EN Official Journal of the European Union C 214/6

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 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 214/03)

Aid No: XA 205/08

Member State: Netherlands

Region: —

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Tegemoetkoming in de genotyperingskosten bij schapen

Legal basis:

— Artikel 4, 16 en 17 van de Verordening van het Productschap Vee en Vlees van 14 mei 2008 houdende regels ter zake van de erkenning van fokprogramma's, gericht op terugdringing TSE-gevoeligheid bij schapen, en, in het geval wordt deelgenomen aan een overeenkomstig deze verordening erkend fokprogramma, regels ter zake van de erkenning van een bepaalde TSE-resistente status van het bedrijf, de daarmee samenhangende bedrijfscertificering en regels ter zake van een te verkrijgen tegemoetkoming in de kosten (Verordening fokken op terugdringing TSE-gevoeligheid bij schapen (PVV) 2008)

— Artikel 99 van de Regeling preventie, bestrijding en monitoring van besmettelijke dierziekten, zoönosen en TSE's

— Article 12 of Commission Decision 2007/782/EC of 30 November 2007 approving annual and multi-annual national programmes and the financial contribution from the Community for the eradication, control and monitoring of certain animal diseases and zoonoses, presented by the Member States for 2008 and following years (OJ L 314, 1.12.2007, p. 29)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 0,10 million

Maximum aid intensity: 50 %

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 28.2.2009

Objective of aid: Aid to SMEs

Sector(s) concerned: NACE code A00122 — Farming of sheep, goats, horses, asses, mules and hinnies

Name and address of the granting authority:

Productschap Vee en Vlees Postbus 460 2700 AL Zoetermeer Nederland

Website: https://bedrijfsnet.pve.agro.nl/scrapie/

Other information: In order to be able to select for resistance to TSEs in the sheep population, sheep farmers can take part in breeding programmes recognised by the Livestock and Meat Marketing Board. Under the above-mentioned Ordinance, sheep farmers who take part in such breeding programmes can receive a contribution towards the costs of genotyping tests to determine sheep's genetic susceptibility to TSEs. The contribution will be at most 50 % of the test costs, up to a maximum of EUR 10 per test. Sheep farms comprise exclusively small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises; accordingly, only SMEs are eligible for this aid.

The contribution towards the costs is not paid directly to sheep farmers, but comprises a reduction in the test costs which the laboratory charges to sheep farmers. The Livestock and Meat Marketing Board pays the amount of the reduction to the laboratory.

The aid satisfies the conditions of Article 16(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

In so far as implementing the aid measure is concerned, the above-mentioned Ordinance will not enter into force until 10 working days after this information has been submitted to the Commission in accordance with Article 20(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and not until after the necessary amendment to Articles 99 to 101 of the Regulation on the prevention, control and monitoring of infectious animal diseases, zoonoses and TSEs has entered into force on 1 June 2008. That amendment provides for joint management on the basis of which the Livestock and Meat Marketing Board inter alia promotes cooperation with regard to the granting of subsidies. The amended text of Articles 99 to 101 is enclosed

Aid No: XA 206/08

Member State: Estonia

Region: Estonia

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Kindlustustoetus

Legal basis:

1) Maaelu ja põllumajandusturu korraldamise seadus § 63 lõige 1

2) Põllumajandusministri määrus „Kindlustustoetuse taotlemise ja taotluse menetlemise kord ning kindlustustoetuse periood”

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EEK 10 million

Maximum aid intensity: 80 %

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award:

Objective of aid: To enable farmers to reduce the risks arising from natural factors, animal and plant diseases and the sudden spread of pests, thereby increasing the economic capacity of the sector. Insurance premium aid is limited to 80 % of paid insurance premiums.

