Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 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 of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001
Date: 2007-12-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, Slovenia, State aid, United Kingdom, aid to agriculture, control of State aid, exchange of information, small and medium-sized enterprises

15.12.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 304/15

Information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission
Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 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 of agricultural products and
amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001

(2007/C 304/13)

XA Number: XA 167/07

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Sevnice

— additional aid may be granted up to 100 % to cover the
extra costs incurred by using traditional materials neces-
sary to maintain the heritage features of buildings.

3. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid:
„Finančna sredstva za ohranjanje in spodbujanje
razvoja kmetijstva in podeželja v občini Sevnica“

Legal basis: Pravilnik o ohranjanju in spodbujanju razvoja
kmetijstva in podeželja v občini Sevnica programsko obdobje
2007-2013 (Poglavje II.)

— municipal support brings the difference between the
amount of co-financing of insurance premiums from the
national budget up to 50 % of eligible costs of insurance
premiums
insuring crops and products against
adverse weather conditions classed as natural disasters
and to insure livestock against the risk of destruction due
to disease.

for

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

4. Aid for land reparcelling:

2007: EUR 138 500

2008: EUR 194 000

2009: EUR 194 000

2010: EUR 194 000

2011: EUR 194 000

2012: EUR 194 000

2013: EUR 194 000

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings:

— 50 % of eligible costs in less-favoured areas,

— 40 % of eligible costs in other areas,

— where the share of aid for investment in farms applies to
young farmers within five years of their establishment,
the aid is granted 60 % of eligible costs in less-favoured
areas or 50 % in other areas.

The purpose of aid is investment to restore farm features, to
purchase equipment used for agricultural production,
to
invest in permanent crops and to improve pastures.

2. Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings:

— for non-productive features up to 100 % of actual costs,

— for means of agricultural production up to 75 % of
actual costs in less-favoured areas or 60 % in other areas
(farm buildings: granaries, drying frames, beehives, mills,
sawmills), provided the investment does not lead to an
increase in production potential,

— up to 100 % of eligible costs incurred in legal and

administrative procedures.

5. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector:

— aid is granted up to 100 % of costs in the form of subsi-
dised services (which must not involve direct payments
of money to producers) for education and training for
for the organisation of
farmers, consultancy services,
forums, competitions, exhibitions,
fairs, publications,
catalogues, web pages and to disseminate scientific find-
ings.

Date of implementation: July 2007 (or the date on which the
Rules enter into force)

Duration of
31 December 2013

scheme or

individual

aid award: Ends

Objective of aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles in Commission Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 and eligible costs: Chapter II of the draft Rules
on preserving and promoting agriculture and rural development
in the municipality of Sevnica for
the period 2007-2013
in accordance
includes measures
with the following Articles of Commission Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 of 15 December 2006 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 agri-
cultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001
(OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3):

constituting

State

aid

— Article 4: Investment in agricultural holdings,

— Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and build-

ings,

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Official Journal of the European Union

15.12.2007

— Article 12: Aid towards

the payment of

insurance

Maximum aid intensity:

premiums,

— Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

— Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural

sector.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agriculture: Arable and live-
stock farming

Name and address of granting authority:

Občina Sevnica
Glavni trg 19 a
SLO-8290 Sevnica

Web address:

http://www.uradni-list.si/1/ulonline.jsp?urlid=200757&dhid=90254

Other information: The measure for the payment of insurance
premiums to insure crops and products includes the following
adverse weather conditions which may be classed as a natural
disaster: spring frost, hail,
lightning, fire caused by lightning,
hurricanes and floods.

The municipality Rules meet the requirements of Regulation
(EC) No 1857/2006 on the measures to be adopted by munici-
implemented
palities
(procedure for allocating aid, accumulation of aid, transparency
and monitoring of aid).

general provisions

and the

to be

XA Number: XA 168/07

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (United
Kingdom)

— The aid intensity for Transport costs of having carcases of
fallen stock collected from holdings by an approved
contractor is up to 100 % in accordance with Article 16(d)
of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

— The aid intensity for the Disposal costs of rendering or
incineration of carcases by an approved contractor is up to
75 % in accordance with Article 16(d) of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006.

Date of implementation: 22 November 2007

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The Extension
will begin on: 22 November 2007.
close on:
21 November 2008. The last date for applications: 21 November
2008.

It will

Objective of aid: To provide a State-aided voluntary subscrip-
tion system for collection and disposal of fallen stock in compli-
ance with Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to all businesses
active in the production of livestock.

