EN Official Journal of the European Union C 305/3

Summary information on State aid granted in conformity with Commission Regulation (EC) No 1595/2004 of 8 September 2004 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, processing and marketing of fisheries products

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 305/03)

Aid No: XF 5/06

Explanatory notes: Under Decree No 43/2006 of the Estonian Minister for Agriculture, compensation is paid to recognised producer organisations for part of their start-up and administrative costs. There is provision in the national budget for a sum of EEK 2 450 000 (EUR 156 584) in aid. Producer organisations recognised under the Fisheries Market Organisation Act in the course of the previous calendar year may apply for this aid

Member State: Republic of Estonia

Title of aid scheme: Start-up aid for associations of producers of fisheries products

Legal basis: Eesti Vabariigi Põllumajandusministri 2006. aasta määrus nr 43, ‘Kalandustoodete tootjate ühenduse tegevuse alustamise toetuse taotlemise ja taotluse menetlemise kord’

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: The scheme provides EEK 2 450 000 (EUR 156 584) in start-up aid to producer organisations

Maximum aid intensity: Start-up aid for producer organisations is granted under Article 15(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 laying down the detailed rules and arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector (OJ L 337, 30.121999, p 10-28). Under this Regulation the maximum amount of aid is 60 % of the start-up and administrative costs in the first year, 40 % in the second year and 20 % in the third, but not more than 3 %, 2 % and 1 % respectively of the total value of the members' products

Date of implementation: The application round begins 8 May. The competent authority (Põllumajanduse Registrite ja Informatsiooni Amet — the Estonian Agricultural Registers and Information Board) will have 40 working days from the date of receipt to process applications, after which the compensation will be paid

Duration of scheme: Duration of the scheme: until 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to help SMEs by compensating producer organisations for part of their start-up and administrative costs.

The aid scheme is based on Article 4 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1595/2004, the eligible costs are the start-up and administrative expenses set out in Article 4(1) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 908/2000 laying down detailed rules for calculating aid granted by Member States to producer organisations in the fisheries and aquaculture sector (OJ L 105, 2.5.2000, pp. 15-17)

Sector(s) concerned: Fisheries and aquaculture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Põllumajanduse Registrite ja Informatsiooni Amet Narva mnt. 3 EE-51009 Tartu

Website: https://www.riigiteataja.ee/ert/act.jsp?id=1017124

Aid No: XF 8/06

Explanatory notes: Under Regulation 81 of 2006 of the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Estonia, compensation is granted in part for the interest on long-term loans (with a deadline for repayment of over one year) from credit or financial institutions or the interest paid as part of a financial leasing payment taken out by a producer of fisheries products to develop fish farming, inland fishing activities or fishing ports and which was paid by the producer of fisheries products in the year preceding the application for interest subsidy. The national budget provides the sum of EEK 1 500 000 (EUR 95 867,50) for this compensation, allocated to all applicants on a proportional basis, based on the interest percentage points paid by the applicants in the previous calendar year. This compensation is available to small and medium-sized enterprises that have a professional fishing licence for inland fishing for 2006, work in aquaculture or own a fishing port

Member State: Republic of Estonia

Title of aid scheme: Procedure for applying for interest subsidy for producers of fisheries products and for processing such applications

Legal basis: Eesti Vabariigi Põllumajandusministri 2006. aasta määrus nr 81, ‘Kalandustoodete tootjate ühenduse tegevuse alustamise toetuse taotlemise ja taotluse menetlemise kord’

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: The scheme provides for EEK 1 500 000 (EUR 95 867,50) in aid to producers of fisheries products

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity is set at the end of the application round in a decree issued by the Minister of Agriculture. The amount of aid is decided in proportion to the amount of interest paid by the applicants in 2005 on long-term loans or as part of a financial leasing payment. The amount of aid given is up to ten percentage points

Date of implementation: The application round ends on 24 August 2006 and the competent authority (Põllumajanduse Registrite ja Informatsiooni Amet — the Estonian Agricultural Registers and Information Board) has 45 working days from that date to process applications, after which the compensation will be paid

Duration of scheme: Duration of the scheme: 31 December 2006

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to help SMEs by compensating them wholly or in part for interest paid in 2005 on long-term loans (with a deadline for repayment of over one year) or as part of a financial leasing payment.

