do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
State aid — Community guidelines for State aid in the agriculture and forestry sector 2007-2013 — Acceptance by Member States of the proposal for appropriate measures made by the Commission in accordance with Article 88(1) of the EC Treaty (Pursuant to Article 26(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty )
Date: 2008-03-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, State aid, aid to agriculture, exchange of information, silviculture

15.3.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70/11

NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES

State aid — Community guidelines for State aid in the agriculture and forestry sector 2007-2013 —
Acceptance by Member States of the proposal for appropriate measures made by the Commission
in accordance with Article 88(1) of the EC Treaty

(Pursuant to Article 26(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of
Article 93 of the EC Treaty (1))

(2008/C 70/06)

In accordance with point 196 of the Community guidelines for State aid in the agriculture and forestry
sector 2007 to 2013 (2), Member States must amend their amend their existing aid schemes to conform
with the guidelines by 31 December 2007 at the latest, except for existing aid schemes for investments in
connection with processing and marketing of agricultural products,
that have to be eliminated by
31 December 2008 at the latest, and for investments concerning land purchase in agricultural holdings, that
have to be amended to conform with the guidelines by 31 December 2009.

Point 197 of the guidelines states that Member States are invited to confirm that they accept the proposals
for appropriate measures in writing by 28 February 2007 at the latest.

Member States were reminded of the need to accept the above-mentioned appropriate measures in a letter
from the Commission of 29 January 2007.

The following Member States have given their explicit and unconditional agreement to the proposed appro-
priate measures in writing:

Member State

Date of Agreement

Belgium

Czech Republic

Denmark

Germany

Estonia

Ireland

Greece

Spain

France

Italy

Cyprus

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxembourg

(1) OJ L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 319, 27.12.2006, p. 1.

29 January 2007

27 February 2007

27 February 2007

25 April 2007

28 February 2007

21 February 2007

27 February 2007

27 February 2007

13 February 2007

13 March 2007

18 April 2007

20 February 2007

22 March 2007

23 April 2007

C 70/12

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

15.3.2008

Member State

Date of Agreement

Hungary

Malta

Netherlands

Austria

Poland

Portugal

Slovenia

Slovakia

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

7 February 2007

16 February 2007

27 February 2007

1 March 2007

26 February 2007

22 March 2007

26 February 2007

26 February 2007

21 February 2007

13 February 2007

16 February 2007

Pursuant to Article 19(1) of Regulation (EC) No 659/1999, the Commission hereby takes note of the uncon-
ditional and explicit agreement of the above-mentioned Member States to the appropriate measures which it
has proposed.
Public holidays in 2008
Date: 2008-03-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, public holiday

15.3.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70/13

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN 2008

(2008/C 70/07)

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

1.1, 24.3, 1.5, 2.5, 12.5, 21.7, 15.8, 1.11, 2.11, 11.11, 15.11, 25.12, 26.12,
27.12, 28.12, 29.12, 30.12, 31.12

БЪЛГАРИЯ

1.1, 3.3, 27.4, 28.4, 1.5, 6.5, 24.5, 6.9, 22.9, 1.11, 24.12, 25.12, 26.12

ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA

1.1, 24.3, 1.5, 8.5, 5.7, 6.7, 28.9, 28.10, 17.11, 24.12, 25.12, 26.12

DANMARK

1.1, 20.3, 21.3, 24.3, 18.4, 1.5, 12.5, 5.6, 24.12, 25.12, 26.12, 31.12

DEUTSCHLAND

1.1, 21.3, 24.3, 1.5, 12.5, 3.10, 25.12

EESTI

1.1, 24.2, 21.3, 23.3, 1.5, 23.6, 24.6, 20.8, 24.12, 25.12, 26.12

ÉIRE/IRELAND

1.1, 17.3, 24.3, 5.5, 2.6, 4.8, 27.10, 25.12, 26.12

ΕΛΛΆΔΑ

ESPAÑA

FRANCE

ITALIA

1.1, 6.1, 10.3, 25.3, 25.4, 28.4, 1.5, 16.6, 15.8, 28.10, 25.12, 26.12

1.1, 2.1, 20.3, 21.3, 24.3, 1.5, 2.5, 9.5, 12.5, 21.7, 24.12, 25.12, 26.12, 29.12,
30.12, 31.12

1.1, 24.3, 1.5, 8.5, 14.7, 15.8, 1.11, 11.11, 25.12

1.1, 24.3, 1.5, 2.5, 12.5, 2.6, 21.7, 15.8, 1.11, 25.12, 26.12

ΚΎΠΡΟΣ/KIBRIS

1.1, 6.1, 10.3, 25.3, 1.4, 25.4, 28.4, 1.5, 16.6, 15.8, 1.10, 28.10, 24.12, 25.12,
26.12

