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: 2006-05-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: State aid, agri-foodstuffs, aid to agriculture, aid to undertakings, control of State aid, environmental protection, investment aid, small and medium-sized enterprises

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Official Journal of the European Union

23.5.2006

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 122/03)

Aid No: XA 13/2006

Aid No: XA 14/06

Member State: Slovenia

Member State: United Kingdom

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid: Co-financing insurance premiums to insure crops
and yield in 2006

Region: Somerset (The aid will be available in the administra-
tive county of Somerset,
the area covered by the Exmoor
National Park, and the area covered by the Blackdown Hills
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty)

Legal basis: Uredba o sofinanciranje zavarovalnih premij za
zavarovanje posevkov in plodov v letu 2006

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Food Sector Support Service — Somerset FS4

Annual expenditure planned/overall amount of individual
aid granted to company: The expenditure planned for 2006
totals SIT 500 000 000 (EUR 2 085 940)

Legal basis: Sections 4 and 5 of The Regional Development
Agencies Act 1998

Maximum aid intensity: 30 % of the expenditure on insur-
ance premiums to insure agricultural crops against damage
from hail, fire and lightening

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company:

1 April 2006 — 31 March 2007: GBP 350 000

Date of implementation: March 2006

1 April 2007 — 30 June 2007: GBP 350 000

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The aid may
be granted up to 31 December 2006

Maximum aid intensity: 100 %

Objective of aid: Aid in accordance with Article 11 of
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 — Aid towards the
payment of insurance premiums

The purpose of paying a proportion of the expenditure on
insurance premiums is to encourage agricultural producers to
insure themselves against potential
losses due to natural
hazards or adverse weather conditions, whilst taking responsi-
bility for managing this area of risk

Sectors: Agriculture — plant production.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food:
Dunajska 58
SLO-1000 Ljubljana

National Agency for Agricultural Markets and Regional Devel-
opment:
Dunajska 160
SLO-1000 Ljubljana.

Website address: http://www.mkgp.gov.si/index.php?id=1037

Date of implementation: 1 April 2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
will end on 30 June 2007. It is currently planned to extend the
scheme after this date, but only if further State aid clearance
can be obtained

Objective of aid: Sectoral development

The objective of the aid is to provide support for SMEs who
are involved in the production and processing of food with the
principal aims of increasing opportunities in the market place.

The aid is being implemented under Article 14 of Regulation
(EC) No 1/2004. The eligible costs will be:

— the costs of organising training programmes;

— consultancy services; and

— the organisation of and participation in exhibitions and
trade fairs (participation fees, costs of publications and the
rent of exhibitions premises).

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme will apply to businesses
involved in agricultural production, processing and marketing.
The scheme will apply to all subsectors

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C 122/5

Name and address of the granting authority:

Somerset County Council
The Fire Station
George Street
Glastonbury
Somerset TA10 9PR
United Kingdom

The Initiative will close on 30 June 2007. However, subject to
State aid clearance, Defra intends to extend the Initiative until
31 March 2008. This extension period has already been allo-
cated GBP 11,25 million

Maximum aid intensity: 100 %

The organisation operating the scheme is

Date of implementation: The new programme will start from
1 April 2006.

Somerset Food Links
The Old Town Hall
Bow Street
Langport
Somerset TA10 9PR
United Kingdom

Web address:

http://www.somerset.foodlinks.org.uk

Click on ‘Project Areas’ and then click on ‘Food Sector Support
Service — Somerset (FS4)’.

Alternatively, you can visit the UK's central page for exempted
agricultural State aids at

http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/state-aid/setup/exist-exempt.htm.

Click on the ‘Food Sector Support Service — Somerset (FS4)’.

Other information:

The scheme will be made available to some non-agricultural
businesses. Aid to non-agricultural businesses will be paid with
regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 69/2001.

