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

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2002/C 291/04)

Date of adoption of the decision: 28.10.2002

Member State: Belgium

Aid No: N 182/02

Title: Flemish Government Decree on the aid to help farmers or market gardeners through difficulties or conversion

Objective: To fund the costs of helping farmers or market gardeners through difficulties or conversion

Legal basis: Besluit van de Vlaamse regering betreffende de steun voor de begeleiding van land- en tuinbouwers in moeilijkheden of in reconversie

Arrêté du gouvernement flamand relatif à l'aide à l'accompagnement des agriculteurs et des horticulteurs en difficulté ou en phase de reconversion

Budget: EUR 250000 in 2002

Aid intensity or amount: Maximum 100 %

Duration: Unspecified

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: 28.11.2002

Member State: France

Aid No: N 305/02

Title: Parafiscal charge to fund the Comité interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (CIVC), the joint trade association for champagne

Objective: To encourage measures of common interest such as research and development and legal protection for this designated product

Budget: Unspecified

Aid intensity or amount: Maximum 100 %

Duration: Until end of 2003

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: 28.10.2002

Member State: Finland

Aid No: N 552/02

Title: The loan programme of Finnvera plc towards the processing and marketing of agricultural products

Objective: Aid to SMEs for investments as well as for research and development

Legal basis: Toimenpide perustuu lakeihin N:o 443/1998 ja 445/1998, joissa säännellään Finnvera Oyj:n toimintaa, alueellisen korkotuen ja erityiskorkotuen maksamisesta 17. joulukuuta 1998 Finnvera Oyj:lle annettuun valtioneuvoston sitoumukseen, sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna 15. joulukuuta 2001, luotto- ja takaustappioiden osittaisesta korvaamisesta 17. joulukuuta 1998 Finnvera Oyj:lle annettuun valtioneuvoston sitoumukseen, sellaisena kuin se on viimeksi muutettuna 15. maaraskuuta 2001, sekä Finnvera Oyj:n 2. elokuuta 2001 annettuun yhtiöjärjestykseen

Åtgärden baseras på lag 443/1998 och 445/1998, som styr Finnvera Abp:s verksamhet, på regeringens åtagande gentemot Finnvera Abp av den 17 december 1998, senast ändrat den 15 december 2001, för utbetalning av regionalt räntebidrag och särskilt räntebidrag, på regeringens åtagande gentemot Finnvera Abp av den 17 december 1998, senast ändrat den 15 november 2001, gällande partiell täckning av kredit- och garantiförluster, och på Finnvera Abp:s stadgar av den 2 augusti 2001

Budget: The Finnish authorities have estimated that EUR 24,5 million of loans would be granted yearly. The interest subsidy on these loans would amount to EUR 660000 and the restitution for credit losses to EUR 1,15 million for the whole loan period. These costs would be paid by the State

Aid intensity or amount: The above partial state guarantee reduces the risk premium and hence the cost of the loan. The aid intensity varies according to the level, of the interest subsidy and the partial State guarantee, but is limited to 40 % (50 % for less-favoured areas) in investment loans and 35 % for development loans. Aid from other sources is taken into account so that these maximum intensities are never exceeded

Duration: Until further notice

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: 28.10.2002

Member State: Portugal

Aid No: NN 90/02 (ex N 704/01)

Title: Aid to compensate for damage caused by exceptional weather conditions in autumn-winter 2000/2001

Objective: Aid for cereal producers (in particular growers of wheat, distichous barley, triticale, oats, common barley and rye) to compensate them for the considerable production losses they suffered as a result of the exceptional weather conditions (excessively heavy rainfall and abnormally high temperatures) that occurred between 1 December 2000 and 1 May 2001 over a large part of mainland Portugal

Aid intensity or amount: Interest subsidies of up to 20 % of the reference rate as established by Decree Law No 359/89 of 18 October, except where the reference rate exceeded the rate used by the credit institution in question, in which case the rate to be used would be that lower rate

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