Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 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: 2007-07-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, Netherlands, State aid, agricultural holding, aid to agriculture, control of State aid, exchange of information, small and medium-sized enterprises

C 162/6

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Official Journal of the European Union

14.7.2007

NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES

Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regu-
lation (EC) No 1/2004 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

(2007/C 162/04)

Sector(s) concerned: Agricultural holdings engaged in the
production of animal/plant products.

XA Number: XA 120/06

Member State: Italy

Region: Piedmont

Title of aid scheme: Contributi agli agricoltori e allevatori che
attuano la riconversione del metodo di produzione.

Legal basis: Deliberazione della Giunta regionale n. 28 —
4172 del 30.10.2006. Legge 7 marzo 2003, n. 38 art. 3
comma 1 lettera b.

Annual
EUR 250 000

expenditure

planned

under

the

scheme:

Maximum aid intensity: The aid may cover up to 80 % of the
cost of the first two years of membership of the inspection
system provided
in Council Regulation (EEC) No
2092/91 (1), but may not exceed EUR 800 per holding for the
period 2005-2006.

for

Date of implementation: 15 December 2006. At all events
the first payment will be awarded when the Commission
communicates an identification number after
receiving the
summary information.

Duration of scheme: 30 June 2007

Objective of aid: To encourage producers to change over to
organic farming methods, by contributing towards the cost of
participating in the inspection system applicable to organic
farming pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91.

The expenditure concerned relates to the cost of taking part, in
2005 and 2006, in the inspection system provided for in Regu-
lation (EEC) No 2092/91.

Article(s) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 (2)
invoked: Article 13(2)(g).

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Piemonte
Assessorato Agricoltura, Tutela della Flora e della Fauna
Direzione Sviluppo dell'Agricoltura
Corso Stati Uniti, 21
I-10128 Torino

Website: www.regione.piemonte.it/agri

Other information: The aid concerns working holdings which,
at the time of submitting their application, are registered as
taking part in an inspection system as provided for in Regu-
lation (EEC) No 2092/1991, are located principally in Piedmont
and began changing over to organic farming between 1 January
2005 and 31 December 2006.

The order in which the beneficiaries are selected is as follows:

(1) holdings which change over to organic farming for the first
time. In this respect, priority is given to holdings which,
when they join the inspection system, are run either by a
young farmer, as specified in Measures A and B of the
2000-06 Rural Development Plan, or by a farmer assisted
by a member of his or her family who qualifies as a young
farmer as specified above;

(2) holdings which change over to organic production having
previously withdrawn from such a scheme before 1 January
2003. In this respect, priority is given to holdings which,
when they join the inspection system, are run either by a
young farmer, as specified in Measures A and B of the
2000-2006 Rural Development Plan, or by a farmer assisted
by a member of his or her family who qualifies as a young
farmer as specified above;

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 162/7

(3) holdings which change over to organic production having
previously withdrawn from such a scheme after 1 January
2003. In this respect, priority is given to holdings which,
when they join the inspection system, are run either by a
young farmer, as specified in Measures A and B of the
2000-2006 Rural Development Plan, or by a farmer assisted
by a member of his or her family who qualifies as a young
farmer as specified above.

(1) OJ L 198, 22.7.1991, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 1, 3.1.2004, p. 1.

XA Number: XA 121/06

Member State: Italy

Region: Marche

Title of aid scheme: Contributi alle cooperative agricole e alle
cooperative sociali che operano nel settore agricolo e forestale al
fine di ridurre i costi di produzione, a migliorare e diversificare
le attività di produzione, a migliorare la qualità dei prodotti, a
tutelare e migliorare l'ambiente naturale e le condizioni di igiene
e benessere degli animali.

Legal basis:

1. Art. 4 della legge regionale 23 febbraio 2005, n. 7 —
«Promozione della cooperazione per lo sviluppo rurale»;

2. Deliberazione di Giunta Regionale n. 1222 del 23.10.2006
avente ad oggetto «Programma annuale 2006 della legge
regionale 23 febbraio 2005, n. 7 », «Promozione della coop-
erazione per lo sviluppo rurale» .

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
individual aid granted to the company: The
maximum expenditure planned for 2006 is EUR 150 000. The
maximum expenditure for subsequent years will be set
in
accordance with the finance laws concerned, but is in no case to
exceed EUR 1 000 000 for any one year.

Maximum aid intensity: The gross aid intensity may not
exceed 30 % of the eligible expenditure (40 % in less-favoured
areas).