Name and address of the granting authority:

The statutory body responsible for the scheme is:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Food and Farming Group
Area 707, 1A Page Street
London SW1P 4PQ
United Kingdom

The organisation operating the scheme is:

The National Fallen Stock Company Ltd
Stuart House
City Road
Peterborough PE1 1QF
United Kingdom

Web address: http://www.nfsco.co.uk/

Alternatively you can go to the UK's central website for
agricultural State aid:

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: National Fallen Stock Scheme

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

Legal basis: The Scheme is non-statutory.

Other information:

Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 laying down health rules
concerning animal by-products not
intended for human
adequate
consumption requires Member States
arrangements are in place to enable animal by-products to be
disposed of in accordance with the Regulation.

to ensure

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

22 November 2007-31 March 2008:

GBP 1,41 million

1 April 2008-21 November 2008:

GBP 1,94 million

Total: GBP 3,35 million

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 for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs (UK's competent authority)

Neil Marr
Area 8D, 9 Millbank
C/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
Westminster
London SW1P 3JR
United Kingdom

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Official Journal of the European Union

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XA Number: XA 169/07

Member State: Italy

Region: Regione Marche

Title of aid scheme: Legge 1329/65 — agevolazioni per l'ac-
quisto o il leasing di nuove macchine utensili o di produzione

Legal basis: Deliberazione di giunta regionale n. 404 del
7.5.2007

Annual
EUR 2 million

expenditure

planned

under

the

scheme:

Maximum aid intensity: Interest-rate subsidy for the purchase
of new machine tools or new manufacturing equipment,
excluding replacement investments.

The amount of financing is 100 % of the reference rate, indi-
cated and updated by a decree of the Ministry of Production
Activities (referred to in Article 2(2) of Legislative Decree
No 123/98), in force on the date the application is received by
MCC, the Region's managing body.

such investment leads to a reduction of previous water use of at
least 25 %; aid must not be granted in respect of the manufac-
ture of products which imitate or substitute for milk and milk
products.

Sector(s) concerned: This aid scheme applies to small and
medium-sized enterprises active in the processing and marketing
of agricultural products included in Annex I of the EC Treaty
as provided in Article 2(2)(m) and (n) of Regulation (EC)
No 70/2001.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Marche, Servizio Industria, Artigianato, Energia, P.F.
Promozione, credito agevolato, finanza innovativa
Via Tiziano, 44
I-60100 Ancona
tel. (39) 386 07 18 20

Web address:

http://www.incentivi.mcc.it/html/html/MCC_MARCHE/
MCC_MARCHE_LEGGI_SABATINI/section_new_010107.html

Other information:

The gross aid intensity must not exceed 40 % of eligible invest-
ments or 50 % of eligible investments in less favoured areas or
in the areas referred to in Article 36(a)(i), (ii) and (iii) of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1698/2005, as designated by the Member States
in accordance with Articles 50 and 94 of that Regulation.

The annual expenditure indicated herein is cumulative for the
two laws cited under the legal basis and also includes annual
expenditure forecast under the scheme with the same legal basis
targeting SMEs active in the processing and marketing of agri-
cultural products and SMEs active in other economic sectors.

The maximum amount of aid granted to an individual enterprise
must not exceed EUR 400 000 over any period of three fiscal
years, or EUR 500 000 if the enterprise is situated in a less
favoured area or in the areas referred to in Article 36(a)(i), (ii) or
(iii) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005, as designated by
Member States in accordance with Articles 50 and 94 of that
Regulation.

Date of implementation: 1 June 2007; in every case the first
payment will be awarded when notification of the identification
number given by the Commission is sent, which is issued after
the summary information is received.

Duration of scheme: Until 30 June 2008

Objective of aid: To facilitate investments pursuing the
improve-
following objectives: reduction of production costs,
ment and re-deployment of production, improvement in quality,
preservation and improvement of the natural environment or
the improvement of hygiene conditions or animal welfare
standards in accordance with Article 4(3) of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006.

Relevant Articles of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006: Article 4.

investment

Investments for products excluded because of overcapacity or a
lack of market outlets are not eligible; ‘replacement investments’,
that simply replaces an existing building or
i.e.
machine, or parts of
it, by a new up-to date building or
machine, without expanding the production capacity by at least
25 % or without fundamentally changing the nature of produc-
tion or the technology involved are not eligible; aid for invest-
ments for the construction of drainage works or irrigation
equipment and irrigation works may not be granted, unless

XA Number: XA 170/07

Member State: Italy

Region: Regione Marche

Title of aid scheme: Legge 598/94 — art.11 Agevolazioni per
investimenti per l'innovazione tecnologica, la tutela ambientale,
la sicurezza sui
l'innovazione organizzativa e commerciale,
luoghi di lavoro

Legal basis: Deliberazione di giunta regionale n. 404 del
7.5.2007

Planned annual expenditure under the scheme: EUR 4 million

Maximum aid intensity: Interest-rate subsidy

the Ministry of Production Activities

100 % of the reference rate, indicated and updated by a decree
of
(referred to in
Article 2(2) of Legislative Decree No 123/98), in force on the
date the application is received by MCC, the Region's managing
body.

