EN Official Journal of the European Union C 229/15

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 229/09)

Aid No: XA 193/08

Member State: Italy

Region: Provincia autonoma di Trento

Title of aid scheme: Assistenza tecnica:

finalizzata al miglioramento qualitativo del bestiame attraverso l'attività di selezione,

finalizzata alla fertilità e alla fecondità del bestiame,

all'attuazione delle attività connesse alla normativa in materia di identificazione e registrazione degli animali in applicazione al regolamento (CE) n. 1760/2000

Legal basis: L.P. 4 del 28 marzo 2003«Sostegno dell'economia agricola, disciplina dell'agricoltura biologica e della contrassegnazione di prodotti geneticamente non modificati» art. 43, lettere b) e d).

Deliberazione della Giunta provinciale di Trento n. 215 del 1o febbraio 2008, modificata con deliberazioni n. 862 del 4 aprile 2008 e n. 1193 del 9 maggio 2008 criteri attuativi dell'art. 43, lettere b) e d) della L.P.4/2003

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: The annual budget appropriation concerned totals EUR 800 000

Maximum aid intensity: The amount of provincial aid for technical assistance for the fertility and fecundity of livestock and the implementation of activities connected to legislation governing the identification and registration of animals in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 will be 100 % of eligible costs.

The amount of provincial aid for the technical activity to improve the quality of livestock by means of selection measures will be 70 % of eligible costs.

The aid will be granted in kind by means of subsidised services and will not involve direct payments of money to producers

Date of implementation: The scheme will be applicable following the publication of the identification number of the application for exemption on the website of the Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development

Duration of scheme: The aid may be granted not later than 31 December 2013

Objective of aid: Improving livestock quality by assisting livestock holdings with mating programmes, checks on milking plants and bovine fertility, and providing support to farmers to ensure the traceability of beef and veal from animals raised in the Province, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000.

Article 15(2)(c) and Article 16(1)(b) of exempting Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 provide the legal basis for the application of this aid scheme

Sector(s) concerned: Livestock sector

Name and address of the granting authority:

Provincia autonoma di Trento Dipartimento agricoltura e alimentazione Servizio vigilanza e promozione delle attività agricole Via G.B. Trener, 3 I-38100 Trento

Website: http://www.delibere.provincia.tn.it/scripts/gethtmlDeli.asp?Item=12&Type=FulView

http://www.delibere.provincia.tn.it/scripts/viewAllegatoDeli.asp?Item=12

http://www.delibere.provincia.tn.it/scripts/gethtmlDeli.asp?Item=5&Type=FulView

Aid No: XA 194/08

Member State: Italy

Region: Lombardia

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid award: Piano assicurativo regionale sperimentale, in favore delle imprese agricole, a tutela dei danni derivanti da epizoozie e fitopatie

Legal basis:

— Bozza di deliberazione giunta regionale, «Piano assicurativo regionale sperimentale, in favore delle imprese agricole, a tutela dei danni derivanti da epizoozie e fitopatie»

— Legge regionale n. 7 del 7 febbraio 2000, «Norme per gli interventi regionali in agricoltura»

— Legge regionale n. 3/2006, «Modifiche a leggi regionali in materia di agricoltura»

— Legge 2 giugno 1988, n. 218 «Misure per la lotta contro l'afta epizootica ed altre malattie epizootiche degli animali»

— Decreto legislativo 29 marzo 2004, n. 102 «Interventi finanziari a sostegno delle imprese agricole, a norma dell'articolo 1, comma 2, lettera i), della legge 7 marzo 2003, n. 38»

— Decreto del ministero delle Politiche agricole alimentari e forestali n. 26078 del 28 dicembre 2007

— Decreto del ministero delle Politiche agricole alimentari e forestali n. 102971 del 27 dicembre 2006

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 2 million

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 50 % for those cases referred to in Article 12(2)(b)(ii) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 (cost of insurance premiums in respect of losses caused by animal or plant diseases or pest infestations) and up to 100 % for cases referred to in Article 16(1)(d) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 (cost of insurance premiums paid by farmers for the removal and destruction of fallen stock)

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 of aid: The aid scheme is designed to encourage farms to use insurance programmes to safeguard and protect agricultural and livestock production. In accordance with Articles 12 and 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, the aid provides for State aid to also include insurance cover in respect of the agricultural risks connected to losses caused by the spread of animal and plant diseases.