LATVIJA

LIETUVA

1.1, 21.3, 24.3, 1.5, 5.5, 23.6, 24.6, 18.11, 24.12, 25.12, 26.12, 31.12

1.1, 16.2, 11.3, 1.5, 24.6, 6.7, 15.8, 1.11, 25.12, 26.12

LUXEMBOURG

1.1, 24.3, 1.5, 12.5, 23.6, 15.8, 25.12, 26.12

MAGYARORSZÁG

1.1, 15.3, 24.3, 1.5, 2.5, 12.5, 20.8, 23.10, 24.10, 1.11, 24.12, 25.12, 26.12

MALTA

NEDERLAND

ÖSTERREICH

POLSKA

PORTUGAL

ROMÂNIA

SLOVENIJA

SLOVENSKO

1.1, 10.2, 19.3, 21.3, 31.3, 1.4, 7.6, 29.6, 15.8, 8.9, 21.9, 8.12, 13.12, 25.12

1.1, 24.3, 1.5, 2.5, 5.5, 12.5, 25.12, 26.12

1.1, 6.1, 24.3, 1.5, 12.5, 22.5, 15.8, 26.10, 1.11, 8.12, 25.12, 26.12

1.1, 23.3, 24.3, 1.5, 3.5, 11.5, 22.5, 15.8, 1.11, 11.11, 25.12, 26.12

1.1, 21.3, 25.4, 1.5, 22.5, 10.6, 15.8, 5.10, 1.11, 1.12, 8.12, 25.12

1.1, 2.1, 28.4, 1.5, 1.12, 25.12, 26.12

1.1, 2.1, 8.2, 23.3, 24.3, 27.4, 1.5, 2.5, 11.5, 25.6, 15.8, 31.10, 1.11, 25.12,
26.12

1.1, 6.1, 21.3, 24.3, 1.5, 8.5, 5.7, 29.8, 1.9, 15.9, 1.11, 17.11, 24.12, 25.12,
26.12

SUOMI/FINLAND

1.1, 6.1, 21.3, 23.3, 24.3, 1.5, 21.6, 1.11, 6.12, 25.12, 26.12

SVERIGE

1.1, 6.1, 21.3, 23.3, 24.3, 1.5, 11.5, 6.6, 21.6, 1.11, 25.12, 26.12

UNITED KINGDOM

Wales and England: 1.1, 21.3, 24.3, 5.5, 26.5, 25.8, 25.12, 26.12
Northern Ireland: 1.1, 17.3, 21.3, 24.3, 5.5, 26.5, 14.7, 25.8, 25.12, 26.12
Scotland: 1.1, 2.1, 21.3, 5.5, 26.5, 4.8, 25.12, 26.12
Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty — Cases where the Commission raises no objections (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2008-03-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, State aid, air transport, control of State aid, economic support, maritime transport, regional development

15.3.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70/7

Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/C 70/03)

Date of adoption of the decision

11.12.2007

Reference number of the aid

N 848/06

Member State

Region

Italy

—

Title (and/or name of the beneficiary)

Fondo per favorire il potenziamento, la sostituzione e l'ammodernamento delle
unità navali destinate al servizio di trasporto pubblico locale effettuato per via
marittima, fluviale e lacuale.

Legal basis

Articolo 18, comma 593, del disegno di legge n. 1183 recante «Disposizioni
per la formazione del bilancio annuale e pluriennale dello Stato» all'esame del
Parlamento.

Type of measure

Aid scheme

Objective

To encourage the scrapping of older vessels intended exclusively for local mari-
time and inland navigation (river or lake) public transport which no longer
comply with recent maritime or inland navigation safety and environmental
protection standards in order to prevent accidents, safeguard human life and
limit the consequences of disasters which could cause substantial damage to the
environment

Form of aid

Direct grant

Budget

Intensity

Duration

EUR 30 million annually and the overall budget is EUR 90 million

—

1 January 2007-31 December 2009

Economic sectors

Maritime and inland navigation local transport

Name and address of
authority

the granting

Ministero dei Trasporti

Other information

—

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be
found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision

14.2.2008

Reference number of the aid

N 754/07

Member State

Region

Italy

Regione Toscana

Title (and/or name of the beneficiary) Aiuti di avviamento a favore di compagnie aeree operanti sull'aeroporto

regionale di Grosseto

C 70/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

15.3.2008

Legal basis

Convenzione fra la Camera di commercio di Grosseto, la Provincia e il Comune
di Grosseto

Type of measure

Regime

Objective

Form of aid

Budget

Intensity

Duration

Regional development

Direct subsidies

EUR 927 000

30 % of the eligible costs

Three years (as of June 2008)