The gross aid intensity must not exceed 40 % of eligible invest-
ments or 50 % of eligible investments in less favoured areas or
in the areas referred to in Article 36(a)(i), (ii) and (iii) of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1698/2005, as designated by the Member States
in accordance with Articles 50 and 94 of that Regulation.

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The maximum amount of aid granted to an individual enterprise
must not exceed EUR 400 000 over any period of three fiscal
years, or EUR 500 000 if the enterprise is situated in a less
favoured area or in the areas referred to in Article 36(a)(i), (ii) or
(iii) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005, as designated by
Member States in accordance with Articles 50 and 94 of that
Regulation.

Date of implementation: 1 June 2007; in every case the first
payment will be awarded when notification of the identification
number given by the Commission is sent, which is issued after
the summary information is received.

Duration of scheme: Until 30 June 2008

Objective of aid: To facilitate investments pursuing the
following objectives: reduction of production costs,
improve-
ment and re-deployment of production, improvement in quality,
preservation and improvement of the natural environment or
the improvement of hygiene conditions or animal welfare
standards in accordance with Article 4(3) of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006.

XA Number: XA 182/07

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Scotland

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park
Natural Heritage Grant Scheme

Legal basis: National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

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

Year

Total Expenditure

Maximum Expenditure per
eligible beneficiary

2007/2008

GBP 167 000
(EUR 246 655)

GBP 20 000
(EUR 29 592)

Relevant Articles of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2004: Article 4.

2008/2009

GBP 167 000
(EUR 246 655)

GBP 20 000
(EUR 29 592)

i.e.

Investments for products excluded from aid because of overca-
pacity or a lack of market outlets are not eligible; ‘replacement
investments’,
investment that simply replaces an existing
building or machine, or parts of it, by a new up-to date building
or machine, without expanding the production capacity by at
least 25 % or without fundamentally changing the nature of
production or the technology involved are not eligible; aid for
investments for the construction of drainage works or irrigation
equipment and irrigation works may not be granted, unless
such investment leads to a reduction of previous water use of at
least 25 %; aid may not be granted for the manufacture of
products which imitate or substitute for milk or milk products.

Sector(s) concerned: The aid scheme applies to small and
medium-sized enterprises active in the processing and marketing
of agricultural products included in Annex I of the EC Treaty
as provided in Article 2(2)(m) and (n) of Regulation (EC)
No 70/2001.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Marche, Servizio Industria, Artigianato, Energia, P.F.
Promozione, credito agevolato, finanza innovativa
Via Tiziano, 44
I-60100 Ancona
tel. (39) 386 07 18 20

Web address:

http://www.incentivi.mcc.it/html/html/MCC_MARCHE/
MCC_MARCHE_LEGGI_598_CLASSICA/section_new_010107.
html

2009/2010

GBP 167 000
(EUR 246 655)

GBP 20 000
(EUR 29 592)

Maximum aid intensity: Aid will only be made available for
investments which protect or enhance the natural heritage. Aid
may be paid at one of three rates:

— Technical

support. The aid intensity for

the technical
support measure will be up to 100 % in accordance with
Article 15 Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

— The maximum aid intensity for the capital works will be up
to 100 % where a grant is awarded for 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 up to 75 % of the eligible invest-
ment in Less Favoured Areas or in areas referred to in
Article 36(a)(i).

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 13 August
2007.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Scheme will
close to new applications on 20 January 2010.

Other information:

Final payment to applicants will be 31 March 2010.

The annual expenditure indicated herein is cumulative for the
two laws cited under the legal basis and also includes annual
expenditure forecast under the scheme with the same legal basis
targeting SMEs active in the processing and marketing of agri-
cultural products and SMEs active in other economic sectors.

Objective of aid: The Natural Heritage Grant Scheme is a
capital grants
scheme designed to encourage and provide
support for measures that will conserve and enhance the natural
heritage, and promote understanding and enjoyment of
the
special qualities of the National Park. The statutory National
Park Plan for Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park indi-
cates the particular activities that will be regarded as a priority
for assistance to deliver the objectives.

