Summary information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of  23 December 2003  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 agricultural products
Date: 2006-05-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: State aid, aid to agriculture, control of State aid, insurance premium, investment aid, organic farming, small and medium-sized enterprises

11.5.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 111/7

Summary information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23 December 2003 on the application of Articles 87
and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the produc-
tion, processing and marketing of agricultural products

(2006/C 111/03)

Aid No: XA 09/06

Member State: Latvia

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Aid scheme for the production, primary processing,
further processing and marketing of products of organic
farming

Legal basis: Ministru kabineta 2006. gada 3. janvāra noteikumi
Nr. 21 „Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu lauksaimniecībai 2006.
gadā un tā piešķiršanas kārtību“ 8. pielikuma II atbalsta
programma

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Total
cost of the scheme in 2006: LVL 500 000

Maximum aid intensity: The aid covers 40 % of investments
in immovable property up to a ceiling of LVL 10 000 per
project in a priority area and for a priority activity, in respect
of costs as follows:

1. for the erection of new buildings for production, primary
processing, further processing and marketing purposes, for
the conversion of such buildings, for the purchase of the
requisite building materials and fitting out of the buildings
and the site (including asphalting and concreting around the
buildings up to a maximum of LVL 20 per square metre
and installation of water supply;

2. for the purchase of machinery and equipment for produc-
tion, primary processing, storage and marketing, including
the requisite computer software;

3. only in the case of cooperatives:

for the purchase of
specially equipped vehicles for transporting livestock, feed
and foodstuffs;

4. for the purchase of horticultural equipment.

The following ceilings apply to the aids: LVL 200 per square
metre of surface area in the case of new buildings; LVL 150 per
square metre of built area in the case of alterations and LVL 80
per square metre of built area in the case of renovations.

Date of implementation: The date of entry into force is the
date of publication in the Latvian official gazette.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 30 December
2006

Objective of aid: The purpose of the aid scheme is to encou-
rage investment in agriculture designed to increase the value
added of organic farming and improve product quality.

Sector(s) concerned: The aid is targeted at small and medium-
sized businesses in the agricultural sector, and in particular
arable and livestock enterprises.

Name und address of the granting authority:

Latvijas Republikas Zemkopības ministrija
Rīga, LV-1981

Web address: www.zm.gov.lv

Other information: The aid for investment in agriculture is
granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23
December 2003 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of
the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enter-
prises active in the production, processing and marketing of
agricultural products.

Aid No: XA 10/06

Member State: Latvia

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Aid scheme for investment in agriculture.

Legal basis: Ministru kabineta 2006. gada 3. janvāra noteikumi
Nr. 21 „Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu lauksaimniecībai 2006.
gadā un tā piešķiršanas kārtību“ 13. pielikums

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Total
amount of the aid scheme in 2006: LVL 6 136 893

Maximum aid intensity: The aid is for the following purposes:

1. the purchase of machinery and equipment for the primary
processing and storage of cereals and oilseed and fibre
plants (in particular the cost of erecting buildings to house
these facilities, the purchase and installation of automatic
weighing machines and the purchase of laboratory equip-
ment); new building and alterations to and renovation of
existing buildings; the purchase of the requisite building
materials; asphalting and concreting around the buildings
up to a maximum of LVL 20 per square metre;

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Official Journal of the European Union

11.5.2006

2. construction of new buildings for the production of live-
stock products, alteration and renovation of existing build-
ings, purchase of the requisite building materials; asphalting,
around the buildings
concreting or paving of
concerned, not exceeding LVL 20 per
square metre;
purchase of equipment; installation of water supply systems;
installation of manure management systems (in particular
the purchase of telescopic loaders for removing manure
from livestock housing on holdings with over 150 head);

areas

Sector(s) concerned: Small and-medium sized enterprises
engaged in an agricultural activity, arable and livestock sectors

Name und address of the granting authority:

Zemkopības ministrija
Rīga 19.1.2005.
Latvijas Republikas Zemkopības ministrija
Rīga, LV-1981

3. purchase of specialised vehicles for transporting milk, live-
stock, fruit and vegetables (excluding processing undertak-
ings);

