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: 2008-04-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, State aid, aid to agriculture, control of State aid, exchange of information, small and medium-sized enterprises

C 100/6

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Official Journal of the European Union

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NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES

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

(2008/C 100/04)

Aid No: XA 384/07

Member State: Belgium

Region: Vlaanderen

VLAM intends to undertake the following activities:

1. providing consultancy services by, for example, giving infor-
mation, support and encouragement to producers of farm
products;

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid:

Vlaams Centrum voor Agro- en Visserijmarketing vzw (VLAM)

2. organising forums for the exchange of knowledge, which will
include participating in trade fairs and organising informa-
tion meetings to market products locally.

Legal basis:

Decreet van 22 december 2006 houdende de uitgavenbegroting
van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap voor het begrotingsjaar 2007,
inzonderheid artikel 12, gewijzigd bij het decreet van 29 juni
2007

3. compiling and disseminating publications such as producers'

and consumers' websites and brochures.

The aid is granted under Article 15 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 and complies with that Article.

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

A grant of EUR 60 000, broken down as follows for the three
programmes:

Article 15(2)(c): concerning consultancy services provided by
third parties, the fees for services which do not constitute a
continuous or periodic activity nor relate to the enterprise's
usual operating expenditure, such as routine tax consultancy
services, regular legal services or advertising.

— EUR 34 000 for consultancy services provided,

— EUR 9 000 for organising forums for

the exchange of

knowledge,

Article 15(2)(d): concerning the organisation of and participa-
tion in forums to share knowledge between businesses, competi-
tions, exhibitions and fairs.

— EUR 17 000 for publications

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity is 100 %

Date of implementation: Aid will start on 1 January 2008

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Aid will be
granted for activities carried out between 1 January 2008 and
31 December 2008

Objective of aid:

Article 15(2)(f): publications such as catalogues or websites
presenting factual
information about producers from a given
region or producers of a given product, provided the informa-
tion and presentation is neutral and that all producers
concerned have equal opportunities to be represented in the
publication

Sector(s) concerned: The arable and livestock sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

In 2008, the non-profit organisation VLAM wishes to run an
active campaign for the development and dissemination of a
logo to enable consumers
selling farm
products. The campaign is designed to facilitate contact between
producers and consumers.

to identify places

Departement Landbouw en Visserij
Duurzame Landbouwontwikkeling
Ellips, 6e verdieping
Koning Albert II laan, 35, bus 40
B-1030 Brussel

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Website:

http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/article_body.pl?numac=2007
036508&caller=list&article_lang=N&row_id=1&numero=18&
pub_date=2007-10-04&set3=set+character_variant+ %27dutch.
ftl %27&ddfm=12&dt=DECREET&language=nl&choix1=EN&
choix2=EN&fromtab=+montxt&nl=n&trier=afkondiging&ddda=
2006&sql=dt+ %3D+ %27DECREET %27+and+dd+between+
date %272006-12-22 %27+and+date %272006-12-22 %27+
&rech=18&tri=dd+AS+RANK+&ddfa=2006&dddj=22&dddm=
12&ddfj=22&set1=set+stopfile+ %27MON.stp %27

Other information:

Without this State aid, it would not be possible to achieve the
programme's objective and it would be impossible to carry out
the project

Jules VAN LIEFFERINGE
Secretary-General

Aid No: XA 387/07

Member State: Spain

Region: Comunidad Valenciana

Duration of
31 December 2008

scheme or

individual

aid award: Until

Objective of aid:

The aid is intended to compensate farmers for the loss of
production potential on cherry farms and in vineyards affected
by severe weather conditions during 2006 and 2007, thus facili-
tating the continuing operation of the holdings concerned.

Article 11: Aid for losses due to adverse climatic events.

The aid is intended to compensate for the reduction in income
from the sale of the product resulting from the adverse climatic
event

Sectors(s) concerned: Agricultural sector: cherry growing and
vine growing

Name and address of the granting authority:

Consellería de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación
C/ Amadeo de Saboya, no 2
E-46010 Valencia

Website:

http://www.docv.gva.es/portal/portal/2007/12/03/pdf/2007_14504.
pdf

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid:

Valencia, 26 November 2007.

Régimen de ayudas a los productores de cereza y viñedo de
determinados municipios de la Comunitat Valenciana, afectados
por las adversidades climáticas sufridas durante los años 2006-
2007

Director-general for Agricultural Production
Laura PEÑARROYA FABREGAT

Legal basis:

Resolución de la Consellería de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimenta-
ción, por la que se establecen ayudas a los productores de
cereza y de viñedo de determinados municipios de la Comunitat
Valenciana, afectados por las adversidades climáticas sufridas
durante los años 2006-2007

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

The planned expenditure on aid for
EUR 1 300 000.

cherry growing is

The planned expenditure on aid for
EUR 150 000

vine

growing

is

Maximum aid intensity:

The estimated aid intensity, based on the assessment formula,
will in no case exceed 49,74 % for cherries and will be 39,98 %
for vineyards.