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Eligible costs: The Natural Heritage Grant Scheme provides
payment towards any capital works, equipment, labour and/or
professional fees required to develop and implement measures
to conserve and enhance the natural heritage of the Park, and/or
promote understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities
of the Park. This complies with Article 5 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006. Where capital works to assist in conserving
productive heritage features intended to preserve and improve
the natural environment require investment in agricultural hold-
ings, aid will be up to 75 % of the costs incurred. 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-
ticular the costs of organising the training programme, and
consultancy services. The aid will be provided in the form of
services on preferential
terms — in order to comply with
Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, there will be no
direct payments of money to producers.

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

Name and address of the granting authority:

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority
National Park Headquarters
The Old Station
Balloch G83 8BF
United Kingdom

Web address:

http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/park/default.asp?p=309&s=3

Alternatively, you can go to the UK's central website for
exempted agricultural State aids at:

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid: „Državna pomoč za ohranjanje in razvoj kmetijstva,
gozdarstva in podeželja v občini Ribnica“

Legal basis: Pravilnik o sofinanciranju ukrepov za ohranjanje in
razvoj kmetijstva, gozdarstva in podeželja v občini Ribnica

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

2007: EUR 40 895

2008: EUR 44 985

2009: EUR 49 483

2010: EUR 54 431

2011: EUR 56 064

2012: EUR 57 750

2013: EUR 59 480

Maximum aid intensity: Aid will be awarded in the form of a
grant. The maximum intensity of aid per individual measure
totals:

1. Investments in agricultural holdings for primary production:

— up to 50 % of eligible costs in less-favoured areas, or

40 % in other areas.

The purpose of the aid is to invest in the restoration of farm
features, to purchase equipment to be used for agricultural
production, to invest in permanent crops and to improve
farmland and pastures.

http://defraweb/farm/policy/state-aid/setup/exist-exempt.htm

2. Conservation of traditional buildings:

Check on the link Loch Lomond.

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 8D, 9 Millbank
C/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
Westminster
London SW1P 3JR
United Kingdom

— up to 100 % of the real costs as regards investments in

non-productive features,

— up to 60 % of the real costs, or 75 % in less-favoured
areas, as regards investments in productive assets on
farms, provided that the investment does not entail any
increase in the production capacity of the farm,

— additional aid may be granted at a rate of up to 100 % to
cover the extra costs incurred by using traditional mate-
rials necessary to maintain the heritage features of build-
ings.

3. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

XA Number: XA 196/07

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Municipality of Ribnica

— the amount of municipal co-financing is the difference
between the
insurance
premiums from the national budget and up to 50 % of
the eligible costs of an insurance premium for insuring
crops, products and livestock against disease.

co-financing of

amount of

4. Aid for land reparcelling:

— financial aid will be allocated in the form of grants, up to

100 % of eligible legal and administrative costs.

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5. Aid to encourage the production of quality agricultural products:

— Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and build-

— up to 100 % of costs in the form of subsidised services
for measures to promote the quality of agricultural
products.

ings,

— Article 12: Aid towards

the payment of

insurance

premiums,

6. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector:

— Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

— up to 100 % of eligible costs concerning education and
training of farmers, consultancy services, the organisation
of forums, competitions, exhibitions and fairs, publica-
tions, dissemination of scientific knowledge, catalogues
and websites. The aid will be granted in kind by means
of
involve direct
payments of money to producers.

subsidised services and must not

Date of implementation: August 2007 (or the date on which
the Rules enter into force)

Duration of
31 December 2013

scheme or

individual

aid award: Until

Objective of the aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles of Commission Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 and eligible costs: Chapter II of the draft Rules
on co-financing measures for conservation and agricultural,
forestry and rural development in the municipality of Ribnica
includes measures
in accordance
with the following Articles of Commission Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 of 15 December 2006 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 agri-
cultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001
(OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3):

constituting

State

aid

— Article 4: Investment in agricultural holdings,

— Article 14: Aid to encourage the production of quality agri-

cultural products,

— Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural

sector.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agriculture: Arable and live-
stock production

Name and address of granting authority:
Občina Ribnica
Gorenjska cesta 3
SLO-1310 Ribnica

Web address:

http://www.uradni-list.si/1/ulonline.jsp?urlid=200770&dhid=91162

Other information: The measure concerning the payment of
insurance premiums to insure crops and fruit
includes the
following adverse climatic events which can be assimilated to
natural disasters: spring frost, hail, lightning, fire caused by light-
ning, storm and floods.

The municipality's Rules meet the requirements of Regulation
(EC) No 1857/2006 concerning the measures to be adopted by
the municipality and the general provisions applicable (steps
preceding grant of aid, cumulation, transparency and moni-
toring of aid).