Web address: www.zm.gov.lv

4. purchase of farm vehicles (excluding tractors and motor
vehicles) and technical equipment (soil-treatment and ferti-
liser-spreading equipment, seed drills and planting equip-
ment, chemical plant protection equipment, oil presses and
filters, flax harvesting equipment, special ditch mowers; for
livestock holdings and agricultural
service cooperatives
purchase of equipment for preparing forage; for agricultural
service cooperatives purchase of milk storage, treatment and
processing equipment;

for primary processing,

5. purchase of seed drills and planting equipment for fruit and
vegetable-growing (tractors up to 60 HP plus accessories
and technical equipment), purchase of small machines and
equipment
further processing,
packaging and storage of fruit and vegetables, purchase of
equipment for the storage of potatoes, fruit and vegetables
(including containers and lifting gear), purchase of soft fruit
harvesting equipment,
installation of irrigation systems as
required by the project. The grant of aid is subject to the
production of written certification from the organisation
concerned that the applicant is a fruit-grower and market-
gardener.

The aid is granted at the rate of 30 % of the expenditure on the
measures concerned. The total amount of the aid in question
may not exceed LVL 30 000 per applicant or LVL 100 000 in
the case of agricultural service cooperatives. The amount on
which the aid is calculated is determined according to the
initial price (net of VAT) indicated in the documents providing
proof of purchase. Transport costs are not included in the aid
calculation.

When calculating the aid, the ceiling on payments is set as
follows: new building LVL 200 per square metre of the surface
area of the site; renovation alterations LVL 150 per square
metre of built area and renovations LVL 80 per square metre of
built area

Other information: The aid for investment in agriculture is
granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23
December 2003 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of
the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enter-
prises active in the production, processing and marketing of
agricultural products.

Aid No: XA 11/06

Member State: Latvia

Designation of aid scheme or of enterprise receiving indi-
vidual aid:
‘Risk reduction in the agricultural sector’ aid
scheme

Legal basis: Ministru kabineta 2006. gada 3. janvāra noteikumi
Nr. 21 „Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu lauksaimniecībai 2006.
gadā un tā piešķiršanas kārtību“ 10. pielikums

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the enterprise: Total
amount under the aid scheme for 2006 LVL 223 388

Maximum aid intensity: The aid is granted to cover expendi-
ture incurred in the acquisition of insurance premiums for the
insurance of crops and productive livestock. Aid is granted at
the rate of 50 % of the amount stipulated in the agreements
between insurance companies and policy holders, but may not
exceed LVL 25 per unit (hectare or livestock unit), LVL 50 for
potatoes and vegetables and LVL 150 for fruit trees and berry
bushes

Date of implementation: The date of entry into force is the
date of publication in the Latvian official gazette

Date of implementation: Entry into force on publication in
the Latvian Official Journal

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 30
December 2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 30.12.2006

Objective of aid: To encourage investment in agriculture in
order to increase the value added of production and improve
product quality

Objective of aid: The purpose of the aid is to lower the
production risk in the crop-growing and cattle-rearing sectors
by partially offsetting losses suffered by farmers

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 111/9

Sector(s) concerned:

The aid is aimed at small- and medium-sized holdings engaged
in agricultural activity.

The sectors concerned are cattle-rearing and crop-growing.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Latvijas Republikas Zemkopības ministrija
Rīga, LV-1981

Internet address: www.zm.gov.lv

Aid No: XA 12/2006

Member State: Italy

Region: Comunità Montana Alta Val di Cecina — zone F, via
Roncalli 38, I-56045 Pomarance (PI)

Title of aid scheme: Implementation of measures to support
investment in the agri-food business.

Legal basis:

— Art. 7 del regolamento (CE) n. 1/2004 della Commissione
del 23 dicembre 2003 a favore delle piccole e medie
imprese attive nel settore della trasformazione e commer-
cializzazione dei prodotti agricoli (Gazzetta ufficiale L 1 del
3.1.2004),

— Capo VII (Miglioramento delle condizioni di trasformazione
e di commercializzazione dei prodotti agricoli), articoli 25,
26, 27 e 28 del regolamento (CE) n. 1257/1999 del Consi-
glio del 17 maggio 1999 sul sostegno allo sviluppo rurale
da parte del Fondo europeo agricolo di orientamento e di
garanzia (FEAOG),

— Deliberazione della Giunta Regionale Toscana 4 novembre
2002 n. 1201 e successive modifiche «Piano di Sviluppo
Rurale della Regione Toscana» ed in particolare la Misura 7
«Miglioramento delle condizioni di
trasformazione e di
commercializzazione dei prodotti agricoli»

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: Financial
resources up to a total of EUR 2 000 000 (two million) may
be allocated from the Comunità Montana Alta Val di Cecina
budget for the aid scheme in question.