Economic sectors

Air transport

Name and address of
authority

the granting

Camera di Commercio di Grosseto
Comune e Provincia di Grosseto
Regione Toscana

Other information

Decision not to raise objections to the measure

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be
found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/community_law/state_aids/
Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.5083 — Groupama/OTP Garancia) Text with EEA relevance
Date: 2008-03-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, exchange of information, insurance company, merger control

C 70/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

15.3.2008

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPETITION
POLICY

COMMISSION

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5083 — Groupama/OTP Garancia)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/C 70/09)

1.
On 10 March 2008, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to
Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Groupama Int (‘Groupama’,
France) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the
undertaking OTP Garancia Biztosító Zártkörűen Működő Részvénytársaság (‘OTP Garancia’, Hungary) by
way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

— for Groupama: insurance group providing insurance and banking services,

— for OTP Garancia: insurances.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the

3.
scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed

4.
operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication.
Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax ((32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under
reference number COMP/M.5083 — Groupama/OTP Garancia, to the following address:

European Commission
Directorate-General for Competition
Merger Registry
J-70
B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.
Protocol amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Eastern Republic of Uruguay on certain aspects of air services
Date: 2008-03-15
Institutions: European Community, Uruguay
Subjects: Bulgaria, Romania, Uruguay, accession to the European Union, agreement (EU), air transport, protocol to an agreement, revision of an agreement

15.3.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 73/31

amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Eastern Republic of Uruguay
on certain aspects of air services

PROTOCOL

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY,

of the one part, and

THE EASTERN REPUBLIC OF URUGUAY,

of the other part,

(hereinafter referred to as the Parties),

HAVING REGARD to the Agreement between Romania and the Eastern Republic of Uruguay, signed on 31 May 1996 in
Bucharest,

HAVING REGARD to the Agreement between the European Community and the Eastern Republic of Uruguay on certain
aspects of air services, signed in Montevideo on 3 November 2006 (hereinafter referred to as the horizontal agreement),

CONSIDERING the accession of Romania to the European Union, and therefore to the Community, on 1 January 2007,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

(c) at point (d) ‘Taxation of aviation fuel’:

The following indent shall be inserted in Annex I, point (a) of
the horizontal agreement after the entry concerning Portugal:

‘— Article 9 of the Uruguay-Romania Agreement;’;

‘— Agreement between the Government of Romania and the
Government of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay concerning
air services, done at Bucharest on 31 May 1996, hereinafter
referred to as the “Uruguay-Romania Agreement” in Annex
II;’.

(d) at point

(e)
Community’:

‘Tariffs

for carriage within the European

‘— Article 8 of the Uruguay-Romania Agreement;’.

Article 2

Article 3

The following indents shall be inserted in Annex II to the
horizontal
the
after
‘Uruguay-Portugal Agreement’:

concerning

agreement

entries

the

(a) at point (a) ‘Designation’:

This Protocol shall enter into force when the Parties have
notified each other in writing that
their respective internal
procedures necessary for
its entry into force have been
completed.

Article 4

‘— Article 3 of the Uruguay-Romania Agreement;’;

(b) at point (b) ‘Refusal, revocation, suspension or limitation of

authorisations or permissions’:

‘— Article 4(1) of the Uruguay-Romania Agreement;’;

This Protocol shall be drawn up in the Bulgarian, Czech,
Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish,
Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish
languages. In case of divergence the Spanish text shall prevail
over the other language texts.
Euro exchange rates
Date: 2008-03-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: euro, exchange rate

C 70/10

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

15.3.2008

IV

(Notices)

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND
BODIES

COMMISSION

Euro exchange rates (1)

14 March 2008

(2008/C 70/05)

1 euro =

Currency

Exchange rate

Currency

Exchange rate

USD

JPY

DKK

GBP

SEK

CHF

ISK

NOK

BGN

CZK

EEK

HUF

LTL

LVL

PLN

RON

SKK

US dollar

Japanese yen

Danish krone

Pound sterling

Swedish krona

Swiss franc

Iceland króna

Norwegian krone

Bulgarian lev

Czech koruna

Estonian kroon

Hungarian forint

Lithuanian litas

Latvian lats

Polish zloty

Romanian leu

Slovak koruna

1,5561

TRY

Turkish lira

157,07

AUD Australian dollar

7,4569

0,76755

9,4361

1,5741

CAD

HKD

NZD

SGD

Canadian dollar

Hong Kong dollar

New Zealand dollar

Singapore dollar

1,8898

1,6531

1,5479

12,1104

1,8998

2,1536

108,95

KRW South Korean won

1 552,05

7,9885

1,9558

25,034

15,6466

ZAR

CNY

HRK

IDR

South African rand

Chinese yuan renminbi

Croatian kuna

Indonesian rupiah

257,07

MYR Malaysian ringgit

3,4528

0,6975

3,5280

3,6986

PHP

RUB

THB

BRL

Philippine peso

Russian rouble

Thai baht

Brazilian real

32,302

MXN Mexican peso

12,2348

11,0318

7,2584

14 367,47

4,9212

64,648

36,8500

48,893

2,6110

16,7001

(1) Source:

reference exchange rate published by the ECB.
Withdrawal of notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.4967 — Marel/SFS) Text with EEA relevance
Date: 2008-03-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, food processing, machinery, merger control