This addition to State incentives will cover, subject to the limits set out in Community legislation, the following types of risk:

The aid must not constitute a barrier to the operation of the internal market for insurance services. The aid must not be limited to an individual insurance company or group of companies, or be made subject to the condition that a contract of insurance be taken out with a company established in the Member State concerned.

As regards point (b) above, the scheme is subject to the existence of a relevant programme enabling the safe disposal of fallen stock to be monitored and guaranteed. The aid scheme also does not include direct payment of money to producers, but is granted to economic operators providing insurance services to cover the cost of removal and/or destruction of fallen stock, who demonstrate that the amount has been paid in full to the farmer

Sector(s) concerned: Farm holdings: livestock and crop production

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Lombardia 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: —

Aid No: XA 195/08

Member State: Belgium

Region: Vlaanderen

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Biocampagnes 2008

Legal basis: Ontwerp subsidiebesluit voor het project „Biocampagnes 2008” van Bioforum Vlaanderen vzw (zie bijlage)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 73 650

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity is 50 % of the proven costs of the aid scheme submitted. Overheads are not eligible for aid

Date of implementation: The aid will not be granted until the aid decision has been signed by the minister and budget appropriations have been committed (mid-May 2008). The stand-still principle will be complied with

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The aid will be granted for a period running up to 31 December 2008

Objective of aid: The aid is to be paid to Bioforum so that it can organise Bioweek in June 2008 and an autumn campaign in October 2008 to widen public awareness of organic farming. The focus will be on strategic planning and targeting and coordinating publicity measures for these two campaigns.

The aid is to be granted under Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The aid may cover 100 % of the following costs

Article 15(2)(c): Aid concerning consultancy services provided by third parties,

Article 15(2)(e): Aid for factual information on quality systems open to products from other countries, on generic products and on the nutritional benefits of generic products and suggested uses for them,

Article 15(2)(f): Aid for publications such as catalogues or websites presenting factual information about producers from a given region or producers of a given product, provided the information and presentation is neutral and that all producers concerned have equal opportunities to be represented in the publication. Aid will only be granted for activities and information material in which no reference is made to the origin of the product.

The scheme does not provide for any aid for advertising purposes.

All parts of Article 15 will be complied with

Sector(s) concerned: Organic farming.

The aid is to be paid to small and medium-sized holdings only

Name and address of the granting authority:

Departement Landbouw en Visserij Afdeling Duurzame Landbouwontwikkeling Koning Albert II-laan 35, bus 40 B-1030 Brussel

Website: http://lv.vlaanderen.be/nlapps/docs/default.asp?id=780

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 196/08

Member State: Belgium

Region: Vlaanderen

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Subsidie Netwerk Bioforum Vlaanderen

Legal basis: Ontwerp subsidiebesluit voor het project „Netwerk Bioforum Vlaanderen — Naar een biosector met meer slagkracht — werkjaar 2008 van 1 mei 2008 tot 31 december 2008” van Bioforum Vlaanderen vzw (zie bijlage)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 415 000

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity is 100 % of the proven costs of the aid scheme submitted. Overheads are not eligible for aid

Date of implementation: The aid will not be granted until the aid decision has been signed by the minister and budget appropriations have been committed (mid-May 2008). The stand-still principle will be complied with

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The aid will be granted for a period running up to 31 December 2008

Objective of aid: The aid is to be granted to Bioforum so that it can provide basic information on organic farming and organic products for Flanders on its ‘Biotheek’ website, among other things by means of:

a one-stop shop for all organic issues,

a well-maintained website www.biotheek.be providing comprehensive up-to-date information,

information brochures and product folders,

the ‘Puur’ magazine for consumers, the ‘Puur’ technical information section for farmers, and the ‘Puur’ technical information section for processors and traders,

a digital photo archive,

an electronic newsletter,

extensive press work and crisis communications for organic farming.