Beneficiaries will not be able to choose their own service
provider. The service provider will be Somerset Food Links
who will provide consultants who were selected by a tendering
exercise on the basis of market principles in line with Article
14(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004

Aid No: XA 15/06

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: England

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: To 30 June
2007

Objective of aid: Environmental protection. The aim of the
ECSFDI is to raise awareness of diffuse water pollution from
agriculture (dwpa) and to encourage early voluntary action by
farmers to tackle dwpa in forty priority catchments. It will
contribute to the achievement of domestic and international
environmental
the Water Framework
in particular
Directive.

targets,

The eligible costs will be consultancy for the mitigation of
diffuse water pollution. Such aid will be granted in line with
Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 and the eligible
expenses will be consultancy services

Sectors concerned: The beneficiaries of the ECSFDI will be
involved in the production of agricultural products only. All
subsectors will be eligible

Name and address of the granting authority:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
Defra
Water Quality Division
3/8 Whitehall Place
London SW1A 2HH
United Kingdom

Managed on Defra's behalf by

Rural Development Service (Natural England partnership) and
Environment Agency:
RDS — Farm Advice Unit
Eastbrook
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge CB2 2DR
United Kingdom

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid: England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initia-
tive 2006-2007 (ECSFDI)

Web-address: More information on ECSFDI and the wider
CSF programme, and the full text for this document can be
found at:

Legal basis: This is a non-statutory service, participation in
which is voluntary. The Agriculture Act 1986 (section 1)
provides the legal base for the provision by Government of
advice in connection with any agricultural activity.

www.defra.gov.uk/farm/environment/water

click on State aid on the left hand side of this page.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company:

Other information:

1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 GBP 10 million

1 April 2007 to 30 June 2007 GBP 3,75 million

Beneficiaries will not be able to choose the service provider.
The service provider will be Natural England, an executive
agency of the UK Government.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Signed and dated on behalf of the Department of Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs (UK competent authority

Stephen Anderson
Agricultural State Aid Team Leader
Defra
8E9 Millbank
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
United Kingdom

Address of website: This aid scheme is published on the
website of the Department of Hérault: http://www.cg34.fr. To
go to the relevant page, use the following path:

economie/agriculture/production/viticulture/en
aides aux coopératives agricoles.

savoir

plus:

Aid No: XA 16/2006

Member State: France

Department: Hérault

Title of aid scheme: Aid for material
products to be traced.

investments allowing

Legal basis:

— Article 4 du règlement (CE) no 1/2004 de la Commission

européenne

— Articles L 1511-1 et suivants du code général des collecti-

vités territoriales

— Délibération du Conseil général de l'Hérault votée le 15

décembre 2005

Annual expenditure planned under
70 000

the scheme: EUR

Maximum aid intensity: The aid will take the form of a grant
at a rate of 40 % of the eligible investments, exclusive of tax.
The ceiling for eligible investment is EUR 15 000 in general
cases. It is EUR 30 000 if an agricultural cooperative has two
production sites

Date of
scheme: Until 31 December 2006

implementation and duration of

the

aid

farm products, of

the aid: This measure

is a continuation,
Objective of
extended to all sectors engaged in the production, processing
and marketing of
that approved under
N 234/2002. It falls within the scope of Article 4(3)(a) and (c)
of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23 December
2003 and is aimed at improving food quality and safety. It will
make it possible to finance investments serving as a basis for
traceability, such as:

Aid No: XA 18/2006

Member State: Spain

Region: Catalonia

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Pilot plan on global farm contracts

Legal basis: Orden ARP/307/2005, de 7 de julio, por la que se
aprueban las bases reguladoras del plan piloto de los contratos
globales de explotación, y se convocan los correspondientes al
año 2005.

Orden ARP/405/2005, de 13 de octubre, por la cual se modi-
fican las bases reguladoras del plan piloto de los contratos
globales de explotación aprobados por la Orden ARP/307/
2005, de 7 de julio (DOGC núm. 4494, de 21.10.2005, pág.
33529)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company (amounts
are to be given in euro or, if applicable, national currency. In
the case of an aid scheme, indicate the annual overall amount
of the budget appropriation(s) or the estimated tax loss per
year for all aid instruments contained in the scheme. In the
indicate the overall aid
case of an individual aid award,
amount/tax loss. If appropriate,
indicate also for how many
years the aid will be paid in instalments or over how many
years tax losses will be incurred. For guarantees in both cases,
indicate the (maximum) amount of
loans guaranteed): The
annual expenditure planned is EUR 2 200 000

Maximum aid intensity:

— Investment in agricultural holdings: the intensity will be up
exceed
investment,

and will not

the

to 50 % of
EUR 180 000

— Relocation of buildings in the public interest: the maximum

aid intensity will be as follows:

— software (e.g. GIS), apart

from that required for office

— up to 100 % if there is no improvement to facilities

systems,

— computers, with the exception of software for day-to-day

management.

