for compensation of insurance premium acquisition costs incurred by small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of primary agricultural products is granted in accordance with Article 12(2)(a) and (b) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of primary agricultural products.

The aid is intended for the plant and livestock production sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Zemkopības ministrija LV-1981 Rīga

Internet address: http://www.zm.gov.lv/doc_upl/9.pielikums.doc

Other information: State aid co-financing can cover up to 50 % of eligible insurance premium acquisition costs for losses resulting from adverse weather conditions tantamount to natural disasters (lightning strikes, fires caused by lightning, floods, gales, hail and spring frost) and for losses resulting from animal and plant diseases.

Aid for the compensation of insurance premium acquisition costs incurred by small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of primary agricultural products may cover up to 50 % in accordance with Article 12(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The aid does not constitute a barrier to the operation of the internal market for insurance services and is not limited to insurance provided by a single insurance company or group of companies, nor is it made subject to the condition that the insurance contract be taken out with a company established in the Member State concerned.

No aid will be granted retroactively in respect of activities which have already been carried out by the beneficiary

Aid No: XA 124/08

Member State: Latvia

Region: —

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Atbalsta shēma „Atbalsts Latvijas un ārvalstu sadarbības projektiem”

Legal basis: Ministru kabineta noteikumi „Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu lauksaimniecībai 2008. gadā un tā piešķiršanas kārtību“ 5. pielikums

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

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2008: LVL 100 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2009: LVL 100 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2010: LVL 100 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2011: LVL 100 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2012: LVL 100 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2013: LVL 100 000

Maximum aid intensity: All of the aid is granted by Latvia as State co-financing for Latvian and foreign cooperation projects.

The aid is granted for the following project implementation measures:

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid:

Objective of the aid: The aid is intended as part of the co-financing provided by Latvia for cooperation projects between Latvia and foreign countries.

The aid, which constitutes part of the co-financing provided by Latvia for cooperation projects between Latvia and foreign countries, is granted in accordance with Article 15(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of primary agricultural products.

The aid is intended for the plant and livestock production sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Zemkopības ministrija LV-1981 Rīga

Internet address: http://www.zm.gov.lv/doc_upl/5.pielikums.doc

Other information: The aid, which constitutes part of the co-financing provided by Latvia for cooperation projects between Latvia and foreign countries, will be granted to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of primary agricultural products, in accordance with Article 15(3) and (4) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. In accordance with Article 15(3), the aid will be granted in kind by means of subsidised services and will not involve direct payments of money to producers, and in accordance with Article 15(4) the aid will be accessible to all those eligible in the area concerned, based on objectively defined conditions.

The aid is intended for small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of primary agricultural products in the form of services provided by rural and farmers' associations and foundations, scientific institutes etc.

The intermediary enterprise does not receive any aid. All aid is granted to the final beneficiaries.

No aid will be granted retroactively in respect of activities which have already been carried out by the beneficiary

Aid No: XA 136/08

Member State: Latvia

Region: —

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Atbalsta shēma „Atbalsts informācijas izplatīšanai, apmācībai, dalībai kursos, semināros, konferencēs, kongresos ārzemēs, konferencēm Latvijā un Latvijas zinātnieku starptautiskās sadarbības veicināšanai“

Legal basis: Ministru kabineta noteikumi „Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu lauksaimniecībai 2008. gadā un tā piešķiršanas kārtību“ 4. pielikuma I un II atbalsta programma

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

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2008: LVL 330 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2009: LVL 350 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2010: LVL 370 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2011: LVL 390 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2012: LVL 400 000

Total amount of the aid scheme in 2013: LVL 420 000

Maximum aid intensity: Aid will be granted to cover at most 30 % of expenditure incurred by the applicant and related to attendance at events:

Aid is to cover all expenditure incurred in organising the training programme ‘Animal carcass classification’.

Aid is to cover all expenditure on publications (for educational or information purposes) designed to meet the needs of rural entrepreneurs

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid:

Objective of the aid: The objective of the aid is to facilitate public education on and awareness of the agricultural sector.

The aid is granted under Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of primary agricultural products.

The aid is intended for the plant and livestock production sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Zemkopības ministrija LV-1981 Rīga

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

Other information: Aid for the promotion of cooperation between rural and farmers' associations and foundations will be granted to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of primary agricultural products, in accordance with Article 15(3) and (4) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. In accordance with Article 15(3), the aid will be granted in kind by means of subsidised services and will not involve direct payments of money to producers, and in accordance with Article 15(4) the aid will be accessible to all those eligible in the area concerned, based on objectively defined conditions.