Eligible costs are in line with Article 12 and the measure complies with the other requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Sector(s) concerned: Aid to SMEs

NACE code A001 — Agriculture, hunting and related service activities

Name and address of the authority granting the aid:

Põllumajandusministeerium, Lai 39/41 EE-Tallinn

Website: https://www.riigiteataja.ee/ert/act.jsp?id=12805964

http://www.agri.ee/?id=10989

Aid No: XA 207/08

Member State: Spain

Region: Navarra

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Ayudas a las inversiones en maquinaria agrícola de las cooperativas agrarias

Legal basis: Orden Foral de la Consejera de Desarrollo Rural y Medio Ambiente, por la que se establecen las normas que regirán la concesión de ayudas a las inversiones en maquinaria agrícola de las cooperativas agrarias, y se aprueba la convocatoria para el año 2008

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 1,5 million

Maximum aid intensity: An aid ceiling of 40 % of the value of the investment for the first purchase of new machinery has been set. This ceiling may be increased to 50 % for beneficiaries situated in mountain or less-favoured areas. A ceiling of 30 % of the value of the investment has been set for used goods, which may be increased to 35 % in mountain and less-favoured areas

Date of implementation: The aid arrangements will apply from the date of publication, on the website of the European Commission's Directorate–General for Agriculture and Rural Development, of the registration number of the exemption request laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: From 2008 to 31.12.2013

Objective of aid: The main objective of the aid is to promote the adaptation and reorganisation of existing structures, setting up aid for investment in agricultural mechanisation projects for production, which will help reduce unit costs in order to ensure that agricultural production systems remain competitive, sustainable and operational. The following secondary objectives should be noted:

Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006: Investment in agricultural holdings. Eligible costs: Article 4(4)(b) — aid for the purchase of machinery and equipment, including computer software

Sector(s) concerned: Primary agricultural production

Name and address of the granting authority:

Gobierno de Navarra Departamento de Desarrollo Rural y Medio Ambiente C/ Tudela, no 20 E-31003 Pamplona (Navarra)

Website: http://www.cfnavarra.es/agricultura/COYUNTURA/AyudasEstado/pdfs/STN008004 %20OF.pdf

Other information:

Dirección General de Desarrollo Rural C/ Tudela, no 20 E-31003 Pamplona Tlf: (34) 848 422 933 E-mail: izabalzv@cfnavarra.es Gobierno de Navarra

Aid No: XA 208/08

Member State: Spain

Region: Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla y León

Title of Aid scheme or name of the company receiving an individual aid: Ayudas destinadas a compensar a los agricultores por las pérdidas de producción en los cultivos y producciones de verano, así como los daños ocasionados en las parcelas de viñedo, causados por la plaga de topillo campesino (Microtus arvalis) en el territorio de la Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla y León

Legal basis: Orden AYG/222/2008 por la que se establecen las normas reguladoras para la concesión de las ayudas destinadas a paliar las pérdidas de producción ocasionadas por la plaga de topillo campesino en el territorio de la Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla y León

Orden AYG/…/2008, …, por la que se convocan las ayudas destinadas a paliar las pérdidas de producción en los cultivos y producciones de verano, así como los daños ocasionados en las parcelas de viñedo ocasionadas por la plaga de topillo campesino en el territorio de la Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla y León declaradas indemnizables en virtud de la Orden AYG/1401/2007 de 28 de agosto

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The total expenditure planned is EUR 1,5 million

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity per farmer will be calculated on the basis of the actual losses sustained on each plot of land belonging to the farm, where the plague is confirmed as having affected more than 15 % of normal production.

Once the affected plots have been determined, the market value of the losses will be determined by multiplying the difference between the expected and actual real production by the average market price for the product concerned, the latter being calculated as the average of the prices for 2005, 2006 and 2007 (up to and including September), and applying in each case an exemption of 15 %.

In any event the aid intensity may not exceed 100 % of the losses

Date of implementation: As from the 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 award: The aid scheme covers 2008 only

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is stated under Article 10(2) ‘Aid in respect of animal and plant diseases and pest infestations’

Sector(s) concerned: Summer crops and produce: maize, beet, potato, other horticultural crops, lucerne seed, vines, and sunflower and lucerne fodder that were not included in the applications for valuation of losses submitted in accordance with Orden AYG/1191/2007

Name and address of the granting authority: The aid will be granted by the Government of Castile-Leon and managed by the Directorate-General for Agricultural Production of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Farming, located at

