Council Regulation (EC) No 1247/2007 of 22 October 2007 amending Regulation (EC) No 1947/2005 as regards national aid granted by Finland for seeds and cereal seed
Date: 2007-10-22
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Finland, State aid, aid to agriculture, cereals, control of State aid, production aid, seed

26.10.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 282/1

(Acts adopted under the EC Treaty/Euratom Treaty whose publication is obligatory)

I

REGULATIONS

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1247/2007

of 22 October 2007

amending Regulation (EC) No 1947/2005 as regards national aid granted by Finland for seeds and
cereal seed

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(3)

to the

domestically produced

The report also shows that the production volume of
cereal seed in Finland has experienced an upward trend
and that the quantity of imported cereal seed is small
compared
quantity.
Furthermore, the report points out that when domestic
seeds production has decreased, imports have increased
and vice versa, leading to the conclusion that substitution
of imports for domestically produced seeds is possible
and that national Finnish aid may distort competition
with imported products.

(4)

(5)

relatively

competitive

Timothy seed is multiplied in Finland in nearly optimal
and
conditions. Maintaining
coupled aid for timothy production will undoubtedly
permit a high level of timothy seed production to be
maintained in Finland. National aid for timothy seed
production should therefore be abolished.

For the above reasons and for the proper functioning of
the internal market, it is appropriate to discontinue the
possibility for Finland to grant national aid for seeds and
in order to enable farmers in
cereal seed. However,
Finland to prepare for the new situation created by the
abolition of national aid, aid for the production of seeds
and cereal seed, with the exception of timothy seeds,
should be maintained during a final transitional period,
after which it will be abolished.

(6) With a view to an interim review of the national aid
system,
a
detailed report on the results of the national aid granted.

required to provide

Finland should be

Having regard to the Treaty
establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 36 and the third subpara-
graph of Article 37(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Pursuant
to the first subparagraph of Article 8(2) of
Council Regulation (EC) No 1947/2005 (1), Finland
may, subject to authorisation by the Commission, grant
aid respectively for certain quantities of seeds and for
certain quantities of cereal
seed produced solely in
Finland because of its specific climatic conditions.

the Commission transmitted

On the basis of
information sent by Finland to the
to the
Commission,
Council a report in accordance with the second subpara-
graph of Article 8(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1947/2005.
That report shows that seeds and cereal seed producers in
to other aid schemes and can
Finland have access
therefore benefit from subsidies aimed at compensating
Finnish farmers for the climatic conditions in which they
operate.

(1) OJ L 312, 29.11.2005, p. 3.

(7)

Regulation (EC) No 1947/2005 should therefore be
amended accordingly,

L 282/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

26.10.2007

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Article 8(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1947/2005 shall be replaced
by the following:

By 31 December 2008 at the latest, Finland shall transmit to
the Commission a detailed report on the results of the aid
authorised.’

subject

Finland may,

‘2.
the
Commission, grant aid for certain quantities of seeds, with
the exception of timothy seeds (Phleum pratense L.), and for
certain quantities of cereal seed produced solely in Finland
up to and including the 2010 harvest.

authorisation

by

to

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Luxembourg, 22 October 2007.

For the Council
The President

J. SILVA