1. construction of facilities and improvement of property;

2. purchase of modern new machinery and equipment suited to

the holding's actual needs;

3. purchase of new IT equipment and software which is in
keeping with production on the holding and is directly
linked to the investment to be carried out;

4. facilities for preserving, processing and marketing agricultural

and livestock products;

5. overheads, up to a maximum of 12 %.

Date of implementation: At least 10 working days after this
form is sent, as laid down in Article 19(1) of Regulation (EC)
No 1/2004.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: There is no
limit on the scheme's duration, which depends on the funds set
aside by the Marche Region and the period of validity of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1/2004.

Objective of aid: To improve incomes and living and working
conditions on agricultural cooperatives and social cooperatives
operating in the agricultural and forestry sector, the aim being
to lower production costs,
improve and diversify production,
improve product quality and safeguard and improve the envir-
onment and animal hygiene and welfare.

Beneficiaries:

1. Type B social cooperatives operating in the field of agri-
culture and forestry and entered in the register of social
specified in Regional Law No 34 of 18
cooperatives
December 2001.

2. Agricultural cooperatives, and syndicates thereof, which are
(Imprenditore

farming operations

classified as commercial
agricolo professionale — IAP).

Sector(s) concerned: Farming sector

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Marche
Servizio Agricoltura, Forestazione e Pesca
Posizione di Funzione Sviluppo della impresa agricola e del
sistema agroalimentare
Via Tiziano n. 44
I-60100 Ancona

Website:

The investment declared eligible for funding may not exceed
EUR 60 000.

1. www.agri-marche.it

The investment must be aimed at lowering production costs,
improving and diversifying production,
improving product
quality and safeguarding and improving the environment and
animal hygiene and welfare.

In order to be eligible the measures must fall within one of the
following groups:

2. www.regione.marche.it

Other information: The aid will be granted solely for invest-
ment
in the field of agriculture and the recipients will be
selected by public tender.

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XA Number: XA 122/06

Member State: Italy

Region: Marche

Name of the aid scheme: Contributi a cooperative o consorzi
di cooperative che svolgono attività nel settore agricolo e fore-
stale, nel settore agro-industriale e agroalimentare per il finan-
ziamento di progetti di fattibilità finalizzati ad attivare processi
di
fusione di cooperative esistenti, allargamento della base
sociale, aggregazione di nuove imprese in forma cooperativa
con l'obiettivo di aumentare la competitività della struttura
cooperativa, consentire alle società cooperative di trovare nuovi
sbocchi commerciali, concentrare e riorganizzare l'offerta dei
prodotti agricoli e forestali.

Legal basis:

1. Art. 6 della legge regionale 23 febbraio 2005, n. 7 —
«Promozione della cooperazione per lo sviluppo rurale»;

Beneficiaries: Cooperatives and consortia active in the agri-
cultural and forestry sectors, in the agro-industrial sector and in
the agri-food sector and their partners, having their registered
offices in the region and registered with the State as a coopera-
tive undertaking incorporated under the decreto del Ministero
delle attività produttive (Decree of the Ministry for Productive
Activities) of 23 June 2004.

Sectors concerned: No specific sectors are concerned.

Name and address of granting authority:

Regione Marche
Servizio Agricoltura, Forestazione e Pesca
Posizione di Funzione Sviluppo della impresa agricola e del
sistema agroalimentare
Via Tiziano n. 44
I-60100 Ancona

Website:

3. www.agri-marche.it

4. www.regione.marche.it

2. Deliberazione di Giunta regionale n. 1222 del 23.10.2006
avente ad oggetto «Programma annuale 2006 della legge
regionale 23 febbraio 2005, n. 7», «Promozione della coop-
erazione per lo sviluppo rurale».

Other information: Assistance will be granted exclusively for
projects concerning the agricultural sector and the beneficiaries
will be selected by tender.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
individual aid granted to the company: The
maximum expenditure planned for 2006 is EUR 350 000. For
subsequent years of the scheme, the maximum expenditure will
be established by means of the appropriate finance laws and
will in any event not exceed EUR 1 000 000 for any one year.

Aid to forestry cooperatives will be granted in the same way,
subject to the de minimis rule regarding non-agricultural produc-
tion in Commission Regulation (EC) No 69/2001 (1).

(1) OJ L 10, 13.1.2001, p. 30.

Maximum aid intensity: The expenditure eligible for aid may
not be less than EUR 30 000.

The aid may not exceed 75 % of such expenditure and will in
any event be less than EUR 100 000 over three years per bene-
ficiary,
in accordance with Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No
1/2004.