The aid scheme is based on Articles 9 and 11 (Commission Regulation 1595/2004); the eligible expenditure is interest paid on long-term loans or as part of a financial leasing payment

Sector(s) concerned: Inland fisheries, aquaculture and owners of fishing ports

Name and address of the granting authority:

Põllumajanduse Registrite ja Informatsiooni Amet Narva mnt. 3 EE-51009 Tartu

Web address: http://www.riigiteataja.ee/ert/act.jsp?id=1046970

Aid No: XF 9/06

Member State: Finland

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Pro Kala ry

Legal basis: Laki valtion tulo- ja menoarviosta (423/1988); tuki myönnetään eduskunnan maa- ja metsätalousministeriölle valtion vuosittaisessa tulo- ja menoarviossa antaman yleisen valtuutuksen perusteella kalatalouden edellytysten edistämiseen tarkoitetulta alamomentilta.

Tuen myöntämisessä, valvonnassa ja takaisinperinnässä noudatetaan valtionavustuslakia (688/2001)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: No more than EUR 80 000 will be granted in order to carry out a promotional campaign

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 100 % of eligible costs

Date of implementation: No earlier than 4 August 2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: June 2008

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to promote fish in the hotel, restaurant and catering services sector. The objective is to increase fish consumption which would improve the operating conditions of businesses throughout the sector

Indicate which one of [Article(s) 4 to 12] is used and the eligible costs covered by the scheme or individual aid: Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1595/2004 (Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 and Annex III.3 thereto).

Eligible expenditure includes the cost of carrying out hospitality sector campaigns and seminars under the promotional campaign plan

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to the fisheries sector as a whole

Name and address of the granting authority:

Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö Kala- ja riistaosasto PL 30 FIN-00023 Valtioneuvosto

Web address: http://www.mmm.fi/fi/index/etusivu/kalastus_riista_porot/elinkeinokalatalous/elinkeinokalatalouden_tuki.html

The Web-pages of the Ministry are under construction

Aid No: XF 10/06

Member State: Finland

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Suomen Kalakauppiasliitto ry

Legal basis: Laki valtion tulo- ja menoarviosta (423/1988); tuki myönnetään eduskunnan maa- ja metsätalousministeriölle valtion vuosittaisessa tulo- ja menoarviossa antaman yleisen valtuutuksen perusteella kalatalouden edellytysten edistämiseen tarkoitetulta alamomentilta.

Tuen myöntämisessä, valvonnassa ja takaisinperinnässä noudatetaan valtionavustuslakia (688/2001)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: No more than EUR 15 000 will be granted in order to carry out a promotional campaign

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 100 % of eligible costs

Date of implementation: No earlier than 4 August 2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: June 2008

Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to promote fish in the restaurant and fish-sales sectors. The objective is to increase fish consumption which would improve the operating conditions of businesses throughout the sector

Indicate which one of [Article(s) 4 to 12] is used and the eligible costs covered by the scheme or individual aid: Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1595/2004 (Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 and Annex III.3 thereto).

Eligible expenditure includes the costs incurred on the competition ‘The Best Fish Counters in the Nordic Countries’ in accordance with the promotional campaign plan

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to the fisheries sector as a whole, in particular marketing

Name and address of the granting authority:

Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö Kala- ja riistaosasto PL 30 FIN-00023 Valtioneuvosto

Web address: http://www.mmm.fi/fi/index/etusivu/kalastus_riista_porot/elinkeinokalatalous/elinkeinokalatalouden_tuki.html

The Web-pages of the Ministry are under construction

Aid No: XF 11/06

Member State: Finland

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Pro Kala ry

Legal basis: Laki valtion tulo- ja menoarviosta (423/1988); tuki myönnetään eduskunnan maa- ja metsätalousministeriölle valtion vuosittaisessa tulo- ja menoarviossa antaman yleisen valtuutuksen perusteella kalatalouden edellytysten edistämiseen tarkoitetulta alamomentilta.

