EN Official Journal of the European Union C 297/6

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 EC 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 297/04)

Aid No: XA 290/08

Member State: Italy

Region: Lombardia

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid award: Interventi a sostegno dell'agricoltura di montagna: aiuti agli investimenti nelle aziende agricole e miglioramento della produttività e funzionalità degli alpeggi e dei pascoli montani

Legal basis:

— bozza di delibera di Giunta Regionale ‘Legge regionale del 7 febbraio 2000, articolo 23 (Interventi a sostegno dell'agricoltura in montagna) — Disposizioni attuative’

— legge Regionale n. 7 del 7 febbraio 2000, ‘Norme per gli interventi regionali in agricoltura’

— legge Regionale n. 25 del 15 ottobre 2007, ‘Interventi regionali in favore della popolazione dei territori montani’

— legge Regionale n. 27 del 28 ottobre 2004, ‘Tutela e valorizzazione delle superfici, del paesaggio e dell'economia forestale’

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 5 million

Maximum aid intensity: In accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006:

up to 35 % (45 % for young farmers) for investments in agricultural holdings (measure 2.1),

up to 50 % (75 % for additional costs for protecting and improving the environment, hygiene conditions of livestock enterprises and animal welfare) for investments in mountain pastures (measure 2.2)

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

Duration of scheme or individual aid: Until 31 December 2013

Objective: Under Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, the purpose of the aid scheme is to support:

In particular, the aid will not be granted to holdings in difficulty or if it is contrary to the prohibitions and restrictions provided for by common market organisations. The aid is intended for all agricultural sectors with specific limitations and prohibitions due to overcapacity and lack of market outlets

Sector(s) concerned: Farmers for investments in mountain agricultural holdings.

Owners of mountain pastures for the improvement of productivity and functionality

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Lombardi Direzione Generale agricoltura Via Pola, 12/14 I-20124 Milano

Website: www.agricoltura.regione.lombardia.it

(click on ‘Per saperne di più’, and then on ‘Aiuti di Stato’)

Other information: —

Enrica GENNARI

Head of the National and EU Policy Liaison Office

Aid No: XA 309/08

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Bled

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Programi razvoja podeželja v občini Bled 2008-2013

Legal basis: Pravilnik o dodelitvi pomoči za ohranjanje in razvoj kmetijstva, gozdarstva in podeželja v občini Bled (II. Poglavje)

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

2008: EUR 29 000

2009: EUR 30 500

2010: EUR 32 000

2011: EUR 33 600

2012: EUR 35 300

2013: EUR 37 000

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

— up to 50 % of eligible costs in less-favoured areas,

— up to 40 % of eligible costs in other areas.

2. Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings:

— up to 100 % of eligible costs for non-productive structures,

— up to 60 % of eligible costs, and up to 75 % in less-favoured areas, for investment in productive structures, provided that the investment does not entail any increase in the production capacity of the farm.

3. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

— the amount of municipal co-financing comprises the difference between the amount of co-financing of insurance premiums from the national budget and the subsidy limit (up to 50 %) applying to the eligible costs of insurance premiums for insuring crops, fruit and cases of disease among animals.

4. Aid for land reparcelling:

— up to 50 % of actual legal and administrative costs incurred.

5. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector:

— up to 100 % of costs for farmers' education and training, consultancy services and the organisation of forums, competitions, exhibitions, fairs, publications, catalogues and websites and the costs of replacement services. The aid is to be granted in the form of subsidised services and must not involve direct payments of money to producers

Date of implementation: August 2008 (the aid will not be granted until a summary has been published on the European Commission's website)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 December 2013

Objective of aid: Support for SMEs

Reference to Articles of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and eligible costs: Chapter II of the draft Pravilnik o dodelitvi pomoči za ohranjanje in razvoj kmetijstva, gozdarstva in podeželja v občini Bled [Rules on granting State aid for preserving and developing agriculture, forestry and rural areas in the municipality of Bled] includes measures constituting State aid in accordance with the following Articles of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 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 (OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3):

Article 4: Investment in agricultural holdings,

Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings,

Article 12: Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums,

Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector

Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Občina Bled Cesta svobode 13 SLO-4260 Bled

Website: http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200878&objava=3503

Other information: The measure for the payment of insurance premiums to insure crops and fruit includes the following adverse climatic events which can be assimilated to natural disasters: hail, fire, lightning, spring frost, storms and floods.