The maximum aid for cherries is EUR 20 000.

The aid for vine growing granted to each farmer will not exceed
the maximum aid calculated in accordance with Article 11(2)
and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Date of implementation: Ten days after publication in the
Official Gazette of the Autonomous Community of Valencia

Aid No: XA 388/07

Member State: Italy

Region: Piemonte

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid award:

d.g.r. n. 36-6961 del 24 settembre 2007 «Legge regionale 20
novembre 2002, n. 29 (Istituto per il marketing dei prodotti
agroalimentari del Piemonte), art. 3, comma 2. Procedure, criteri
e condizioni per l'erogazione di contributi in conto capitale»

Legal basis:

Legge regionale n. 29/2002

d.g.r. n. 36-6961 del 24 settembre 2007

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

Annual
EUR 0,40 million.

expenditure

planned

under

the

scheme:

Overall amount of individual grants: EUR 2,40 million

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Maximum intensity of the aid:

Maximum intensity of the aid:

— 100 % for market research, product development and the
establishment of production standards (see point 1.2.1.A of
the Annex to Decree of the Regional Executive No 36-6961
(d.g.r. n. 36-6961 del 24.9.2007 punto 1.2.1.A)),

— 100 % for technical expertise for trade agreements and part-
nerships (see point 1.2.1.B of the Annex to Decree of the
Regional Executive No 366961 (d.g.r. n. 36-6961 del
24.9.2007 punto 1.2.1.B)),

— 100 % for promotional measures, participation in fairs and
similar events (see point 1.2.1.D of the Annex to Decree of
the Regional Executive No 36-6961 (d.g.r. n. 36-6961 del
24.9.2007 punto 1.2.1.D))

Date of implementation: 1 January 2008

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 December
2013

Objective of the aid and eligible expenditure:

The objectives of the aid are:

— Aid within the meaning of Article 14 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 aimed at promoting quality agricultural
products.

In particular, aid may be granted to cover the costs of
primary production enterprises for the following, insofar as
they are related to the development of quality agricultural
products:

research activities, product
conception and
— market
design,
including aid granted for the preparation of
applications for the recognition of geographical indica-
tions and designations of origin or certificates of specific
character in accordance with the relevant Community
regulations,

— the introduction of quality assurance schemes such as
ISO 9000 or 14000 series, systems based on hazard
analysis and critical control points (HACCP), traceability
systems, systems to assure respect of authenticity and
marketing norms or environmental audit systems,

— training of personnel to apply schemes and systems as

referred to in the previous point,

the competent authorities, unless Community legislation
requires enterprises to bear such costs.

— Aid within the meaning of Article 15 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 aimed at promoting trade agreements and
partnerships.

Concerning consultancy provided by third parties, costs may
be financed that are not the costs of permanent or recurrent
services, nor relating to the enterprise's day-to-day expendi-
ture, e.g. for ordinary tax advice, regular legal advice, or
advertising.

— Aid within the meaning of Article 15 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 aimed at promoting participation in promo-
tional events (fairs and similar events).

In particular, in respect of the organisation and participation
in forums
in
competitions, exhibitions and fairs, aid may be granted to
primary production enterprises for the following costs:

to share knowledge between businesses,

— registration fees,

— travel costs,

— costs of publications,

— costs of renting stands,

— symbolic prizes awarded in the framework of competi-
tions, up to a value of EUR 250 per prize and winner.

Aid may be also granted to cover costs for publications such as
information about
catalogues or websites presenting factual
producers from a given region or producers of a given product,
provided that this information and the presentation are neutral
and that all producers concerned are afforded the same opportu-
nity to feature in the publications

Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture and related services and
activities. All production sectors whose products fall under
the definition provided in Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006

Name and address of the authority granting the aid:

Regione Piemonte Direzione Agricoltura
Corso Stati Uniti, 21
I-10129 Torino

Website:

— the charges levied by recognised certifying bodies for the
initial certification of quality assurance and similar
systems,

The direct link to the complete text of the aid scheme is the
following:

— compulsory control measures undertaken pursuant to
legislation by or on behalf of

Community or national

http://www.regione.piemonte.it/governo/bollettino/abbonati/
2007/39/suppo2/00000001.htm

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Other information:

