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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2003/C 105/05)

Date of adoption of the decision: 19.3.2003

Member State: France

Aid No: N 243/02

Title: Aid to assist lavandin producers

Objective: To assist restructuring of lavandin producers following the crisis in the sector in 2000-01

Budget: Aid for restructuring: EUR 73000 in 2002; Aid to producers of essential oils: EUR 76000 in 2002

Aid intensity or amount: EUR 2000 maximum per holding

Duration: Unspecified

Other information: France has undertaken to submit an annual report on the application of the aid

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: 19.3.2003

Member State: Finland

Aid No: N 30/03

Title: Aid for farmers to compensate damages due to feed contaminated by clostridium

Objective: On 5 October 2002 the feed producing company Terjärv Frys delivered to several fur farms a shipment of fur animal feed of company's own production. The feed was contaminated by Clostridium botulinum bacterium resulting in an outbreak of botulism in the fur animal population on the farms. Out of the 50000 animals lost ca. 42000 or 84 % were culled on 7 October 2002 on the order of the veterinarians acting under Article 11 of the decree on Animal Protection (Eläinsuojeluasetus 396/1996). The other ca. 8000 animals had died of the disease during the first two days of the outbreak. The notified aid scheme would provide compensation for the loss income from the sales of fur animal skins. The compensation amounts to up to 100 % of the average commercial value in 2002 of the skins of only those animals that were culled on the orders of the veterinarians

Legal basis: Valtioneuvoston asetus turkiseläimille vuonna 2002 tapahtuneesta rehumyrkytyksestä aiheutuneiden tappioiden korvaamisesta;

Lagförslag utfärdat av regeringen om ersättning för förluster på grund av att pälsdjur dött till följd av förgiftning under 2002

Budget: EUR 2,93 million

Aid intensity or amount: 100 % of the eligible losses

Duration: One-off

Other information: No specific procedure to deal with outbreaks of botulism has been laid down in Community veterinary legislation. Botulism is an animal disease (zoonosis), which is listed in Annex I to the amended Commission proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the monitoring of zoonoses and zoonotic agents as a zoonosis to be monitored according to epidemiological situation

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: 19.3.2003

Member State: Italy

Aid No: NN 6/03 ex 220/02

Title: Tax credits for agricultural investments: amendments thereto

Objective: To encourage investment on agricultural holdings and for the processing and marketing of agricultural products

Legal basis: Legge finanziaria 388/2000 articolo 8, Decreto del ministro delle Politiche agricole e forestali recante le tipologie di investimento per il settore agricolo ammissibili al credito d'imposta e articolo 11 della Legge 178/2002

Budget: EUR 175 million a year (for 2003 and 2004)

Aid intensity or amount: Varies, depending on the measure (40 or 50 %)

Duration: Until 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