Bioforum is also carrying out two organic campaigns and is responsible for integrating communication: integrating various organic messages and harmonising publications. Bioforum's aim is to improve the marketing structure and market transparency for organic products.

Bioforum plays an advisory role for organic farming in various policy areas: agriculture, education, research, health care, etc.

The aid is to be granted under Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The aid may cover 100 % of the following costs:

Article 15(2)(c): Aid concerning consultancy services provided by third parties,

Article 15(2)(e): Aid for factual information on quality systems open to products from other countries, on generic products and on the nutritional benefits of generic products and suggested uses for them,

Article 15(2)(f): Aid for publications such as catalogues or websites presenting factual information about producers from a given region or producers of a given product, provided the information and presentation is neutral and that all producers concerned have equal opportunities to be represented in the publication. Aid will only be granted for activities and information material in which no reference is made to the origin of the product.

The scheme does not provide for any aid for advertising purposes.

All parts of Article 15 will be complied with

Sector(s) concerned: Organic farming.

The aid is to be paid to small and medium-sized holdings only

Name and address of the granting authority:

Departement Landbouw en Visserij Afdeling Duurzame Landbouwontwikkeling Koning Albert II-laan 35, bus 40 B-1030 Brussel

Website: http://lv.vlaanderen.be/nlapps/docs/default.asp?id=780

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 199/08

Member State: Metropolitan France

Region: This scheme may also be part-financed by regional or local authorities (regional or general councils) wishing to do so

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Aides à la préretraite en agriculture

Legal basis:

— Article 8 du règlement (CE) no 1857/2006

— Article 23 du règlement (CE) no 1698/2005 du Conseil du 20 septembre 2005 concernant le soutien au développement rural par le FEADER, en liaison avec le règlement (CE) no 1974/2006 de la Commission du 15 décembre 2006 portant modalités d'application de ce règlement

— Décret no 2007-1516 du 22 octobre 2007 relatif à la mise en œuvre d'une mesure de préretraite pour les agriculteurs

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 7 000 000

Maximum aid intensity: Farmers taking early retirement may receive flat-rate aid of EUR 7 000 per year, plus additional aid of about EUR 2 000 per year consisting of free cover under the social security system during the period of early retirement, until full pension entitlement has been reached, i.e. a total amount of EUR 9 000 per year

Date of implementation: From the date of publication of the registration number for 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: Until 31 December 2013

Objective of aid: The early-retirement scheme is intended to provide a social solution for farmers forced to cease their activity as a result of economic difficulties, inability to adapt to new environmental constraints or serious health problems, whilst promoting the transfer of the land thus released to young farmers starting up using the aid provided for in the PDRH (Hexagonal Rural Development Programme) or farmers aged under 50 who increase the size of their holdings.

The scheme is designed to enable holdings to be restructured and will involve about 1 000 farmers each year.

France will fund this scheme, in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, by means of an annual budget divided up between the regions. A financial contribution from the regional or local authorities may be added to this to supplement the allowance, up to the permitted Community ceiling (EUR 18 000 per year per beneficiary).

The scheme will be implemented by means of project contracts between the State authorities and the regions under the authority of the prefects. The allowance will be paid by CNASEA on the basis of proof of transfer and complete cessation of activity

Sector(s) concerned: SMEs in all sectors of agricultural production

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministère de l'agriculture et de la pêche 78, rue de Varenne F-75349 Paris 07 SP

Website: http://agriculture.gouv.fr/sections/thematiques/exploitations-agricoles/aides-aux-exploitations/la-preretraite/

Other information: —