The intermediary enterprise does not receive any aid. All aid is granted to the final beneficiaries.

No aid will be granted retroactively in respect of activities which have already been carried out by the beneficiary.

The aid is intended for small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of primary agricultural products in the form of services provided by rural and farmers' associations and foundations, scientific institutes etc.

Aid No: XA 137/08

Member State: Republic of Estonia

Region: Republic of Estonia

Title of aid scheme: Põllumajandustootjate ühistegevuse teabetoetus

Legal basis: Maaelu ja põllumajandusturu korraldamise seadus § 64 ja 66

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EEK 2 000 000

Maximum aid intensity: EEK 300 000

Date of implementation:

Duration of the scheme: March 2008-December 2008

Objective of aid: Provision of technical support to farmers.

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

Eligible costs:

(a) costs of organising training;

(b) travel and subsistence expenses of participants;

(a) participation fees;

(b) travel costs;

(c) costs of printed matter;

(d) hiring of exhibition premises;

The aid is granted in the form of subsidised services and does not involve direct payments to producers

Economic sectors concerned: Agricultural producers

Name and address of the authority granting the aid:

Maaelu Edendamise Sihtasutus R.Tobiase 4 EE-10147 Tallinn

Internet address: http://www.mes.ee/?id1=247&id=117

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 138/08

Member State: Spain

Region: Andalucía

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Subvención a los afectados en la zona regable del Bajo Guadalquivir para restituir los efectos de los graves daños causados por tornados en naves e instalaciones de invernaderos en producción

Legal basis: Resolución del Delegado de Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca en Sevilla, por Delegación de competencias del Consejero de Agricultura y Pesca mediante Orden de 29 de febrero de 2008

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Two million eight hundred thousand EUR (EUR 2 800 000)

Maximum aid intensity: 80 % of the replacement costs in respect of the damage caused, subject to the limit applicable under Article 11(6) of the Exemption Regulation.

In accordance with Article 11(3) of the Regulation, amounts received under insurance schemes and costs incurred for reasons other than as a result of the adverse climatic event will be deducted from the maximum eligible loss

Date of implementation: Four months after the aid is granted, which is expected to be between March and July 2008. Given that the damage occurred on 20 November 2007, the aid complies with the requirements of Article 11(10) of the Exemption Regulation: the aid will be introduced within three years of the date on which the loss was incurred and will be paid within four years of that date

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 2008

Objective of aid: Compensation for damage caused to buildings and farm equipment as a result of adverse climatic events, in accordance with Article 11 of the Regulation, in order to make it possible to re-establish minimum operating conditions in the Lower Guadalquivir irrigation zone (Seville) and sustain the rural economy

Sector(s) concerned: Farmers who own greenhouse installations and facilities which sustained confirmed damage. This complies with the requirements of Article 11(5) of the Regulation, which states that the ‘aid must be paid directly to the farmer concerned’

Name and address of the granting authority:

Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca de la Junta de Andalucía C/ Tabladilla, s/n E-41071 Sevilla

Internet address: http:// www.cap.junta-andalucia.es

The full text of the draft Order can be found at: http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/portal/www/portal/com/bin/portal/Legislaciones/2008/propuesta_resolucion_subvencion_tornado/propuesta_resol_definitiva_2.doc

Other information:

— Article 11(7) of the Regulation is complied with by virtue of the fact that the damage was officially recognised as having been caused by adverse climatic events, as set out in the Order of the Ministry for the Office of the Prime Minister PRE/3398/2007 of 23 November 2007 publishing the Agreement of the Council of Ministers on the measures to be taken, under Royal Decree 307/2005 of 18 March 2005 on subsidies to meet certain needs arising from emergencies or natural disasters, for the benefit of victims of the flooding caused by heavy rains and strong winds in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia on 20 and 21 November 2007. The fourth paragraph of the Annex to the above provision states that ‘attention should also be drawn to the effects on other places such as Écija, where a state of alert was declared due to the condition of the river Genil, and Las Cabezas de San Juan, where a tornado caused significant material damage to houses, industrial facilities and street furniture’.

— The aid amount will cover 80 % of the cost of repairing the damage to agricultural facilities and greenhouses that were being used for production on the dates when the tornadoes struck, the said damage being confirmed by experts from the Ministry's provincial office

Javier Visus ARBESÚ

Head of the Department for European Legislation