The municipality's Rules meet the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 relating to the measures to be adopted by the municipality and the general provisions applicable (procedure prior to the aid grant, cumulation, transparency and monitoring of aid)

Matjaž ERJAVEC

Director of the municipal administration

Aid No: XA 310/08

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje Občine Sveta Ana

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Podpora programom razvoja podeželja v Občini Sveta Ana 2008-2013

Legal basis: Pravilnik o izvajanju ukrepov za pospeševanje razvoja podeželja v Občini Sveta Ana (II. Poglavje)

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

2008: EUR 13 400

2009: EUR 20 000

2010: EUR 20 000

2011: EUR 20 000

2012: EUR 20 000

2013: EUR 20 000

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

— up to 50 % of eligible costs in less-favoured areas,

— up to 40 % of eligible costs in other areas.

2. Aid for conserving traditional landscapes and buildings:

— up to 100 % of the actual costs of investment to conserve non-productive heritage features located on agricultural holdings,

— up to 60 % of the actual costs of investment for productive assets on farms, provided that the investment does not entail any increase in the production capacity of the farm,

— up to 100 % of aid to cover the extra costs incurred by using traditional materials necessary to conserve the heritage features of buildings.

3. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

— municipal support brings the amount of aid up to a maximum of 50 % of eligible costs of insurance premiums.

4. Aid for land reparcelling:

— up to 50 % of actual costs incurred in legal and administrative procedures.

5. Aid to encourage the production of quality agricultural products:

— up to 50 % of eligible costs incurred for improving the quality of agricultural products. The aid is to be granted in the form of subsidised services and must not involve direct payments of money to agricultural holdings.

6. Aid for providing technical support in the agricultural sector:

— up to 50 % of costs concerning education and training of farmers, consultancy services, the organisation of forums, competitions, exhibitions and fairs, publications, catalogues and websites, and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. The aid is to be granted in the form of subsidised services and must not involve direct payments of money to agricultural holdings

Date of implementation: August 2008 (the aid will not be granted until a summary has been published on the European Commission's website)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: until 31 December 2013

Objective of aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and eligible costs: Chapter II of the draft Pravilnik o izvajanju ukrepov za pospeševanje razvoja podeželja v Občini Sveta Ana [Rules on implementing measures to promote rural development in the municipality of Sveta Ana] includes measures constituting State aid in accordance with the following Articles of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 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 (OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3):

Article 4: Investment in agricultural holdings,

Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings,

Article 12: Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums,

Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

Article 14: Aid to encourage the production of quality agricultural products,

Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector

Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Občina Sveta Ana Sv. Ana v Slov. goricah 17 SLO-2233 Sv. Ana v Slov. goricah

Website: http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200870&objava=3084

Other information: The measure for the payment of insurance premiums to insure crops and fruit includes the following adverse climatic events which can be assimilated to natural disasters: spring frost, hail, lightning, fire caused by lightning, storms and floods.

The municipality's Rules meet the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 relating to the measures to be adopted by the municipality and the general provisions applicable (procedure prior to the aid grant, cumulation, transparency and monitoring of aid)

Silvo SLAČEK

Mayor of the municipality

Aid No: XA 315/08

Member State: Spain

Region: Catalunya

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Ayudas para la incentivación de la mejora de la eficiencia energética en explotaciones agrarias

Legal basis: Orden de 2008, del Departamento de Agricultura, Alimentación y Acción Rural, por la que se aprueban las bases reguladoras de las ayudas para la incentivación de la mejora de la eficiencia energética en explotaciones agrarias, y se convocan las correspondientes al año 2008

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The planned annual expenditure is approximately EUR 500 000 for each call for proposals. The total amount or expenditure for the years in which the scheme will operate is as follows:

Year 2008: EUR 480 000

Year 2009: EUR 500 000

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum subsidy per application will be 25 % of the eligible investment and may be increased by 5 % where the person applying for the aid is a young farmer.

Under no circumstances will the maximum eligible investment exceed EUR 100 000 per holding. Accordingly, the maximum amounts of aid granted to an enterprise over a period of three fiscal years will always comply with those specified in Article 4(9) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Date of implementation: The Order will enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Generalitat de Cataluña (DOGC).

The Order will be published in the DOGC on the date on which the registration number of the exemption request provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 is published on the website of DG AGRI.