Sectors concerned: All farm cooperatives in Hérault involved
in all
sectors of agricultural production, processing and
marketing

Name and address of the granting authority:

Monsieur le Président du Conseil général de l'Hérault
1000, rue d'Alco
F-34000 Montpellier

— if improvement to facilities is involved, up to 40 % or
50 % for farmers, depending on their location, and up
to 45 % or 55 % for young farmers, depending on
whether they are located in a less-favoured area

— if an increase in production capacity is involved, up to
40 % or 50 % for farmers, depending on their location,
and up to 45 % or 55 % for young farmers, depending
on whether they are located in a less-favoured area

— Setting up of young farmers: the maximum aid intensity

will be EUR 50 000

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— Insurance for agricultural production: the cost of the insur-

ance policy will be reduced by up to 70 %

— Compliance with recently established minimum standards
for the environment, hygiene and animal welfare (standards
entering into force one year before the application is made).

— Specific technical consultancy: the maximum aid intensity

will be EUR 1 500

— Improvement in food quality: the intensity will be up to

100 % in the first year, and up to 80 % in the second

— Investment in the protection and improvement of the envir-
onment, hygiene and animal welfare: the intensity will be
up to 65 % of
the investment, and will not exceed
EUR 20 000

— Investment in the conservation of the landscape: the inten-
sity will be up to 90 % of the investment, and will not
exceed EUR 20 000

— Processing and marketing of agricultural products:

the
intensity will be up to 30 % of the investment, and will not
exceed EUR 100 000

— Diversification of farm activities: the aid intensity will be up
exceed
investment,

and will not

the

to 35 % of
EUR 60 000

— Improvement in hygiene conditions of livestock enterprises
and in animal welfare, the protection and improvement of
soil, plant cover and the environment

The following activities are excluded from investment eligible
for support:

— The purchase of land, except in cases provided for under
Article 16 of Royal Decree 613/2001 of 8 June 2001.

— The purchase of machinery and of any type of tools, except
where first purchase is involved, or such items are acquired
and are necessary for
the holding's viability when it
increases in physical size or changes its production type.

— The diversification of productive activities through rural

tourism, hunting and handicraft activities.

— Acquisition of vehicles.

— Acquisition of production rights.

— Labour replacement services for a fixed period:

the aid
intensity will be up to 70 % of the total cost of the service,
and will not exceed EUR 46 per day

— Activities

aimed simply at
renewing items on the holding.

substituting,

replacing or

— Investment in improving housing: the aid intensity will be
the investment, and will not exceed

up to 20 % of
EUR 9 000

— Investment and productive sectors subject to the restrictions
in paragraph 4 of Annex I to Royal Decree 613/2001 of 8
June 2001

Date of implementation: 13 July 2005

Duration of aid scheme or individual aid award: 31
December 2006

Objective of aid:

Investment
in agricultural holdings (Article 4).
pursuing the following objectives will be subsidised:

Investment

Relocation of buildings in the public interest (Article 6): eligible
costs are those incurred as part of relocation (dismantling,
removal and rebuilding).

Setting up of young farmers (Article 8): eligible costs are those
in pursuit of the following objectives: assistance with all costs
linked to the setting up of young farmers in order to help them
become first-time owners of agricultural holdings which will
become priority holdings.

— Improvement

in the living and working conditions of
farmers and farm workers. Investment taken into considera-
tion will aim to improve agricultural practices and farming-
related tasks.

Insurance for agricultural production (Article 11): encourage-
ment is given to the use in Catalonia of agricultural insurance.
This will be applied in accordance with the combined annual
agricultural insurance plans approved by the central administra-
tion.

