2001/60/EC: Commission Decision of 9 January 2001 on Finnish aid for cereal seeds (notified under document number C(2000) 4423)
Date: 2001-01-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Commission, Finland, State aid, cereals, exchange of information, seed

23.1.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 21/17

COMMISSION DECISION

of 9 January 2001

on Finnish aid for cereal seeds

(notified under document number C(2000) 4423)

(Only the Finnish and Swedish texts are authentic)

(2001/60/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Finland is authorised until 31 December 2005 to grant to
farmers established on its territory producing cereal seeds of
varieties
exceeding
EUR 2,523 per 100 kilograms for a maximum quantity of
100 000 tonnes per year.

certified by

legislation,

aid not

its

The authorisation shall cover exclusively varieties listed in the
Finnish national catalogue and which, except for small quant-
ities cultivated in regions bordering on Finland, are grown
solely in that Member State.

Article 2

Finland shall ensure, by an appropriate inspection system, that
the aid is granted only in respect of the varieties and quantities
referred to in Article 1.

Article 3

Finland shall send the Commission each year a list of the
certified varieties and any amendment thereto and inform it of
the quantities of seed for which the aid is granted.

This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2000.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the Republic of Finland.

Article 5

Done at Brussels, 9 January 2001.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2358/71 of 26
October 1971 on the common organisation of the market in
seeds (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2371/2000 (2),
and in particular Article 8 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Under Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 2358/71,
Finland may, subject to authorisation by the Commis-
sion, grant aid for certain quantities of cereal seeds
produced solely in Finland because of
specific
climatic conditions.

its

By letter dated 6 November 2000, the Finnish Govern-
ment requested the Commission for authorisation to
grant farmers the aid provided for in the abovemen-
tioned Article 8 for those varieties of seed in order to
ensure that appropriate quantities of the products in
question continue to be available in that country.

The proposed aid meets the requirements laid down in
that provision. It concerns cereal seed varieties necessary
for cultivation in Finland which are adapted to the
weather conditions in that country and are not multi-
plied in the other Member States. The level of the aid
and the quantities for which it is to be granted are
justified in view of the objective pursued by the planned
measure. The Commission authorisation is limited to the
varieties included in the list of Finnish varieties which,
with the exception of limited quantities cultivated in
adjacent regions, are cultivated only in Finland.

Provision should be made for the Commission to be
informed of the measures taken by Finland to comply
with the limits laid down in this Decision and, with a
view to drawing up the report provided for in the last
subparagraph of Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 2358/
71, of the practical results of those measures,

(1) OJ L 246, 5.11.1971, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 275, 27.10.2000, p. 1.