Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products
Date: 2007-06-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Germany, Lithuania, State aid, United Kingdom, agro-industry, aid to agriculture, control of State aid, exchange of information, small and medium industries

22.6.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 138/31

Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regu-
lation (EC) No 1857/2006 of on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to State aid to
small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products

(2007/C 138/10)

XA Number: XA 53/07

The organisation operating the scheme is

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: England

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Cross Compliance Advice Programme — Practical
advice for land managers (England)

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

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: 1 July
2007-30 June 2008: GBP 400 000

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity is 100 %.

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 1 July
2007

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
will begin on 1 July 2007. It will close on 30 June 2008. The
last date for applications is 15 September 2007. The last
payment will be made on 30 November 2007.

Objective of aid: Sectoral development. This is a programme
for practising farmers. The purpose of
the programme,
consisting of a range of on-farm workshops, farm walks, help-
line and website, to provide farmers, their advisers and agri-
cultural contractors with clear and targeted guidance on what
the Statutory Management Requirements (SMR) and Good Agri-
cultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) requirements are
and what they mean in terms of required farm management.
This will increase the professionalism of the sector.

The aid will be paid in line with Article 15 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 and the eligible costs will be costs of organising
and delivering training programmes. No payments will be made
direct to the beneficiary.

Natural England
Land Management & Advisory Services
Eastbrook
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge
Cambs CB2 8DR
United Kingdom

Web-Address:

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/planning/farming-wildlife/
docs/StateAidCrossCompliance.pdf

Click on ‘Cross Compliance’. Alternatively, you can go direct to
the UK's cental website for agricultural State aids.

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

Other information: Further and more detailed information
relating to eligibility and rules for the scheme can be found in
the web links above.

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

Neil Marr
Agricultural State Aid
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Area 8B, 9 Millbank
C/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
United Kingdom

XA Number: XA 54/07

Member State: United Kingdom

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to businesses active
in the production of agricultural products only.

Region: Purbeck

Name and address of the granting authority:

The statutory body responsible for the scheme is:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
C/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
United Kingdom

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Purbeck Natural Landscape Programme

Legal basis: The National Heritage Act 1980 set up a fund
called the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF). The Act
has been amended several times principally by the National
Heritage Act 1997 and the National Lottery Act 1993 and
1998.

C 138/32

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

22.6.2007

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

Source

2007-2008

2008-2009

Capital Support for traditional
landscapes

ticular the costs of organising the training programme, and
consultancy services. The aid will be provided in the form of
services on preferential
terms — there will be no direct
payments of money to producers this complies with Article 15
of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to production of all
agricultural products.

The Frome Valley Project

634 200 GBP

15 000 GBP

Name and address of the granting authority:

The Purbeck Ridge Project

41 277 GBP

4 600 GBP

Sub-total

105 427 GBP

19 600 GBP

Technical
tional landscapes

support

for

tradi-

Purbeck District Council
Westport House
Worgret Road
Wareham
Dorset BH20 4PP
United Kingdom

Web-Address: The internet address where the full text of the
scheme's criteria and conditions can be found is:

Advice
studies)

(including

feasibility

73 400 GBP

12 400 GBP

http://www.purbeck.gov.uk/docs/Purbeck%20natural%
20landscape.doc

Conservation training and events

2 350 GBP

550 GBP

Alternatively, information on this scheme can be found on the
Defra website at the web address

Sub-total

Total

75 750 GBP

12 950 GBP

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

181 177 GBP

32 550 GBP

Other information: —

Maximum aid intensity: The scheme consists of 3 measures:
capital works and technical support. The aid intensity for the
technical support measure will be 100 % in accordance with
Article 15. The maximum aid intensity for the capital works
will be 100 % where a grant is awarded for a the conservation
of non productive heritage features. However, the maximum
rate of grant will be reduced in line with the rates set out in
Article 5 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 where
the aid is productive. If aid is being paid in line with Article 4,
the maximum aid intensity paid will be 40 % of the eligible
investment.

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 30 April
2007.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
will begin on 30 April 2007. It will close on the 1 November
2009. The last payment will be made 30 November 2009.

Objective of aid: Heritage conservation — the general aim of
the scheme is to enhance and help secure Purbeck's rich diverse
habitats through conservation of
landscapes and
features mainly the Frome valley and the Purbeck Ridge.

traditional

For the capital works element of the scheme the eligible costs
will be the real costs incurred as regards capital works intended
for the conservation of traditional
landscapes. This complies
with Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. For the
capital works which require investment in agricultural holdings
to assist in cattle handling of the conservation herd the eligible
costs will be 40 % of the costs incurred as regards capital works
intended to preserve and improve the natural environment. This
complies with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

For the technical support element of the scheme the eligible
costs will be the training of farmers and farm workers, in par-

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

Neil Marr
Agricultural State Aid
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Area 8B, 9 Millbank
C/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
Westminster
London SW1P 3JR
United Kingdom

XA number: XA 55/07

Member State: Germany

Region: Saarland

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid: Guidelines for promoting the marketing of organic
and regional produce

Legal basis: Richtlinie zur Förderung der Vermarktung von
ökologisch und regional erzeugten Produkten

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
EUR 250 000

individual aid granted to the company:

22.6.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 138/33

Maximum aid intensity: 50–100 % (excluding aid for costs
relating to the processing and marketing of agricultural
products)

Date of implementation: 1.1.2007

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31.12.2013

Objective of aid: Promoting the marketing of organic and
regional produce under Articles 14 and 15.