The planned duration of the aid scheme is up to 2013, i.e. until
the expiry of the Community guidelines for State aid in the agri-
culture and forestry sector 2007 to 2013 (OJ C 319,
27.12.2006, p. 1) and the exemption Regulation, Regulation
(EC) No 1857/2006. The annual expenditure of EUR 400 000
is provided for in the multiannual budget of the Region of
Piedmont, as approved by Regional Law No 10 of 23 April
2007 for 2007, 2008 and 2009. Subsequent regional legislative
acts of an accounting and financial nature shall set out, every
year, the financial allocation of
the aid scheme from 2010
to 2013

Aid No: XA 390/07

Member State: France

Region: Département de l'Hérault

Title of aid scheme:

Aides à l'achat d'agroéquipements à vocation environnementale
par des Coopératives d'Utilisation de Matériels en Commun
(CUMA)

Legal basis:

— Article 4 du règlement (CE) no 1857/2006 de la Commis-

sion du 15 décembre 2006

— Articles L1511-2, L1511-3 et L1511-5 du code général des

collectivités territoriales

— Délibération du Conseil général de l'Hérault du 16 juillet

2007

— Convention cadre en cours entre le département et la région

Languedoc Roussillon

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 70 000
depending on budget available

Maximum aid intensity: Between 15 % and 40 % of the total
eligible cost depending on the equipment and existence or
otherwise of other public financers, it being understood that the
Departmental Council will ensure that the rate of 40 % is never
exceeded where there are several sources of aid

Date of
receipt by the European Commission

implementation: Following acknowledgement of

Duration of scheme: 2007-2013

Objective of aid:

This aid scheme is in line with Article 4 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006.

The implementation of this programme should enable the envir-
onmental protection objective contained in Article 4(3)(d) of the
above Regulation to be met.

The eligible expenditure will cover the purchase of high-perfor-
mance agricultural equipment which will enable the use of parti-
cularly polluting chemical fertilisers and phytosanitary products
to be restricted and soil inputs to be reduced, thereby contri-
buting to the development of environmentally-friendly cultural
practices. For example, replacing chemical weed control by
mechanical weed control reduces the use of herbicides and
therefore their presence in the soil and in surface and ground-
water.

This aid will also contribute to reducing costs for individual
holdings in accordance with Article 4(3)(a) of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006, as it is reserved for CUMAs (shared equipment
cooperatives). Indeed investing as CUMAs allows needs to be
pooled; farmers optimise and rationalise their investments on
the scale of several holdings. Purchasing the equipment as
CUMAs avoids over-investment on the part of individuals. This
stimulates the competitiveness of the holdings, all other things
being equal.

The list of eligible agricultural equipment is attached to this
exemption form

Sector(s) concerned: The aid is open to all CUMAs, irrespec-
tive of their sector of activity, provided that they comply with
the definition of SMEs within the meaning of Community rules

Name and address of the granting authority:

Conseil général de l'Hérault
Hôtel du département
1000, rue d'Alco
F-34087 Montpellier cedex 4

Website:

www.cg34.fr

heading: Economie/agriculture/production/appui au développe-
ment/ en savoir plus: aide à l'investissement en CUMA

List of eligible agricultural equipment for environmental
purposes:

1. Soil working equipment, in particular:

Plant shredders

Sprayers

Rotating shredders

Decompactors

Rotating mowers

Subsoil ploughs

Harrows.

The use of this equipment restricts chemical weed control,
aerates the soil and leads to a better transformation of
organic matter by improving the soil structure. Expenditure
therefore
to purchase
contribute to the objectives for improving the natural envir-
onment in accordance with Article 4(3)(d) of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006.

equipment will

agricultural

this

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2. Biofuel equipment, in particular:

Decanting vats

Holding silos

Packaging machines

Storage silos

Pumps

Sorters

Storage vats

Pressing units

Oil presses

Worms

Dryers

Filters.

Better tying reduces the use of phytosanitary products as the
leaf surface is less extended and healthier.

5. Equipment restricting pollution by phytosanitary products, in par-

ticular:

Washing units for harvesting machines

Programmable totalisers,

Precision locating equipment Treatment: GPS

Vat rinsing kits

Equipment to assist decision-making

Flow management equipment

Spray mixture recovery panels.

This equipment allows biofuels to be produced from rape-
seed and sunflower. It will be financed if it is intended to be
used solely for the production of biofuels.

This equipment reduces chemical
efficacy of the treatments

inputs and increases the

3. Equipment linked to the use of organic matter, in particular:

Spreading tanks

Manure spreaders

Compost spreaders

Composting packs

Organic matter spreaders

Plant shredders.

The use of organic matter avoids the use of chemical fertili-
sers. Furthermore, the organic matter improves the soil struc-
ture and increases its retention capacity. The measure there-
fore complies with the environmental preservation objective
contained in Article 4(3)(d) of Regulation No 1857/2006.

