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: 2008-05-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, Italy, Slovenia, State aid, United Kingdom, aid to agriculture, control of State aid, exchange of information, small and medium-sized enterprises

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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 129/03)

Aid No: XA 57/08

3. Relocation of farm buildings in the public interest:

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Postojna

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid: Državna pomoč za pospeševanje razvoja kmetijstva in
gozdarstva v občini Postojna v obdobju 2007–2013

Legal basis: Pravilnik o dodeljevanju državnih pomoči za pospe-
ševanje razvoja kmetijstva in gozdarstva v občini Postojna v
obdobju 2007–2013 (II. Poglavje)

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

2007: EUR 73 541

2008: EUR 75 085

2009: EUR 76 662

2010: EUR 78 272

2011: EUR 79 916

2012: EUR 81 594

2013: EUR 83 307

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

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

to 40 % in other areas.

The purpose of aid is investment to restore farm features, to
purchase equipment
to be used for primary agricultural
production and to restore pastures.

2. Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings:

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

— for productive assets on farms, up to 60 % of actual
costs, or 75 % in less-favoured areas, 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 preserve the heritage features of build-
ings.

— up to 100 % of the actual costs where the relocation
simply consists of the dismantling, removal and re-erec-
tion of existing facilities,

— where relocation results in the farmer benefiting from
more modern facilities, the farmer must contribute at
least 60 %, or 50 % in less-favoured areas. If the benefi-
ciary is a young farmer, this contribution is to be at least
55 % or 45 % respectively,

— where the relocation results in an increase in production
capacity, the contribution from the farmer must be at
least 60 %, or 50 % in less-favoured areas, of
the
expenses relating to this increase. If the beneficiary is a
young farmer, this contribution is to be at least 55 % or
45 % respectively.

4. Aid for land reparcelling:

— up to 100 % of actual costs incurred in legal and admin-

istrative procedures.

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

— up to 100 % of costs incurred; the aid is to be provided
in the form of subsidised services and must not involve
direct payments of money to producers.

6. Provision of technical support:

— aid is granted to cover up to 70 % of costs concerning
education and training of farmers, consultancy services
that are provided by third parties and that do not include
the enterprise's usual operating expenditure, the organisa-
tion of forums, competitions, exhibitions, fairs, publica-
tions, catalogues and websites and the dissemination of
scientific knowledge; it is provided in the form of subsi-
dised services and does not involve direct payments of
money to producers

Date of implementation: July 2007

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31.12.2013

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Objective of the aid: To support SMEs

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

Reference to Articles in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and
eligible costs:

Chapter II of the draft Rules on granting State aid to promote
the development of agriculture and forestry in the municipality
of Postojna for the period 2007-2013 includes measures consti-
tuting State aid 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 agricultural products and amending Regulation
(EC) No 70/2001 (OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3):

2007: EUR 50 057

2008: EUR 50 809

2009: EUR 45 000

2010: EUR 45 000

2011: EUR 45 000

2012: EUR 45 000

2013: EUR 45 000

— Article 4: Investment in agricultural holdings,

Maximum aid intensity:

— Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and build-

ings,

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

— Article 6: Relocation of farm buildings in the public interest,

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

— Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

— up to 40 % of eligible costs in other areas.

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

cultural products,

— Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural

sector

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

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Občina Postojna
Ljubljanska cesta 4
SLO-6230 Postojna

Website:

http://www.uradni-list.si/1/ulonline.jsp?urlid=200760&dhid=91087

Other information:

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)

Jernej VERBIČ
Mayor

Aid No: XA 60/08

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Lukovica

2. Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings:

— up to 100 % of actual costs for investment in non-pro-

ductive features,

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

investment

for

— 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 preserve the heritage features of build-
ings.

3. Relocation of farm buildings in the public interest:

— up to 100 % of actual costs where the relocation simply
consists of the dismantling, removal and re-erection of
existing facilities,

— where the relocation results in the farmer benefiting
from more modern facilities, the farmer must contribute
at least 60 %, or 50 % in less-favoured areas, of the
increase in the value of the facilities concerned after relo-
cation; if the beneficiary is a young farmer, this contribu-
tion is to be at least 55 % or 45 % respectively,

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid: Državne pomoči za razvoj in ohranjanje kmetijstva in
podeželja v občini Lukovica za obdobje 2007–2013

Legal basis: Pravilnik o dodeljevanju državnih pomoči za ohran-
janje in razvoj kmetijstva in podeželja v občini Lukovica

— where the relocation results in an increase in production
capacity, the contribution from the beneficiary must be
at least 60 %, or 50 % in less-favoured areas, of the
expenses relating to this increase; if the beneficiary is a
young farmer, this contribution is to be at least 55 % or
45 % respectively.