— Quality improvement and management of production
based on market needs and, where appropriate, to meet
Community quality standards and diversify farm activities
by investing in the classification, conditioning, manufacture,
processing and marketing of
the holding's agricultural
products.

— Adaptation of holdings to reduce production costs, save
including

energy/water, or incorporate new technologies,
computerisation and electronic data transmission.

Specific technical consultancy (Article 14): encouragement is
given to specific consultancy services geared towards the type
of farming on each holding.

Improvement in food quality (Article 13): encouragement is
given to the development of quality agricultural products differ-
entiated by their origin or manufacture. Eligible costs relate to
registration or annual quotas during the first five years and, on
a degressive basis, to the relevant Regulatory Council, or ‘Q
mark’ certification costs.

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Investment in the protection and improvement of the environ-
ment, hygiene and animal welfare (Article 4(3)(d)): encourage-
ment is given to investment entailing increased costs linked to
the protection and improvement of the environment, to the
improvement of hygiene conditions of livestock enterprises, or
to the promotion of animal welfare. Eligible costs relate to
investment in pursuit of the following objectives:

— Compliance with recently established minimum standards
for the environment, hygiene and animal welfare (standards
entering into force one year before the application is made)

— Improvement in hygiene conditions of livestock enterprises
and in animal welfare, the protection and improvement of
soil, plant cover and the environment.

Investment in the conservation of the landscape (Article 5):
investment is encouraged which involves heritage conservation,
e.g. conservation of archaeological or historical items. Eligible
costs are those relating to the following:

— The application of landscape criteria when improving or

constructing agricultural buildings and installations.

— Conservation and maintenance of traditional agricultural

buildings.

— Integral restoration of drystone walls in a poor state of

conservation.

— Preservation of holding surroundings by maintaining vege-
tation growing on verges, and by maintaining fences and
small, isolated areas of forest.

— Planting of trees to integrate and/or hide buildings creating

an impact.

— The change or harmonisation of locking systems.

— Clearing-up after fly-tipping.

— Relocation or improvement of containers or other conspic-

uous items.

— Repair, replacement or progressive demolition of structures

which are in a precarious state or in disuse.

— Other types of investment not listed above may be assisted,
provided that the board responsible for assessing applica-
tions considers that such investment meets the aims of this
measure.

Processing and marketing of agricultural products (Article 7):
encouragement
is given to increasing competitiveness and
value added by means of investment in the processing and
marketing of agricultural products. Eligible costs are: construc-

tion, acquisition of
the
purchase of land, the purchase of machinery and new equip-
ment.

immovable property except

for

Diversification of farm activities (Article 4(3)(e)): encourage-
ment is given to enhancing economic alternatives in farming,
and to promoting rural tourism and non-food rural handicrafts,
so that income from these activities might supplement agri-
cultural income. Eligible costs will be:

— The construction, acquisition or improvement of immo-

vable property;

— The purchase or lease-purchase of new machinery and

equipment, including computer software;

— General costs reaching up to 12 % of those above

services

replacement

Labour
for a fixed period (Article
14(2)(b)): encouragement is given to improving the quality of
work and quality of life of farmers who are primarily active in
the sphere of agriculture, by supporting the provision of
services to replace the farm owner or farm workers in the
event of sickness, maternity, holidays or weekly rest periods.

investment in
Investment in improving housing (Article 4):
farmers' usual place of residence is encouraged, provided that
the residence is linked to premises for meeting the needs of
agricultural or complementary activities and is located in a
rural settlement of fewer than 3 000 inhabitants, or is housing
located on land which cannot be developed.

Sector(s) concerned: The aid scheme concerns all agricultural
subsectors, as well as production, processing and marketing.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Departament d'Agricultura, Ramaderia i Pesca
Generalitat de Catalunya
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 612-614
E-08007 Barcelona

Web address:

https://www.gencat.net/diari_c/4424/05186151.htm

Other information:

Beneficiaries will be those companies which are SMEs based on
the definition in Annex I to Commission Regulation (EC) No
70/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87
and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-
sized enterprises, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC)
No 364/2004 of 25 February 2004