Only operating costs shown to relate to the following areas are
eligible:

a) organising and participating in competitions,

trade fairs,
shows and forums for knowledge-sharing among businesses;

b) disseminating scientific knowledge (in a form that can be

understood by all);

c) information about quality systems (which are also open to
products from other Länder) and general information about
products, their nutritional properties and suggested use;

d) publications such as catalogues or websites containing infor-
mation about producers from a specific region or of a
specific product, provided that this information is impartial
or is presented impartially and all producers concerned are
given an equal opportunity to be included in the publication;

e) carrying out market research activities and product develop-
ment and design, including preparing applications for recog-
nition of designations of origin or certificates of specific
character for agricultural products in accordance with the
applicable Community Regulations;

f) introducing procedures to guarantee traceability, to ensure
authenticity and marketing requirements are complied with
or for carrying out an environmental impact assessment;

g) reimbursement of the fees charged by accredited certifying
bodies for the initial certification of quality assurance and
similar systems;

h) reimbursement of the costs of mandatory inspections (EU,
federal and regional), unless Community legislation requires
these to be borne by the producers themselves.

Under sections e) to h), only those costs relating to services
provided by third parties are eligible for aid. Investment expen-
diture may not be subsidised.

Grants may be awarded for equipment and machinery used,
provided that they are not more than one year old or the depre-
ciation limit has not expired, and on condition that they have
not already been the subject of a grant.

Aid will not be granted for staffing costs for the producer's own
internal activities or expenditure on replacements
employees,
and repairs.

Sector(s) concerned: Organic and regional produce

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministerium für Umwelt
Keplerstraße 18
D-66117 Saarbrücken

Internet address: http://www.saarland.de/22497.htm

Other information:

Contact: Ministerium für Umwelt
Referat B/1, Dorothee Wehlen (person responsible)
d.wehlen@umwelt.saarland.de

XA Number: XA 60/07

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: England

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Farm Health Planning Cattle Initiative 2007-2008.

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

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: 5 May
2007-31 March 2008: GBP 1,6 million

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity is 100 %

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 5 May
2007.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
will close on 31 March 2008. The last date for payments will be
30 June 2008.

Objective of aid: Technical support. Training and advice pro-
active farm health planning will be provided to help farmers
achieve higher standards of animal health and welfare and to
demonstrate that prevention is better than cure in managing
livestock diseases.

The eligible costs will be the costs of organising training
programmes and consultancy services in line with Article 15 of
Regulation 1857/2006.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to agricultural busi-
nesses active in cattle production.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
1A Page Street
London SW1P 4PQ
United Kingdom

C 138/34

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

22.6.2007

Web-Address: ww.defra.gov.uk/animalh/ahws/fhp/cattle/initia-
tive.html

Alternatively, you can go to the UK's central website for agri-
cultural State aids at: www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/state-aid/
setup/exist-exempt.htm. Click on the link ‘Farm Health Planning
Cattle Initiative 2007-2008’.

Other information: The aid will be provided in the form of
services; no money will be provided direct to farmers.

The training and consultancy will be open to businesses
involved in animal health planning other than farmers (e.g.,
farm advisers and vets). Such aid will be provided in line with
Regulation 1998/2006 on de minimis aid.

XA Number: XA 61/07

Member State: Republic of Lithuania

Region: —

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Parama kreditų palūkanoms kompensuoti

Legal basis:

Žemės ūkio ministro 2007 m. balandžio 12 d.
įsakymas
Nr. 3D- 159 ‘Dėl Dalies palūkanų už investicinius kreditus,
paimtus nuo 2007 m. gegužės 1 d. ir suteiktus be UAB Žemės
ūkio paskolų garantijų fondo garantijos, kompensavimo taisyklių
patvirtinimo’

Žemės ūkio ministro 2007 m. balandžio 12 d.
įsakymas
Nr. 3D- 160 ‘Dėl Dalies palūkanų už investicinius kreditus,
paimtus nuo 2007 m. gegužės 1 d. ir suteiktus su UAB Žemės
ūkio paskolų garantijų fondo garantijos, kompensavimo taisyklių
patvirtinimo’

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
individual aid granted to the company: The
planned annual budget is LTL 5 000 000 (EUR 1,45 million at
the official exchange rate).

Maximum aid intensity: For each project the maximum aid
intensity is 40 % of the eligible expenditure.