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4. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

— the amount of municipal co-financing is the difference
insurance
between the
premiums from the national budget and up to 50 % of
eligible costs of insurance premiums for insuring live-
stock against disease.

co-financing of

amount of

5. Aid for land reparcelling:

— up to 100 % of eligible legal and administrative costs.

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

— up to 100 % of actual costs incurred;

this is to be
provided in the form of subsidised services and must not
involve direct payments of money to producers.

7. Provision of technical support:

— up to 100 % of costs concerning education and training,
consultancy services provided by third parties, the organi-
zation of forums, competitions, exhibitions, fairs, publi-
cations and websites, and the costs of
replacement
services. The aid is to be granted in the form of subsi-
dised services and must not involve direct payments of
money to producers

Date of implementation: January 2008

Name and address of granting authority:

Občina Lukovica
Stari trg 1
SLO-1225 Lukovica

Website:

http://www.lukovica.si/vestnik/UradniVestnik2007-13.pdf

Other information:

The measure for 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 lightning, storm and floods.

The municipality's Rules meet the requirements of Regulation
(EC) No 1857/2006 relating to 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)

Matej KOTNIK
Mayor of the municipality of Lukovica

Duration of
31.12.2013

scheme or

individual

aid award: Until

Aid No: XA 75/08

Objective of aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and
eligible costs:

Chapter II of the draft Rules on granting State aid for preserving
and developing agriculture and rural areas in the municipality of
Lukovica includes measures constituting State aid 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):

— Article 4: Investment in agricultural holdings,

— Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and build-

ings,

— Article 6: Relocation of farm buildings in the public interest,

— Article 12: Aid towards

the payment of

insurance

premiums,

— Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

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

cultural products,

— Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural

sector

Member State: Belgium

Region: Région wallonne

Title of aid scheme: Aides à la consultance pour la réalisation
et le suivi des plans d'investissements et de développement

Legal basis: Arrêté du Gouvernement wallon du 24 mai 2007
concernant les aides à l'agriculture

Planned annual expenditure under the scheme:

EUR 1 222 000 during the period of implementation for the
2007-2013 Walloon Rural Development Programme.

The aid, which will not involve direct payment to producers,
will be granted in the form of subsidised services provided by
approved consultants meeting the conditions laid down in
Annex VI to the Walloon Government Decree of 24 May 2007
on agricultural aid.

The aid will only be granted once the plan, countersigned by
the operator and consultant, has been submitted to the Region
of Wallonia, together with the model contract or follow-up
reports.

During the preparation of the plans, the aid will be granted in
two instalments (50 % at
the time of submission and the
balance once it has been approved); during the follow-up stage,
aid will be granted in three instalments (each of 33 %) i.e. when
the annual reports and final implementation report have been
submitted

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Maximum aid intensity:

Aid No: XA 76/08

Financial aid is granted to consultants of up to 80 % of the
maximum eligible amount.

Member State: United Kingdom

The maximum eligible amounts as are follows:

Region: Scotland

— for the development plan: EUR 1 200 for preparation and

EUR 1 200 for follow-up,

— for the investment plan: EUR 800 for preparation and

EUR 900 for follow-up

Date of implementation: This aid scheme has been in force
since 24 May 2007, but the first payments will only be made
once the scheme has been approved by the Commission in
accordance with Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Duration of scheme: The scheme is to apply during the entire
programming period for the 2007-2013 Regional Development
Plan

Objective of aid:

and

Under the ‘setting-up of young farmers’ (112), ‘modernisation of
farms’
(311)
‘non-agricultural
(121)
in the Walloon Rural Development
measures provided for
farmers must submit a plan in
Programme for 2007-2013,
order to receive this aid. In the case of measure 112, this plan
will be a development plan over a six-year period and, for
measures 121 and 311, a three-year investment plan.

diversification’

These plans must include specific information relating to the
situation of the farm (strengths and weaknesses) and the likeli-
hood of economic, technical and environmental progress being
made as regards the objectives to be met.

