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: 2008-05-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, Spain, State aid, United Kingdom, aid to agriculture, control of State aid, exchange of information, small and medium-sized enterprises

C 130/16

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Official Journal of the European Union

28.5.2008

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 130/08)

Aid No: XA 82/08

Member State: Spain

Region: Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía

Objective of aid: The aim of the subsidies is to improve the
quality of production of vegetable planting material and nursery
plants. They are intended for producers of nursery plants and
vegetable planting material and fall within the category of
‘investment in agricultural holdings’, as laid down in Article 4 of
Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

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

Prórroga del 2008 al 2013 del régimen comunicado XA 56/07
— Subvenciones destinadas a la mejora de la producción y de la
calidad de los plantones de hortalizas y de las plantas de vivero

The eligible measures included in Article 7 of
the Orden
fall within the
Autonómica (Autonomous Community Order)
scope of those permitted under Article 4(4) of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006, with the exception of
those listed under
points 1(a), 1(d) and 2(d) below, which fall within the scope of
Article 14(2) thereof. The eligible measures are as follows:

Legal basis:

Proyecto de orden por la que se modifica la Orden de 3 de
mayo de 2007, por la que se establecen las bases reguladoras
para la concesión de subvenciones destinadas a la mejora de la
producción y de la calidad de los plantones de hortalizas y de
las plantas de vivero, y se efectúa su convocatoria para 2008

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
aid granted to the company:
EUR 2 730 000

individual

Maximum aid intensity: Approved investments or work may
be subsidised up to a maximum of 35 % in the case of indivi-
dual producers (whether natural or legal persons), groups of
individual producers (whether natural or legal persons or public
or private persons without legal personality), and jointly owned
entities, and a maximum of 40 % in the case of business asso-
ciations made up of producers (agricultural cooperatives and
agricultural groups engaged in processing).

Aid may not exceed EUR 200 000 per beneficiary per year.
Furthermore, in accordance with 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,
the aid granted to a single beneficiary must not exceed
EUR 400 000 over any period of three fiscal years, which may
be increased to EUR 500 000 if the holding is in a less-favoured
area or one of the areas referred to in Article 36(a)(i), (ii) or (iii)
of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 and designated by the
Member States in accordance with Articles 50 and 94 thereof

Date of implementation: One month after publication of the
provisions concerned in the Official Gazette of the Autonomous
Community of Andalusia

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Six years: the
anticipated date of payment of the last instalment is 31.12.2013

1. In order to improve the quality and production of nursery
plants, subsidies may be granted for investments and work
including:

(a) obtaining and testing new varieties and clones of species
or groups of species for which specific certification rules
have been approved and introducing parent plants which
the
are catalogued at least as a certified category of
species or groups of species for which specific certifica-
tion rules have been approved;

(b) a plant health and variety testing laboratory and plant
health and variety tests carried out by the producers
themselves or by third parties;

(c) installing, building, equipping or improving facilities used

in the nursery production process;

(d) investment geared towards the disposal and/or reproces-
introducing
sing of pollutant waste
and certifying quality-assurance programmes in accord-
ance with ISO 9000 standards and environmental
programmes in accordance with ISO 14000 standards;

and towards

(e) investment geared towards the improvement, in terms of
plant health, of buildings and facilities used in the
production of nursery plants;

(f) automation
processes.

and

computerisation

of

production

2. In order to improve the quality and production of vegetable
propagating and planting material other than seed, subsidies
may be granted for investments and work including:

(a) installing, building or improving facilities used in the
production of vegetable planting material,
in particular
for sowing, germination, fertirrigation, air conditioning
and climate control;

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Official Journal of the European Union

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(b) investment geared towards the improvement, in terms of
plant health, of buildings and facilities used in the
production of vegetable planting material;

Sector(s) concerned: Plant production: production of nursery
plants and vegetable planting material

(c) a plant health and variety testing laboratory and plant
health and variety tests carried out by the producers
themselves or by third parties;

(d) investment geared towards the disposal and/or reproces-
sing of pollutant waste
introducing
and certifying quality-assurance programmes in accord-
ance with ISO 9000 standards and environmental
programmes in accordance with ISO 14000 standards;

and towards

(f) automation
processes.

and

computerisation

of

production

and nursery plants, where

3. In order to encourage the use of certified vegetable planting
material
activities will be
conducted solely by non-profit making associations of
producers of vegetable planting material and of nursery
plants, subsidies may be granted for investments and work
including:

(a) increasing awareness of and studying the market in certi-

fied vegetable planting material and nursery plants;

(b) tests on new varieties and clones of

the species or
groups of species for which specific certification rules
have been approved.