Publication is expected in September 2008

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 December 2009

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to assist investment in agricultural holdings in sectors which have undergone an energy assessment, in accordance with the Framework Partnership Agreement drawn up between the Departamento de Agricultura, Alimentación y Acción Rural (DAAR) and the Instituto Catalán de la Energía (ICAEN) and its successive addenda.

Investment relating to the improvement of installations, insulation and roofing, heating systems, ventilation and materials is eligible, as is any improvement which brings about a quantifiable saving and improvement in energy efficiency in sectors which have undergone an energy assessment, in accordance with the Framework Partnership Agreement drawn up between the DAAR and ICAEN and its successive addenda.

Eligible expenditure is listed in Article 4(4)(a) and (b). This comprises the costs of construction, purchase or improvement of installations and the costs of purchasing or leasing (with an option to purchase) the necessary equipment and machines for improving energy efficiency.

Overheads linked to the above expenditure, such as architects', engineers' and consultants' fees, feasibility studies and the acquisition of patents and licences, are not eligible.

Aid will not be granted to agricultural holdings which are enterprises in difficulty. Nor will aid be granted in contravention of any prohibitions or restrictions laid down in Council Regulations establishing common organisations of the market, even where such prohibitions and restrictions only refer to Community support

Sector(s) concerned: Production of products listed in Annex I to the Treaty, except for fishery and aquaculture products covered by Council Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 and products falling under CN codes 4502, 4503 and 4504 (cork products)

Name and address of granting authority:

Departamento de Agricultura, Alimentación y Acción Rural Generalitat de Catalunya Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 612-614 E-08007 Barcelona

Website: http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/DAR/TR_Tramits/TR01_Ajuts%20i%20subvencions/DAR_05%20Ajus%20pendents%20publicacio/Documents/Fitxers%20estatics/2008215.pdf

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 317/08

Member State: Spain

Region: Catalunya

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Ayudas al sector agrícola en materia de Sanidad Vegetal

Legal basis: Proyecto de Orden de 2008, del Departamento de Agricultura, Alimentación y Acción Rural, por la cual se aprueban las bases reguladoras de las ayudas al sector agrícola en materia de sanidad vegetal y se convocan las correspondientes al año 2008

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme:

2008: EUR 3 200 000

2009: EUR 3 500 000

2010: EUR 3 800 000

2011: EUR 4 000 000

2012: EUR 4 300 000

2013: EUR 4 500 000

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 100 % of expenses related to the cost of preventing and eradicating plant diseases and pest infestations and expenses related to the provision of technical assistance relating to plant health

Date of implementation: The aid scheme will apply from the date of publication, on the website of the Directorate-General for Agriculture, of the registration number of the exemption request laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The Order will enter into force following its publication in the Diario Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya, which is planned for the end of August 2008

Duration of scheme: Until 31 December 2013

Objective of aid: The objective is to improve quality and to conserve and improve the natural environment by means of better information management and decision-making as regards plant health in SMEs involved in the primary production of agricultural products.

This objective will be attained by means of two types of activity/action:

technical consultancy services (Article 15(2)(c)),

preventive measures and collective efforts to control harmful organisms (Article 10(1)).

Eligible costs will be:

the fees of the technician who provides the technical assistance referred to in Annex II, and

costs relating to measures adopted under mandatory disease and pest prevention and control campaigns regarded as priorities as referred to in Annex III.

The aid to SMEs in the crop production subsector will be granted in kind by means of subsidised services.

These services will be provided by the plant protection associations; they will be available to all persons in Catalonia who are eligible to benefit; membership is not required to access the services.

Furthermore, it should be emphasised with respect to the second activity/action that the priority campaigns referred to in Annex III:

are in conformity with Community, national and regional programmes for the prevention, control and eradication of specific diseases and pests,

do not concern diseases in respect of which Community legislation provides for specific charges for control measures,

will not be conducted in respect of measures whose costs should be borne by agricultural holdings,

will be introduced within three years of the expenses being incurred and payments will be made within four years

Sector(s) concerned: Crop production subsector: fruit, vines, vegetables, olives, rice, etc. in classes 01.11 to 01.30 of the NACE classification (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006)

Name and address of the granting authority:

Departamento de Agricultura, Alimentación y Acción Rural Generalitat de Catalunya Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes, núm. 612-614 E-08007 Barcelona

Website: http://www20.gencat.cat/docs/DAR/TR_Tramits/TR01_Ajuts%20i%20subvencions/DAR_05%20Ajus%20pendents%20publicacio/Documents/Fitxers%20estatics/2008253.pdf

Other information: —