Date of implementation: 1.5.2007

(1) construction, purchase or improvement of real estate. The
purchase of land is not considered an expense eligible for
reimbursement;

(2) purchase of agricultural machinery and computer hardware

and software;

(3) purchase of multiannual crops and the cost of planting

multiannual crops;

(4) general expenses associated with the expenditure listed in
points (1) and (2), such as the fees of architects, engineers
and consultants advising on technical, economic and organi-
sational aspects of project preparation and implementation,
when such services are not continuous or periodic in nature
and are not
and
expenses, as well as construction project preparation costs
(including surveys) and the costs of project technical analysis
and of acquiring patents and licences.

associated with normal operations

Sector(s)
products.

concerned: Primary production of

agricultural

Name and address of the granting authority:

Lietuvos Respublikos žemės ūkio ministerija
Gedimino pr.19 (Lelevelio g.6)
LT-01103 Vilnius

Website:

http://www.zum.lt/min/Isakymai/dsp_isakymas.cfm?IsakymasI-
D=3406&langparam=LT

http://www.zum.lt/min/Isakymai/dsp_isakymas.cfm?IsakymasI-
D=3408&langparam=LT

Other information: The intensity of the State aid will be calcu-
lated according to the method notified to the Commission and
approved by it in the decisions regarding State aid measures
N 114/05 ‘Parama kreditų palūkanoms kompensuoti’ (Decision
C(2006)6786), N 112/05 ‘Parama žemės pirkimui’ (Decision C
(2006)5704), N 371/05 ‘Parama panaudotos linų sektoriaus
technikos pirkimui’ (Decision C(2006)6867).

XA Number: XA 62/07

Member State: Republic of Lithuania

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31
December 2013

Region: —

Objective of aid: Aid to SMEs. The aid provided under this
scheme is aid for investment in agricultural holdings.

The aim of this scheme is to create more favourable credit
conditions and thus contribute to the promotion of investment
in rural areas.

The scheme has been devised in accordance with Article 4 of
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

Part of the interest is reimbursed when the project's eligible
expenditure falls into the following categories:

Title of aid scheme or name of the company receiving an
individual aid: Dalies garantinio užmokesčio kompensavimas
kreditų su garantija gavėjams.

Legal basis: Žemės ūkio ministro 2007 m. balandžio 12 d.
įsakymas Nr. 3D- 161 ‘Dėl garantinio užmokesčio kreditų su
garantija gavėjams kompensavimo taisyklių patvirtinimo’

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
individual aid granted to the company: The
planned annual budget is LTL 7 500 000 (EUR 2,18 million at
the official exchange rate).

22.6.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 138/35

Maximum aid intensity: For each project the maximum aid
intensity is 40 % of the eligible expenditure.

Date of implementation: 1.5.2007

Duration of
31.12.2013

scheme or

individual

aid award: Until

Objective of aid: Aid to SMEs

The aid provided under this scheme is aid for investment in
agricultural holdings.

(4) general expenses associated with the expenditure listed in
points (1) and (2), such as the fees of architects, engineers
and consultants advising on technical, economic and organi-
sational aspects of project preparation and implementation,
when such services are not continuous or periodic in nature
and are not
and
expenses, as well as construction project preparation costs
(including surveys) and the costs of project technical analysis
and of acquiring patents and licences.

associated with normal operations

The aim of this scheme is to create more favourable credit
conditions and thus contribute to the promotion of investment
in rural areas.

Sector(s)
products.

concerned: Primary production of

agricultural

The scheme has been devised in accordance with Article 4 of
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

In exchange for the guarantees granted by the Rural Credit
Guarantee Fund Private Limited Liability Company, credit benefi-
ciaries pay the Company a guarantee payment (of up to 7 % of
the sum guaranteed). Beneficiaries of guaranteed credits may be
reimbursed for part of the guarantee payment (80 %).

Part of the guarantee payment is reimbursed when the project's
eligible expenditure falls into the following categories:

(1) construction, purchase or improvement of real estate. The
purchase of land is not considered an eligible expense;

(2) purchase of agricultural machinery and computer hardware

and software;

(3) purchase of multiannual crops and the cost of planting

these multiannual crops;

Name and address of the granting authority:

Lietuvos Respublikos žemės ūkio ministerija
Gedimino pr.19 (Lelevelio g.6)
LT-01103 Vilnius

Website:

http://www.zum.lt/min/Isakymai/dsp_isakymas.cfm?IsakymasI-
D=3407&langparam=LT

Other information: The intensity of the State aid will be calcu-
lated according to the method notified to the Commission and
approved by it in the decisions regarding State aid measures
N 114/05 ‘Parama kreditų palūkanoms kompensuoti’ (Decision
C(2006)6786), N 112/05 ‘Parama žemės pirkimui’ (Decision C
(2006)5704), and N 371/05 ‘Parama panaudotos linų sektoriaus
technikos pirkimui’.