4. Green pruning equipment, in particular:

Collecting rakes

Mechanical cleaners

Brush shredders

Tying-up machines

Toppers

Pre-pruners

Leaf cutters

Creepers.

This equipment is essentially used for tying up vines and
maintaining plots.

Aid No: XA 391/07

Member State: Spain

Region: Región de Murcia

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid:

Ayudas a los Consejos Reguladores de Denominaciones de
Origen e Indicaciones Geográficas y para el Consejo de Agricul-
tura Ecológica de la Región de Murcia, para la puesta en marcha
y para las actividades de los Consejos

Legal basis:

Propuesta de Orden de la Consejería de Agricultura y Agua por
la que se establecen las subvenciones para los Consejos Regula-
dores de Denominaciones de Origen e Indicaciones Geográficas
y para el Consejo de Agricultura Ecológica de la Región de
Murcia

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
individual aid granted to the company: The
annual expenditure planned is EUR 2 000 000, amounting to
EUR 12 000 000 for the six-year period

Maximum aid intensity:

Under Article 4 of the Draft Order, the aid may not exceed
EUR 275 000 per year and Council for products governed by
Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 or EUR 160 000 for products
governed by Regulations
(EC) No 510/2006 and (EC)
No 1493/1999.

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However, by virtue of Article 3, the maximum amount of aid
depends on the eligible expenditure concerned. Thus:

— For aid covering the activities of the Councils (Article 3.A),
up to 70 % of total expenditure for information and promo-
tion may be subsidised in the framework of programmes
relating to food quality (subject
to a maximum of
EUR 90 000) (point 1.1) and up to 70 % also for aid for
market research (subject to a maximum of EUR 20 000 per
year) (point 1.3). For generic advertising, aid of up to 50 %
is
to a maximum of EUR 20 000
allowed,
(point 1.2).

subject

For the costs of the compulsory control measures, aid of up to
100 % or 60 % is allowed, depending on whether they are
carried out by Councils for products governed by Regulation
(EEC) No 2092/91 or whether they are carried out by Councils
governed by Regulations
(EC) No 510/2006 and (EC)
No 1493/1999 (subject to a maximum of EUR 60 000 per year
in the case of the last two Regulations) (Article 3.A.2).

for

the

five

first

— For setting up the Councils (Article 3.B), aid of up to 100 %
may be granted subject to a maximum of EUR 60 000 per
year
(and a maximum of
years
EUR 300 000 for the five-year period as a whole) (point 1);
aid for information, promotion and publicity will decrease
gradually over the initial five-year period from the creation
of the Regulatory Council, and the limits are the same as
research,
above, both for generic publicity
i.e. EUR 20 000 per year (point 2). For the costs of the
the aid will also decrease
compulsory control measures,
gradually,
five years
following the setting up of the Regulatory Council and will
be subject to the same maximum of up to EUR 60 000 per
year (point 3)

from 100 % to 60 %,

in the first

and for

Date of implementation: January 2008

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until December
2013

Objective of aid:

The aid provided for in the Draft Order is awarded in respect of
the activities both of the Regulatory Councils for Designations

of Origin and Geographical
the Murcia
Organic Farming Board in relation to the control and promo-
tion of the quality of the products they deal with and defraying
the costs of setting up new bodies.

Indications and of

The subsidies provided for in the Draft Order in respect of the
activities of the Councils are in keeping with Article 15(2)(c)
and (d) in (i), (iii), (iv) and (e) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006
and Article 3.A.1 and B.2 of the Draft Order; and Article 14(a)
and (e) of the Regulation with Article 3.A.2 and B.3 of the
Draft Order.

With regard to aid for setting up the Councils, provision is
made for this in measures included in Article 9 of the Regu-
lation which include the eligible expenditure mentioned in
Section 3, which are included in Article 3.B.1 of the Draft
Order

Sector(s) concerned: Agricultural production, including animal
and vegetable products

Name and address of the granting authority:

Dirección General de Industrias y Asociacionismo Agrario
Consejería de Agricultura y Agua
Plaza de Juan XXIII, s/n
E-30008 Murcia

Website:

http://www.carm.es/neweb2/servlet/integra.servlets.ControlPu-
blico?IDCONTENIDO=5221&IDTIPO=100&RASTRO=c428$m

Other information:

The aid is not paid directly to the producers but through the
Regulatory Councils for Designations of Origin and Geogra-
phical Indications and for the Murcia Organic Farming Board
for products governed by Council Regulation No 510/2006 of
20 March 2006 on the protection of geographical indications
and designations of origin for agricultural products and food-
stuffs, Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999
on the common organisation of
in wine and
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on
organic production of agricultural products and indications
referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs

the market