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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2003/C 162/09)

Date of adoption of the decision: 11.6.2003

Member State: Italy (County of Mantova)

Aid No: N 10/03 and NN 166/02

Title: Aid for marketing and promotion of agricultural products

Objective: Promotion of quality products

Legal basis: Deliberazione della Giunta Provinciale Contributi per la promozione della commercializzazione dei prodotti agricoli e la valorizzazione della produzione

Budget: EUR 137222 for the year 2003

Aid intensity or amount: As specified in the letter to the Member State

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: 10.6.2003

Member State: Germany (Sachsen-Anhalt)

Aid No: N 607/02

Title: Aid for livestock breeding and quality tests of milk and milk products

Objective: Promotion of maintenance of herd books, tests to determine the genetic quality and yield of animals (pigs, bovine animals, sheep, goats and horses), small animal shows and competitions (rabbits and birds of certain races) and obligatory quality controls of milk products (such as drinking milk, butter and cheese; raw milk is excluded from support)

Legal basis: Richtlinien über die Gewährung von Zuwendungen zur Förderung der Tierzucht und der Erhaltung einer genetischen Vielfalt sowie der Durchführung von Güteprüfungen bei Milch und Milchprodukten

Budget: EUR 0,73 million per year

Aid intensity or amount: For tests to determine the genetic quality and yield of animals the aid intensity is from 50 % to 70 % of the eligible costs according to the tests performed. Small animal shows and competitions may receive maximally 50 % aid of the eligible costs. For quality controls of milk the maximum aid intensity is 45 % of the eligible costs but limited to a maximum of EUR 82 per test performed

Duration: Unlimited

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: 10.6.2003

Member State: France

Aid No: N 103/03

Title: Aid for the permanent abandonment of wine-growing in Charentes

Objective: To widen the field of beneficiaries and increase the budget for State aid No N 255/02, authorised by the Commission

Budget: EUR 2,5 million per year

Aid intensity or amount: Variable

Duration: Until the end of 2006

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: 10.6.2003

Member State: Spain (Catalonia)

Aid No: N 176/03

Title: Aid to family businesses for implementing succession plans

Objective: To help small family businesses to implement succession plans by means of aid for technical assistance

Legal basis: Proyecto de resolución por la que se abre la convocatoria de ayudas a empresas familiares para la realización de planes de sucesiones

Budget: EUR 600000 per year

Aid intensity or amount: Up to 50 % of the costs with a maximum of EUR 4000 per beneficiary

Duration: 2003 to 2006

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: 10.6.2003

Member State: Spain (Catalonia)

Aid No: N 178/03

Title: Aid for promoting innovation in production and logistics

Objective: To promote innovation in production and logistics through technical assistance

Legal basis: Proyecto de resolución por la cual se abre la convocatoria y se aprueban las bases para la concesión de ayudas para la promoción de la innovación en producción y logística

Budget: EUR 600000 per year

Aid intensity or amount: Up to 50 % of the costs with a maximum of EUR 60000 per beneficiary

Duration: 2003 to 2006

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: 10.6.2003

Member State: Austria (Burgenland)

Aid No: N 191/03

Title: Aid towards the transition from cage rearing to alternative production systems in laying hen rearing

Objective: Investment aid towards transition from cage rearing to alternative production systems in laying hen rearing with a view to meeting the requirements laid down in the Burgenländisches Tierschutzgesetz, as amended (LGBl 80/2002), and a Regulation of the Government of Burgenland (LGBl Nr 11/2003). The legislation cited prohibits rearing of poultry in non-equipped cages (nicht ausgestaltete Käfige) as of 1.1.2008, whereas Directive 1999/74/EC allows the rearing of poultry in non-equipped cages until 1.1.2012. Eligible investment expenses comprise the demolition and removal of actual cages and the purchase and construction of facilities for floor management or freerange production in laying hen rearing

Legal basis: Richtlinie der burgenländischen Landesregierung zur beschleunigten Umrüstung von Legehennenställen

Budget: Approximately EUR 500000 per year

Aid intensity or amount: Maximum 50 % of the eligible costs

Duration: Until 31.12.2007

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: 11.6.2003

Member State: Germany (Hessen)

Aid No: N 260 A/02

Title: Supporting agricultural marketing measures by the Land of Hessen

Objective: To ensure the quality and promote the sale of agri-food industry products

Legal basis: Hessischer Agrarmarketing-Vertrag

Budget: EUR 1549000 per year

Aid intensity or amount: 50 % for advertising measures, 100 % for participation in trade fairs and exhibitions, 100 % for training measures and consultancy

Duration: Until 31 December 2008

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: 10.6.2003

Member State: Spain

Aid No: N 501/02

Title: Aid to bodies certifying agricultural products

Objective: To promote the creation of bodies certifying agricultural products and foodstuffs

Legal basis: Proyecto de orden por el que se establecen las bases reguladoras y la convocatoria de concesión de ayudas destinadas al fomento de la constitución de certificadoras de productos agrícolas y alimenticios

Budget: EUR 450000

Aid intensity or amount: Up to 65 % of expenditure

Duration: Not specified

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: 10.6.2003

Member State: Finland

Aid No: N 679/02

Title: Amendment of rural development aid schemes

Objective: To promote investments in primary agricultural production and handling and processing of agricultural and other products. The amendments to the existing aid schemes concern the following nationally financed measures; introducing the possibility to grant investment aid to associations, the definition of production chain enterprises (ketjuyritykset), determining the viability of jointly owned forests on the basis of their own activity, taking account of the income from forestry when determining the viability of a farm, introducing the possibility to grant investment aid in agricultural production to the spouses together or even to the non-owning spouse, introducing the possibility to grant the successor of a farm investment aid for land purchases more than once, allowing applications for start-up aid in farming on the basis of the deed of cession in exceptional circumstances, introducing the lack of securities for State loans as a new aid instrument for investment aid in agricultural production

Legal basis: Laki maaseutuelinkeinojen rahoituslain muuttamisesta ja asetus maaseudun kehittämisestä annetun valtioneuvoston asetuksen muuttamisesta. Lailla vahvistetaan tukijärjestelmän yleisperiaatteet, mutta varsinaista tukea myönnetään vain asetuksen mukaisesti

Lag om ändring av lagen om finansiering av landsbygdsnäringar och beslutet om ändring av regeringsbeslutet om landsbygdsutveckling. I lagen fastställs de allmänna principerna för stödordningen men det egentliga stödet beviljas endast i enlighet med beslutet

Budget: The exact budgetary impact of the proposed amendment of the existing aid schemes has not been communicated

Aid intensity or amount: Variable. The notified amendments would not change the maximum aid levels of the existing aid schemes

Duration: Unlimited

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: 11.6.2003

Member State: Italy (Tuscany)

Aid No: NN 150/02 (ex N 109/02)

Title: Agricultural promotion programme for 2002

Objective: To promote Tuscan farm products

Legal basis: Legge regionale 14 aprile 1997, n. 28 Disciplina delle attività di promozione economica delle risorse toscane e di supporto al processo di internazionalizzazione nei settori produttivi dell'agricoltura, dell'artigianato, piccola e media impresa industriale e turismo. Delibera della Giunta regionale n. 1244 del 12 novembre 2001

Budget: EUR 1759052,2

Aid intensity or amount: Varies according to the measure (certain measures do not constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the Treaty

Duration: One year

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