C/ Rigoberto Cortejoso, no 14

E-47014 Valladolid

Website: The full text of the aid scheme will be published in the Official Gazette of Castile-Leon, available at:

http://www.jcyl.es/AyudaEstado20072013

Direct links:

http://www.jcyl.es/jcyl/ayudasestado/2008/topillos/BasesReguladorasOrdenAYG_222_2008.pdf

http://www.jcyl.es/jcyl/ayudasestado/2008/topillos/ConvocatoriaAyudaPerdidasCultivosVerano.doc

Aid No: XA 209/08

Member State: France

Region: These actions may also be financed by any regional authorities (regional or general councils) that wish to do so, in addition to the aid from the National Guarantee Fund for Agricultural Disasters (FNGCA), in accordance with the intervention conditions laid down in the Rural Code

Title of aid scheme: Compensation from the National Guarantee Fund for Agricultural Disasters (FNGCA) for losses sustained by agricultural holdings as a result of disasters

Legal basis:

Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Articles L.361-1 et suivants du Code rural

Articles D.361-1 et suivants du Code rural

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 180 million from the Fund (on a multiannual basis, but the level of expenditure depends on the climatic claims experience and is, therefore, inherently unpredictable), and an unspecified amount from the regional authorities

Maximum aid intensity: The rate of compensation for losses varies according to the nature of the loss and the production involved. The rate of compensation from the FNGCA varies in practice between 12 % and 45 % of the amount of the losses. In all cases a ceiling of 75 % is laid down in the Rural Code.

If the regional authorities become involved, they will ensure that the amount of aid does not exceed 80 % of the amount of losses in plain areas or 90 % of the amount of losses in less-favoured areas respectively

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

Duration of scheme: Until the end of 2009

Objective of aid: Compensation for losses sustained by farmers following an exceptional climatic phenomenon which has significantly affected agricultural production and which may be classified as an agricultural disaster (or natural disaster).

Where a climatic phenomenon of exceptional significance occurs, the prefect of the department concerned may, if they consider it necessary, order an enquiry to be carried out in order to obtain the necessary information on the phenomenon responsible for the loss, in particular regarding its exact nature, exceptional character and the damage observed.

On the basis of the enquiry and the opinion of the departmental committee of experts that they have called upon, the prefect asks whether the event under consideration has been acknowledged as an agricultural disaster.

After considering the matter and obtaining an opinion from the National Insurance Committee, the Minister of Agriculture issues a decree acknowledging that an agricultural disaster has effected specific property and a specific area.

In order for an event to be acknowledged, a loss must be observed which is significant in comparison with the calculated reference value for a given area and a given production.

This reference value, called a scale [‘barème’] in the Rural Code, is drawn up at departmental level and corresponds to the yield over an average three year period based on the five previous years, excluding the highest and the lowest values. The prices included in the scale are those observed locally for the crop in question during the season preceding that in which the scale was drawn up.

Compensation is allocated by FNGCA subject to the budgets available, and losses are calculated individually for each farm. To be eligible for compensation from the Fund, losses per production must exceed 30 % to 42 % where the production benefits from coupled CAP aid. The amount of losses eligible for compensation is reduced by any amount received under an insurance scheme and any costs not incurred as a result of the climatic loss.

Compensation is paid directly to the producer having sustained the losses

Sector(s) concerned: All agricultural holdings, excluding large enterprises, engaged in the primary production of fruit, vegetables, vines, cereals, oil and protein-bearing plants, fodder, perfumed, aromatic and medicinal plants and industrial crops

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministère de l'agriculture et de la pêche — Secrétariat Général — Direction des affaires financières et de la logistique, sous-direction du financement de l'agriculture, bureau du crédit et de l'assurance 78, rue de Varenne F-75349 Paris SP 07

Website: http://agriculture.gouv.fr/sections/thematiques/exploitations-agricoles/assurance-recolte/assurance-recolte/downloadFile/FichierAttache_3_f0/exploitations_fngca-080523.pdf?nocache=1211545561.55

and:

http://agriculture.gouv.fr/sections/thematiques/exploitations-agricoles/assurance-recolte