Under this aid, farmers will have access to services from an
approved consultant so that they can put into practice and
monitor their plans for the period in question.

The aid is not continuous or periodic and therefore falls
within the framework of Article 15(2)(c) of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006

Economic sector(s) concerned: All farmers eligible for instal-
the Walloon
lation aid and farm modernisation aid under
Government Decree of 24 May 2007

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Quality Meat Scotland — Meat Industry Develop-
ment Scheme

Legal basis: From 1 April 2008, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS)
will become a Non-Departmental Public Body of the Scottish
Government (i.e. a public body). It will be wholly accountable
to Scottish Ministers and its purposes and functions will be as
set out in the Quality Meat Scotland Order 2007 made under
the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company:
It is
anticipated that up to GBP 4 million will be spent in each year
that the scheme is in operation.

1 April 2008-31 March 2009: GBP 4 million

1 April 2009-31 March 2010: GBP 4 million

1 April 2010-31 March 2011: GBP 4 million

1 April 2011-31 March 2012: GBP 4 million

1 April 2012-31 March 2013: GBP 4 million

1 April 2013-31 March 2014: GBP 4 million

Maximum aid intensity:

Investment in Agricultural Holdings: 50 % to holdings in the
Less Favoured Areas of Scotland, and up to 40 % in other
regions.

Aid for Producer Groups: A maximum of aid totalling
EUR 400 000 during the first five years following formation.

Aid to Encourage the Production of Quality Agricultural
Products: 100 % up to a maximum of EUR 3 000 per holding.

Provision of Technical Support in the Agricultural Sector: 100 %

Date of implementation: 1.4.2008

Name and address of the granting authority:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31.3.2014

Direction générale de l'agriculture
M. Victor Thomas — Directeur général
Chaussée de Louvain, 14
B-5000 Namur

Website:

Text available from the following site:

http://agriculture.wallonie.be/apps/spip_wolwin/article.php3?
id_article=230

Other information: None

Victor THOMAS
Director-General

Objective of aid:

The aim of the Scheme is to encourage, market, promote and
assist with the development of the red meat sector, through the
provision of advice, technical assistance and factual information,
and the production of quality meat and meat products. The
scheme is aimed at small and medium sized enterprises involved
in the primary production of red meat. Such enterprises will be
encouraged to form producer groups, and will be supported
through investments to modernise their agricultural holdings.
The proposed activities will improve the efficiency, sustainability
and skills of the participating primary producers, and provide
for the transfer of knowledge, best practice and guidance to the
cattle, sheep and pig sectors. The Scheme only applies to
impact
Scotland. There is no direct expected environmental
from the proposed activities. The Scheme does not cover
activities to promote or advertise products to consumers and
buyers.

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The scheme has four key areas as follows:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings:

cattle, sheep and pigs. However,
in line with Article 4(7) of
Regulation (EC) 1857/2006, aid made available for investment
in agricultural holdings will be open to all sectors of agriculture

accordance with Article

In
(EC)
No 1857/2006, to be eligible for assistance, the investment
must result in the following objectives:

of Regulation

4

— reduction of production costs,

— improvement and re-deployment of production,

— improvement in quality,

— preservation and improvement of the natural environ-
ment, or the improvement of hygiene conditions or
animal welfare standards.

2. Aid for producer groups:

The aim is to provide support in accordance with Article 9
of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 to encourage the forma-
tion of producer groups by small and medium sized primary
producers, with the objective of concentrating their supply
and adapting their production, to meet the rapidly changing
market requirements for quality products and the adoption
of on-farm quality assurance schemes.

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

QMS will undertake work in accordance with Article 14 of
Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 to encourage the production
of quality red meat products with the intention of adding
value to agricultural production, helping the sector as a
whole adjust to consumer demand, and placing emphasis on
quality.

4. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector:

QMS will provide in accordance with Article 15 of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1857/2006 relevant vocational
training
courses for small and medium sized producers, groups of
such bodies or organisations representing such businesses in
the red meat sector in Scotland. QMS will also prepare and
distribute (including via the internet) materials offering tech-
nical information and advice to livestock producers, and will
provide management and advisory services to the red meat
sector in Scotland. The QMS logo will be applied to docu-
ments/literature relevant to the scheme. However use of the
corporate logo will remain a subsidiary message and there
will be no reference to origin. Quality labels will not be used
in the provision of technical support through this scheme.

eligibility conditions

These measures will all be undertaken in accordance with
the
as detailed in Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006, concerning State aid to small and medium-
sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural
products.