In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1/2004, Article 1(1),
the aid scheme applies to small and medium-sized enterprises
active in the production, processing or marketing of agri-
cultural products (listed in Annex I of the Treaty) and the
maximum eligible expenditure may not exceed the ceiling
applicable under Article 1(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004
(the actual amount of aid must not exceed EUR 6 million)

Maximum aid intensity: In accordance with Article 7(2)(b) of
Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 and Article 28(2) of Regulation
(EC) No 1257/1999 the gross aid intensity must not exceed
40 % of eligible costs. Investment at the retail level and in the
processing or marketing of products from third countries are
excluded from support.

In accordance with Article 27(2) of Regulation (EC) No
1257/1999, the investment must meet selection criteria setting
priorities and indicating which types of investment are not
eligible for support

Date of implementation: The aid scheme will enter into force
on the thirtieth day after it is published in the Tuscany Region
Official Gazette (BURT) and in any case at least ten working
days after the sending of this document, as set out in Article
19(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
may continue until the allocated funds (EUR 2 000 000) have
been used up, but not beyond the validity period of Regulation
(EC) No 1/2004.

Objective of aid: The objective of the scheme is to boost
competitiveness and the added value of agricultural products
by encouraging upgrading and rationalisation of processing
and marketing conditions and by consolidating the agri-food
business in Alta Val di Cecina.

This objective will be achieved by awarding aid designed to
guide production in the light of market trends in order to
stimulate the creation of new products and to open up new
for agricultural production, upgrade and renew
markets
marketing processes and the technology used, monitor product
quality and the health and safety conditions in the workplace
and protect the environment

Eligible expenditure: Expenditure eligible for the aid scheme
is set out in the first subparagraph of Article 7(3) of Regulation
(EC) No 1/2004

The eligible expenditure includes:

a) the construction, acquisition or improvement of immovable

property;

b) the purchase or

lease-purchase of new machinery and
equipment, including computer software up to the market
value of the asset; other costs connected with a leasing
interest refinancing costs,
contract
overheads, insurance charges, etc.) are not eligible expendi-
ture;

lessor's margin,

(tax,

c) general costs, such as architects, engineers and consultation
the acquisition of patents and
fees,
licences, up to 12 % of the expenditure referred to in points
(a) and (b).

feasibility studies,

The purchase of second-hand equipment is not eligible for aid,
unless it complies with the conditions set out in (a) to (d) of
the second subparagraph of Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No
1/2004

Sectors concerned: The aid scheme applies to processing and/
or marketing agricultural products, as defined in Article 2 of
Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 (products listed in Annex I to the
Treaty, with the exception of fishery and aquaculture products).
At all events, eligibility does not extend to investments that
serve to increase production capacity in sectors subject
to
specific limitations under the common market organisations
where there are insufficient market opportunities.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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In accordance with Article 7(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004
and Article 26(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, support
will be given to those persons ultimately responsible for finan-
cing the investment in enterprises for which economic viability
can be demonstrated, and which comply with minimum stan-
dards regarding the environment, hygiene and animal welfare.
Assessment of compliance with these criteria must be made at
enterprise level by a public body or an independent third party
which is qualified to undertake such assessment.

In addition, in accordance with Article 26(2) and (3) of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1257/1999,
investment must contribute to
improving the situation of the basic agricultural production

sector in question. It must guarantee the producers of such
basic products an adequate share in the resulting economic
benefits and sufficient evidence must be shown that normal
market outlets for the products concerned can be found (or
will be found in the future)

Name and address of the granting authority:
Comunità Montana Alta Val di Cecina — zone F, via Roncalli 38,
I-56045 Pomarance (PI)
Tel. (39-05) 886 20 03, Fax (39-05) 886 27 00
Reference e-mail address: cinotti@cm-valdicecina.pisa.it

Website: www.cm-valdicecina.pisa.it