C 70/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

15.3.2008

Withdrawal of notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.4967 — Marel/SFS)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/C 70/11)

(Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004)

On 18 February 2008, the Commission of the European Communities received notification of a proposed
concentration between Marel Food Systems hf and Stork Food Systems. On 12 March 2008, the notifying
parties informed the Commission that they withdrew their notification.
Protocol amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Maldives on certain aspects of air services
Date: 2008-03-15
Institutions: European Community, Maldives
Subjects: Bulgaria, Maldives, Romania, accession to the European Union, agreement (EU), air transport, protocol to an agreement, revision of an agreement

L 73/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

15.3.2008

amending the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Maldives on
certain aspects of air services

PROTOCOL

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY,

of the one part, and

THE REPUBLIC OF MALDIVES,

of the other part,

(hereinafter referred to as the Parties),

HAVING REGARD to the Agreement between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Maldives, signed on
13 August 1996 in Male,

HAVING REGARD to the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Maldives on certain aspects
of air services, signed in Brussels on 21 September 2006 (hereinafter referred to as the horizontal agreement),

CONSIDERING the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union and therefore to the Community on
1 January 2007,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

(c) at point (d) ‘Taxation of aviation fuel’:

The following indent shall be inserted in Annex I, point (a) of
the horizontal agreement after the entry concerning Austria:

‘— Agreement between the Government of the Republic of
Bulgaria and the Government of the Republic of Maldives
concerning air services, done at Male on 13 August 2006,
hereinafter referred to as the “Maldives-Bulgaria Agreement”
in Annex II;’.

Article 2

The following indents shall be inserted in Annex II to the
horizontal agreement after the entry concerning the ‘Maldives-
Austria Agreement’:

(a) at point (a) ‘Designation by a Member State’:

‘— Article 3(1), of the Maldives-Bulgaria Agreement;’;

(b) at point (b) ‘Refusal, revocation, suspension or limitation of

authorisations or permissions’:

‘— Article 4(1)(a) of the Maldives-Bulgaria Agreement;’;

‘— Article 7 of the Maldives-Bulgaria Agreement;’;

(d) at point

(e)
Community’:

‘Tariffs

for carriage within the European

‘— Article 9 of the Maldives-Bulgaria Agreement;’.

Article 3

This Protocol shall enter into force when the Parties have
notified each other in writing that
their respective internal
its entry into force have been
procedures necessary for
completed.

Article 4

This Protocol shall be drawn up in the Bulgarian, Czech,
Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish,
Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish and
Maldivian Dhivehi languages, each of these texts being equally
authentic.
Prior notification of a concentration (Case COMP/M.5106 — Candover/Bourne Leisure) — Candidate case for simplified procedure Text with EEA relevance
Date: 2008-03-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, exchange of information, investment company, merger control, tourism

15.3.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70/19

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5106 — Candover/Bourne Leisure)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/C 70/10)

On 7 March 2008,

1.
the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration
pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Candover
Partners Limited (‘Candover’, United Kingdom) belonging to the Candover Group acquires within the
meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Bourne
Leisure Holdings Limited (‘Bourne Leisure’, United Kingdom) by way of purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

— for Candover: a private global investment firm, arranging and providing private equity for large European

buy-outs,

— for Bourne Leisure: provision of accommodation and other related facilities for holidays or short breaks

in hotels, caravan parks and holiday parks in the United Kingdom.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the
3.
scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to
the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council
Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the
procedure set out in the Notice.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed

4.
operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication.
Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax ((32-2) 296 43 01 or 296 72 44) or by post, under
reference number COMP/M.5106 — Candover/Bourne Leisure, to the following address:

European Commission
Directorate-General for Competition
Merger Registry
J-70
B-1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 56, 5.3.2005, p. 32.
Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case COMP/M.4945 — Arcelor/OFZ) Text with EEA relevance
Date: 2008-03-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: economic concentration, ferro-alloy, iron and steel product, merger control, restrictive-practice authorisation

15.3.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70/9

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case COMP/M.4945 — Arcelor/OFZ)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2008/C 70/04)

On 25 February 2008, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to
declare it compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regu-
lation (EC) No 139/2004. The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public
after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

— from the Europa competition website (http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/mergers/cases/). This
website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case
number, date and sectoral indexes,

— in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website under document number 32008M4945. EUR-Lex is the

on-line access to European law (http://eur-lex.europa.eu).