Tuen myöntämisessä, valvonnassa ja takaisinperinnässä noudatetaan valtionavustuslakia (688/2001)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: No more than EUR 8 000 will be granted as a one-off aid payment

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 100 % of eligible costs

Date of implementation: No earlier than 4 August 2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: December 2006

Objective of aid: Support for the internationalisation of SME workers and others working in the sector (fact-finding trip to Island)

Indicate which one of [Article(s) 4 to 12] is used and the eligible costs covered by the scheme or individual aid: Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1595/2004 (Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 and Annex III.3 thereto).

Eligible expenditure includes the general costs incurred in organising the trip: costs of the trip leader and interpreter, bus hire, lecture fees, rental of meeting rooms and other common services.

The individual travel costs for those taking part in the trip will not be covered by the aid. The aid does not cover the beneficiary's operating costs

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to the fisheries sector as a whole

Name and address of the granting authority:

Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö Kala- ja riistaosasto PL 30 FIN-00023 Valtioneuvosto

Web address: http://www.mmm.fi/fi/index/etusivu/kalastus_riista_porot/elinkeinokalatalous/elinkeinokalatalouden_tuki.html

The Web-pages of the Ministry are under construction

Aid No: XF 12/06

Explanatory remarks: As part of the transitional process which the Netherlands has set in motion for the North Sea cutter fleet, the Minister for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has decided to launch a number of pilot projects on ‘more careful fishing’. During these projects, fishermen will perform scientifically-assisted experiments relating to fishing methods that are more energy-efficient, sustainable and selective. No subsidy is planned during this pilot project for investments in equipment such as nets, gear or engines, or investments directly related to a vessel's fishing activities. The subsidy granted by the authority consists of a guaranteed amount to the masters/owners taking part in a pilot project

Member State: The Netherlands

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: The aid will be awarded to the Federation of Fishery Associations, the principal body implementing the pilot project ‘more careful fishing/outrigging’

Legal basis: Artikel 2 en 5 van de Kaderwet LNV-subsidies juncto artikel 4:23 van de Algemene wet bestuursrecht

Annual expenditure planned or overall amount of aid granted to the company: One-off payment of EUR 150 000, one-fifth of which is earmarked for the technical/scientific support

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum amount of aid for the groups implementing the pilot project plus the costs for the scientific support is EUR 150 000, with a maximum of EUR 30 000 for the scientific support

Date of implementation: As from 14 August 2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The pilot project will run until the end of October 2006. Payment is expected to take place in November-December 2006

Objective of aid: The activities to be conducted by the fishing companies as part of the pilot project ‘more careful fishing/adaptation of fishing gear’ are intended to provide experience with methods of fishing which have not been used hitherto by Dutch fishermen. These involve experiments which consistute an alternative to traditional trawling operations and could be introduced more widely within the industry. The investment risks for companies have until now been reason enough for them not to invest in new fishing methods. Now that the government wishes to act as guarantor to support the fishermen who will carry out the tests as part of the transitional process for the North Sea cutter fleet to fishing methods that are more energy-efficient, sustainable and selective, the fishermen concerned are prepared to carry out the project. In this pilot project, a group of five fishermen who are members of the Federation of Fishery Assocations will for a limited period of time (August to October 2002 inclusive) experiment with a floating vessel which operates off the seabed. This should have a direct positive impact on catches of immature fish and fish quality. Other circular trawlheads and adapted beam designs to produce lower resistance as well as less contact with the seabed will also be tried out.