Should QMS wish to provide assistance to red meat processors
in Scotland for the processing and marketing of meat and meat
products, payments will be made in line with Regulation (EC)
No 1998/2006 on industrial de minimis aid

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme is aimed at small and
medium sized enterprises active in the primary production of

Name and address of the granting authority:

Quality Meat Scotland
Rural Centre — West Main
Ingliston Newbridge
Midlothian
Scotland EH28 8NZ
United Kingdom

Website:

http://www.qmscotland.co.uk/analysis/analysis-article.php?id=341

Contact:

Sylvia Shepherd
Tel. (44-134) 72 40 40
E-mail: shepherd@qmscotland.co.uk

Signed and dated on behalf of the Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs (UK competent authority)

Duncan Kerr
Agricultural State Aid
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Area 8D, 9 Millbank
C/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
Westminster
SW1P 3JR London
United Kingdom

Aid No: XA 81/08

Member State: Italy

Agency: ISMEA, Istituto di servizi per il mercato agricolo ed
agroalimentare

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid award: Agevolazioni per il subentro in agricoltura,
parte assistenza tecnica

Legal basis: Delibera del consiglio di amministrazione per l'ade-
guamento degli interventi di cui al decreto legislativo 21 aprile
2000, n. 185, Titolo I, Capo III ai regolamenti (CE) n. 70/2001
e (CE) n. 1857/2006

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Planned
annual expenditure is around EUR 20 million

Maximum aid intensity: The aid consists of outright grants
covering up to 100 % of eligible costs

Date of implementation: The scheme will enter into force on
18 February 2008 or on the day following that of the Commis-
sion's
acknowledgement, bearing an identification
number, of receipt of the summary, whichever is sooner

formal

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Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 6 years

Website: www.ismea.it

Objective of aid: To encourage new entrepreneurs and genera-
tional turnover in agriculture — technical assistance. The provi-
sion of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 used to exempt this
scheme is Article 15

Eligible costs:
— instruction and training,

— provision of farm management services and farm replace-

ment services,

— organisation of and participation in competitions, exhibi-

tions and fairs.

The aid is to be granted in the form of subsidised services and
does not involve direct payments of money to producers. It will
be accessible to all those eligible in the areas concerned, based
on objectively defined conditions. Where the provision of tech-
nical support is undertaken by producer groups or other organi-
sations, membership of such groups or associations will not be
a condition for access to the service. Any contribution of
non-members towards the administrative costs of the associa-
tion or organisation concerned will be strictly limited to the
costs of the service.

In the case of
the processing and marketing of agricultural
products, instruction and training costs alone will be eligible, in
accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1998/2006, up to a
maximum of EUR 200 000 per beneficiary in any three-year
period

Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture: primary production

Name and address of the granting authority:
ISMEA
Sede legale:
Via C. Celso, 6
I-00161 Roma
Sede amministrativa:
via Nomentana, 183
I-00161 Roma

The decision of the management board — available on the
ISMEA website — is attached

Other information:

The present scheme involves an update of State aid N 336/01,
approved by the European Commission on 13 February 2003,
in line with current Community provisions (Regulations (EC)
No 1857/2006 and (EC) No 70/2001) regarding the processing
and marketing of agricultural products. The adaptation concerns
the following three measures in particular: aid for investments
in agricultural undertakings and in those processing and
marketing agricultural products, technical assistance and setting-
up aid for young farmers.

The following documents have been submitted to the Commis-
sion:

— summary sheet for investment aid for primary production
within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006,

— summary sheet for investment aid for the processing and
marketing of agricultural products within the meaning of
Regulation (EC) No 70/2001,

— summary sheet for aid for technical assistance within the

meaning of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006,

— summary sheet

setting-up aid for
the granting of
young farmers within the meaning of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006.

for

The scheme also involves the granting of aid for technical assis-
tance for the processing and marketing of agricultural products,
in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1998/2006 (de minimis
aid) and of investment aid for rural tourism, in accordance with
the same Regulation

Salvatore PETROLI
Director-General