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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2002/C 140/02)

Date of adoption of the decision: 7.5.2002

Member State: Italy (Union of Chambers of Commerce)

Aid No: N 241/01

Title: National Union of the Chambers of Commerce: aid scheme in favour of undertakings operating in the agricultural sector

Objective: To favour the development of SMEs operating in the agriculture sector

Legal basis: Delibera del Consiglio dell'Union Camere del 12.12.2000 recante "Misure di assistenza al settore agricolo"

Budget: For the year 2001: about EUR 30900000

Aid intensity or amount: Depending on the measure

Duration: Undetermined

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: 7.5.2002

Member State: Italy (Piemonte)

Aid No: N 366/01

Title: Subsidised short-term loans. Regional Government Decision No 38-2930 of 7 May 2001. Regional Law No 63/78, Articles 42 and 50

Objective: Short-term loans to agricultural holdings

Legal basis: Delibera della Giunta regionale n. 38-2930 del 7.5.2001 recante "L.R. 63/78 - articoli 42 e 50. Applicazione del programma di agevolazione crediti di gestione"

Budget: Undefined

Aid intensity or amount: Up to 1,5 % of the loan rate

Duration: Undetermined

Other information: The authorities have undertaken to transmit to the Commission an annual report

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: 7.5.2002

Member State: Austria

Aid No: N 681/01

Title: Amendment to aid measure N 114/2001 (Measures related to the BSE crisis

Objective: To address the consequences of the BSE-crisis and to stimulate combating BSE. This will be done through an aid for the treatment and storage costs of certain materials, a compensation for income losses of farmers and compensation for BSE-test costs

Legal basis: Sonderrichtlinie zur Finanzierung von Maßnahmen in Zusammenhang mit der BSE-Krise zwischen dem 1.6.2001 und dem 31.12.2002

Budget: 1. Treatment and storage costs of certain EUR 21,73 million

2. Compensation of income losses for farmers EUR 32,7 million

3. Test costs: actual costs

Aid intensity or amount: Up to 100 %

Duration: Reference period between 1.6.2001 and 31.12.2002

Other information: The notified measure is identical with the measure notified under No N 114/2001 (authorised by Commission decision SG(2001) D/260242 of 4.10.2001) except for modifications concerning only the duration of the measure as well as administrative details

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: 7.5.2002

Member State: Sweden

Aid No: N 4/02

Title: Aid for animal carcass transportation

Objective: The Swedish Government intends to introduce an aid scheme under which aid would be paid towards the cost of transporting carcasses of fallen stock or emergency slaughtered animals from livestock farms situated in northern Sweden beyond the 62nd parallel to the Stenstorp installation in southern Sweden. No aid would be paid in areas where the producers have been exempted from the obligatory disposal of carcasses. The aid would cover the difference between the standard fee paid by a livestock farmer in southern Sweden (i.e. in the area south of the 62nd parallel), which covers the transportation and destruction costs of carcasses from southern Sweden, and the actual cost to transport and destroy a carcass belonging to a farmer in the above region in northern Sweden. The owner of the carcass in northern Sweden would always pay the same standard fee that is paid in southern Sweden. Therefore the animal owner in northern Sweden would in no case pay less than the animal owner in other parts of the country and the aid would be limited to the additional transportation costs. Moreover, the Swedish authorities have indicated that the companies handling the transports are selected by a tendering procedure in accordance with the applicable Community legislation

Legal basis: Budget 2002 som skall antas av Sveriges Riksdag

Budget: SEK 3,6 million (approximately EUR 397000), nationally financed

Aid intensity or amount: Variable

Duration: Two years

Other information: The notified draft measure would seem, prima facie, to constitute a simple operating aid to livestock owners north of the 62nd parallel since such livestock owners receive a subsidy discharging them of what would be part of the normal operating costs to run their enterprise in the area concerned. Such operating cannot normally be authorised by the Commission. It has therefore been examined whether the measure could benefit from the provisions laid down in Article 142 of the Act of Accession of the Kingdom of Sweden. The scope of the Article is limited to the areas north of the 62nd parallel and some adjacent areas south of the parallel

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: 7.5.2002

Member State: United Kingdom (England)

Aid No: NN 55/02 (ex N 341/2000)

Title: Amendment to the Farm Business Advice Service

Objective: Help farmers affected by foot-and-mouth disease

Legal basis: Board of Agriculture 1889 section (2)

Budget: Increase of the overall Budget from GBP 21,9 million to GBP 27,75 million

Aid intensity or amount: 100 %

Duration: For the amendment (additional two days of advice and environmental audit) until 31 March 2003

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: 8.5.2002

Member State: Germany

Aid No: N 26/02

Title: Promotion of research and development projects in organic farming

Objective: To close knowledge and experience gaps in organic farming and to strengthen the competitiveness of organic farming from production through to marketing on a long-term basis

Legal basis: Directive for the execution of the programme to promote research and development projects and measures for transfers of technoloy and knowledge in organic farming - Part A. Projects in the area of the production, processing and marketing of products listed in Annex I to the EC Treaty

Budget: EUR 25 million

Aid intensity or amount: Variable

Duration: Until 31 December 2003

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: 8.5.2002

Member State: France

Aid No: N 162/02

Title: Aid to promote milk and milk products

Objective: To inform consumers and the various economic operators about these products

Budget: EUR 0,6 million per year

Aid intensity or amount: Around 30 % of expenditure

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