The pilot project should provide information about how to cut costs, lower the number of discards, and reduce contact with the seabed

Relevant Articles of Regulation No 1595/2004: The guarantee to the participants in the pilot project is based on Article 4 of Regulation 1595/2004, which refers to Article 15 of the FIFG. The latter Article states that Member States may encourage operations of collective interest with a broader scope than operations normally undertaken by private businesses. The FIFG states that these activities may be carried out with the active contribution of members of the trade themselves or by organisations acting on behalf of the producers and serving to attain the objectives of the CFP

Sector(s) concerned: Concerns support for fishermen working in the sea fisheries sector

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit Directie Visserij Postbus 20401 2500 EK 's Gravenhage Nederland

Web address: www.hetlnvloket.nl. Please then use the search function

Other information: Person to contact: Directie Visserij,Mr Frans Vroegop

Aid No: XF 13/06

Explanatory remarks: As part of the transitional process which the Netherlands has set in motion for the North Sea cutter fleet, the Minister for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has decided to launch a number of pilot projects on 'more careful fishing'. During these projects, fishermen will, for a maximumof three months, perform scientifically-assisted experiments relating to fishing methods that are more energy-efficient, sustainable and selective. No subsidy is planned during this pilot project for investments in equipment such as nets, gear or engines, or investments directly related to a vessel's fishing activities. The subsidy granted by the authority consists of a guaranteed amount to the masters/owners taking part in a pilot project

Member State: The Netherlands

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: The aid will be awarded to the Dutch Fishermen's Federation, the principal body implementing the pilot project ‘more careful fishing/outrigging’

Legal basis: Artikel 2 en 5 van de Kaderwet LNV-subsidies juncto artikel 4:23 van de Algemene wet bestuursrecht

Annual expenditure planned or overall amount of aid granted to the company: One-off payment of EUR 150 000, one-fifth of which is earmarked for the technical/scientific support

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum amount of aid for the groups implementing the pilot project plus the costs for the scientific support is EUR 150 000, with a maximum of EUR 30 000 for the scientific support

Date of implementation: As from 14 August 2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The pilot project will run until the end of October 2006. Payment is expected to take place in November-December 2006

Objective of aid: The activities to be conducted by the fishing companies as part of the pilot project ‘more careful fishing/outrigging’ are intended to provide experience with methods of fishing which have not been used hitherto by Dutch fishermen. These involve experiments which consistute an alternative to traditional trawling operations and could be introduced more widely within the industry. The investment risks for companies have until now been reason enough for them not to invest in new fishing methods. Now that the government wishes to act as guarantor for a short period of time to support the fishermen who will carry out the tests as part of the transitional process for the North Sea cutter fleet to fishing methods that are more energy-efficient, sustainable and selective, the fishermen concerned are prepared to carry out the project. In this pilot project, a group of four fishermen who are members of the Dutch Fishermen's Federation will for a limited period of time (August to October 2002 inclusive) experiment with outrigging, which is a new method of fishing for the Netherlands. This method of fishing is an alternative to beam trawling. Fishing is carried out using so-called ‘Perfect’ kites but, unlike with regular kite or twin rig fishing, the net is directly attached to the seabed. In addition to cutting costs, reducing the number of discards is an important subcomponent of this pilot project

Relevant Articles of Regulation No 1595/2004: The guarantee to the participants in the pilot project is based on Article 4 of Regulation 1595/2004, which refers to Article 15 of the FIFG. The latter Article states that Member States may encourage operations of collective interest with a broader scope than operations normally undertaken by private businesses. The FIFG states that these activities may be carried out with the active contribution of members of the trade themselves or by organisations acting on behalf of the producers and serving to attain the objectives of the CFP

Sector(s) concerned: Concerns support for fishermen working in the sea fisheries sector

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit Directie Visserij Postbus 20401 2500 EK 's Gravenhage Nederland

Web address: www.hetlnvloket.nl. Please then use the search function

Other information: Person to contact: Directie Visserij, Mr Frans Vroegop