Aid No: XA 123/06

Member State: Netherlands

Region: Provincie Limburg

Date of implementation: At least 10 working days after the
submission of this form, as required by Article 19(1) of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1/2004.

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual
in Zuid-
aid: Verplaatsing melkveehouderij Snijders
Limburg (Relocation of Snijders dairy farm in South Limburg)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: There is no
time limit on the scheme's duration, which depends on the
funds set aside in the annual budget of the Marche Region and
the period of validity of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004.

Legal basis:

Algemene Subsidieverordening 2004

Objective of aid: Promoting the merging of existing coopera-
tives, increasing their membership, bringing together new firms
as cooperatives to increase the competitiveness of the cooperati-
ve's structure, enabling cooperative companies to find new
commercial outlets and concentrating and reorganising the
offering in agricultural and forestry products.

Subsidieregels voorbereidingskosten verplaatsing melkveehou-
derijen Zuid-Limburg

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Total
once-only contribution by the Province of EUR 100 000 per
relocation.

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Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid to the dairy
farmer comprises 40 % of
the relocation costs up to a
maximum of EUR 100 000. The above-mentioned aid amount
is equivalent to the aid granted to the farmer if relocation in the
public interest provides the farmer with more modern installa-
tions and leads to an increase in production capacity. If the
installations concerned increase in value and the production
capacity increases, the farmer's contribution must at least corre-
spond to 60 % of the increase in the installations' value or to
the expenditure connected with the increase. This in accordance
with Article 6(3) and (4) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004. The
dairy farmer is himself to contribute at least 60 %. Snijders
dairy farm: estimated costs EUR 1 524 792.

Date of implementation: The decision to grant subsidy will be
issued once the EU has confirmed receipt of this notification.

Duration of
December 2006 to 31 December 2008 inclusive.

scheme or

individual

aid award: From

Objective of aid: The aid relates to the relocation,
in the
public interest, of promising dairy farms from areas with plan-
ning restrictions in particular but where the presence of dairy
farming is crucial for maintaining environmental quality and the
landscape. In accordance with the Province's objectives, the relo-
cation of a dairy farm must be oriented towards the quality of
the landscape and the environment, and sustainability.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Intensive dairy farms (small
and medium-sized enterprises) measuring 75 Dutch size units
(NGE) or more and located in areas with more than 2 %
gradient in South Limburg are eligible for aid.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Provincie Limburg
Limburglaan 10
Postbus 5700
6202 MA Maastricht
Nederland

Website: www.limburg.nl

Aid No: XA 124/06

Member State: Netherlands

Region: Provincie Limburg

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual
in Zuid-
aid: Verplaatsing melkveehouderij Mingels
Limburg (Relocation of Mingels dairy farm in South Limburg)

Legal basis:

Algemene Subsidieverordening 2004

Subsidieregels voorbereidingskosten verplaatsing melkveehou-
derijen Zuid-Limburg

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Total
once-only contribution by the Province of EUR 100 000 per
relocation.

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid to the dairy
farmer comprises 40 % of
the relocation costs up to a
maximum of EUR 100 000. The above-mentioned aid amount
is equivalent to the aid granted to the farmer if relocation in the
public interest provides the farmer with more modern installa-
tions and leads to an increase in production capacity. If the
installations concerned increase in value and the production
capacity increases, the farmer's contribution must at least corre-
spond to 60 % of the increase in the installations' value or to
the expenditure connected with the increase. This in accordance
with Article 6(3) and (4) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004. The
dairy farmer is himself to contribute at least 60 %. Mingels
dairy farm: estimated costs EUR 1 874 970.

Date of implementation: The decision to grant subsidy will be
issued once the EU has confirmed receipt of this notification.

Duration of
December 2006 to 31 December 2008 inclusive.

scheme or

individual

aid award: From

Objective of aid: The aid relates to the relocation,
in the
public interest, of promising dairy farms from areas with plan-
ning restrictions in particular but where the presence of dairy
farming is crucial for maintaining environmental quality and the
landscape. In accordance with the Province's objectives, the relo-
cation of a dairy farm must be oriented towards the quality of
the landscape and the environment, and sustainability.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Intensive dairy farms (small
and medium-sized enterprises) measuring 75 Dutch size units
(NGE) or more and located in areas with more than 2 %
gradient in South Limburg are eligible for aid.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Provincie Limburg
Limburglaan 10
Postbus 5700
6202 MA Maastricht
Nederland

Website: www.limburg.nl