EN Official Journal of the European Union C 263/10

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

(2007/C 263/06)

Aid No: XA 137/07

Member State: Italy

Region: Emilia Romagna (Camera di Commercio di Bologna)

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid award: Regolamento camerale per l'assegnazione di contributi alle aziende agricole operanti nella provincia di Bologna per il miglioramento dell'efficienza delle strutture agricole.

Legal basis: Regolamento della Camera di Commercio di Bologna approvato con deliberazione del Consiglio camerale del 25 giugno 2007

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Maximum annual amount: EUR 200 000

Maximum aid intensity:

— 50 % of eligible expenditure in respect of investments in less-favoured areas or in the areas, as referred to in Article 36(a)(i), (ii) and (iii) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005, designated by the Member States in accordance with Articles 50 and 94 of that Regulation,

— 40 % of eligible expenditure in other cases.

Date of implementation: Applications may be submitted ten working days after notification of the scheme to the European Commission.

Duration of scheme:

Objective of aid: The projects eligible for aid must be aimed at:

improving the structure both of farms and the processing and marketing of their agricultural produce,

re-deploying and re-focusing agricultural production potential, introducing new technologies and improving product quality,

diversifying activities with a view to developing complementary or alternative activities.

The scheme constitutes a form of support for investment in farms under Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

Expenditure on the following is eligible:

Costs relating to leasing contracts other than those listed in (b), such as tax, lessor's margins, interest, refinancing costs, overheads and insurance are not eligible.

Simple replacement investments are not eligible. Aid may not be granted for the manufacture of products which imitate, or can be substituted for, milk or milk products.

Purchases may not be made before the list of aid applications is approved.

Sector(s) concerned: All sectors concerning agricultural primary production (land cultivation, livestock farming and forestry). The scheme also provides for support to other sectors in connection with primary agricultural production, for which Commission Regulation (EC) No 1998/2006 on de minimis aid applies.

Name and address of the authority granting the aid:

Camera di Commercio I.A.A. di Bologna Piazza Mercanzia, 4 I-40125 Bologna

Website: http://www.bo.camcom.it/intranet/ALTRI-SERV/DIRITTO-AN/Adeguament/index.htm

Other information: The scheme replaces State aid N 434/02 (for the part concerning Decision No 11/2002).

President of the Bologna Chamber of Commerce

Gian Carlo Sangalli

Bologna, 25 June 2007.

XA number: XA 139/07

Member State: Spain

Region: Comunidad Valenciana

Title of aid scheme: Régimen de ayudas (2007/2013) a las cooperativas agrarias para la realización de actividades orientadas al desarrollo rural

Legal basis: Orden de la Consellería de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación. Generalitat Valenciana

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme (data in EUR):

Annual average Total 2007/2013 Primary production in the agriculture and livestock sectors 286 000 2 002 000 Processing and marketing of agricultural products in Annex I to the Treaty 3 364 000 23 548 000 Diversification of agricultural and non-agricultural activities: agri-tourism, handicrafts, etc. 2 350 000 16 450 000 Total 6 000 000 42 000 000

Maximum aid intensity: 40 % of the investment and initial amortisable expenditure considered eligible, carried out by SME cooperatives.

Date of implementation: May 2007

Duration of scheme: December 2013

Objective of aid:

— Principal: SME agricultural cooperatives.

— Intrumental: investment in agricultural holdings (Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).

— Eligible costs: investment and amortisable expenditure.

Sectors(s) concerned: Primary production in the agriculture and livestock sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Consellería de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, Generalitat Valenciana C/ Amadeo de Saboya, 2 E-46010 Valencia Tel. (34) 96 318 49 64 E-mail: monton_josagu@gva.es

Publication of scheme: https://www.docv.gva.es

XA Number: XA 140/07

Member State: Spain

Region: Castilla y León

Title of aid scheme: Ayudas para promover y fomentar el cooperativismo agrario en la comunidad autónoma de Castilla y León

Legal basis: Orden AYG …/2007, de … de …, de la Consejería de Agricultura y Ganadería, por la que se convocan las ayudas para promover y fomentar el cooperativismo agrario en la comunidad autónoma de Castilla y León

Este régimen de ayudas se acoge a la exención establecida por el Reglamento (CE) no 1857/2006 de la Comisión, de 15 de diciembre de 2006, y se ajusta a lo dispuesto en los artículos 9, 14 y 15 del citado Reglamento en relación, respectivamente, con las ayudas a las agrupaciones de productores, las ayudas para fomentar la producción de productos agrícolas de calidad y la asistencia técnica al sector agrario.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The aid planned for 2007 amounts to EUR 1 727 898

Maximum aid intensity:

— Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The maximum total amount per beneficiary body will be EUR 250 000.

— Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The maximum total amount per beneficiary body will be 50 % of the eligible costs.

— Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The maximum total amount per beneficiary body will be 50 % of the eligible costs.

Date of implementation: The aid scheme continues from the scheme existing in 2006.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme may remain in force until 31 December 2013.

Objective of aid: Global objective: To strengthen agricultural cooperatives in Castile-Leon.

Secondary objectives:

To support the creation of new associations and consolidation of other higher-level bodies created through mergers and integration.

To support existing organisations which substantially increase their turnover (by at least 30 %) by starting new business or by increasing the number of members.

To encourage the production of quality agricultural products.

To support technical assistance to associations in respect of external consultancy services, and the organisation of and participation in competitions, exhibitions and fairs.

— Articles used: — The aid scheme complies with Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 concerning aid for producer groups, Article 14 concerning aid to encourage the production of quality agricultural products and Article 15 on provision of technical support in the agricultural sector. — Account was also taken of Chapter 3 of the Regulation, concerning common and final provisions.

— Eligible costs: — Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. Creating new primary-level associations or higher-level bodies created through mergers and integration and improving the social and economic aspects of agricultural associations whose turnover increases by at least 30 %. — Costs incurred by the new organisation in creating, merging or integrating associations, including: start-up costs, audits, legal costs, advice to decision-making and technical members, financing and marketing studies, notarial costs, registration costs and licence fees (Chapter I of the Order). — Management costs during the first five years of operation of newly created associations or those resulting from mergers or integration: rental of premises, acquisition of office equipment including computer hardware and software, cost of administrative staff, overheads, legal and administrative costs (Chapter I of the Order). — In the case of expansions, the resulting eligible costs will be restricted to beneficiaries' year-on-year increase in turnover of at least 30 %. Accordingly, when the body grows, only the costs incurred by such growth will be financed (Chapter I of the Order). — Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. Encouraging the production of quality agricultural products. — Costs incurred as a result of introducing quality control and product traceability systems. These costs can include studies to prepare applications for recognition of quality marks, the costs of introducing the quality control system, external consultancy services, certification and training staff to apply the systems (Chapter III of the Order). — Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector. — The costs incurred by cooperatives as a result of conducting audits, management, viability and investment analyses, market surveys, and organising and participating in competitions, exhibitions and fairs (Chapter II of the Order)

Sectors(s) concerned: Agriculture in general and associations in particular

Name and address of the granting authority: The aid will be granted by the Castile-Leon Government, and administered by the Ministry for Agriculture and Livestock Farming's Directorate-General for agricultural industrialisation and modernisation.

C/ Rigoberto Cortejoso, 14

E-47014 Valladolid

Internet address: The full text of the aid scheme is available on the website of the Castile-Leon Government at:

http://www.jcyl.es/AyudaEstado20072013

Other information: Management of the aid will be subject to the Order and must comply with Article 19 of the Regulation as regards cumulation.