Measures that will not be eligible:

The following investments will not qualify for the subsidies
established in the Order:

(a) high-voltage connections for electrification;

Name and address of the granting authority:

Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca de la Junta de Andalucía
C/ Tabladilla s/n
E-41071 Sevilla

Website:

http://www.cap.junta-andalucia.es

The full text of the draft Order can be found at:

http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/portal/opencms/
portal/DGPAgraria/Produccion_Agricola/proyecto_orden_modifi-
ca_3_mayo_07?entrada=tematica&tematica=271&subtematica=694

Other information: This Annex is intended to ensure compli-
ance with Article 3(2)(c) as regards submission of the summary
information provided for in Article 20(1)

Javier VISUS ARBESÚ
Head of the Department for Community legislation

Aid No: XA 83/08

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Wales

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

Welsh Red Meat Technical Support (Producers) Scheme

(b) sinking of wells or abstraction from wells;

Legal basis:

(c) reservoirs for regulating and storing irrigation water;

(d) access routes to installations;

(e) office buildings and their

fittings, except

for computer

equipment;

(f) commonly used machinery, and tools in general;

(g) charges or taxes, whether recoverable by the beneficiary or

not;

(h) financial expenses incurred as a result of the investment;

(i) investments in used equipment;

(j) investments which are considered to be ineligible under
European Community, State or Autonomous Community
rules.

Natural Environment
and Rural Communities Act 2006;
Government of Wales Act 2006; Welsh Levy Board Order
2007/2008 (still to complete Parliamentary process)

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

2008-2009: GBP 1,75 million

2009-2010: GBP 1,75 million

2010-2011: GBP 1,75 million

2011-2012: GBP 1,75 million

2012-2013: GBP 1,75 million

2013-2014: GBP 1,75 million

Maximum aid intensity: 100 %

Date of implementation: 1.4.2008

The Order complies with Article 18(1) of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31.3.2014

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Objective of aid: Sectoral development

Website:

Below are details of the articles used and the eligible costs of
the scheme:

http://www.hybucigcymru.org/content.php?nID=13;pubCatID=119;
lID=1

Article 14 costs of pre-competitive market research activities,

Other information: This scheme is restricted to SME red meat
Producers in Wales.

costs of conception and design of quality products,

It will encourage the production of quality red meats in compli-
ance with Article 14.

costs of introducing quality assurance schemes,

costs of initial certification of quality schemes,

costs of training personnel to apply quality schemes,

It will also provide a range of technical support to producers in
Wales.

Support will be limited to 100 % of eligible costs under each
activity within this part of the scheme, and to prescribed limits
where applicable.

costs of annual incentives to quality scheme partici-
pants,

The activities include:

costs of
protected food names.

researching and creating schemes

for

All measures will satisfy the eligibility conditions in Article 14.

Article 15 costs of non-routine consultancy services,

costs of education and training for farmers and farm
workers,

organisation of the training programme, and travel/-
subsistence costs for participants,

costs of vulgarisation of scientific knowledge,

costs of organising forums
to share knowledge
between businesses, fairs, exhibitions and competi-
tions,

participation fees, travel costs, costs of publications,

rental of premises and equipment, speakers fees,

symbolic prizes,

costs of producing catalogues of suppliers, dissemi-
nating information on quality systems and dissemi-
nating factual information on products.

All measures will satisfy the eligibility conditions in Article 15

Sector(s) concerned: Cattle/sheep/pigs production

Measures to encourage the production of quality red meat.

Non-routine consultancy services. No payments will be made
directly to producers.

Education and training, and the organisation of events and
competitions to further develop farming skills, with support to
participants.

Other parts of the overall scheme include training and other aid
to operators processing and marketing Welsh red meat and red
meat products. These are being notified under Block Exemption
Regulations (EC) No 68/2001 and (EC) No 70/2001

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

Aid No: XA 84/08

Member State: Belgium

Region: Vlaanderen

Title of aid scheme:

Name and address of the granting authority:

Kleine Herkauwers Vlaanderen vzw

Hybu Cig Cymru — Meat Promotion Wales
PO Box 176
Aberystwyth
Wales SY23 2YA
United Kingdom

Legal basis:

Decreet van 21 december 2007 houdende de algemene uitga-
venbegroting van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap voor het begro-
tingsjaar 2008.

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C 130/19

Koninklijk besluit van 20 oktober 1992 betreffende de verbe-
tering
royal
en
du 20 octobre 1992 relatif à l'amélioration des espèces ovine et
caprine).

geitenrassen

schapen-

(arrêté

van

de

test. That amount relates to the total cost of testing, including
the test kit and taking,
storing and
destroying the sample.

transporting,

testing,

Ministerieel besluit van 21 oktober 1992 betreffende de verbe-
tering van de schapen- en geitenrassen (arrêté ministériel
du 21 octobre 1992 relatif à l'amélioration des espèces ovine et
caprine)

There is a thorough programme for monitoring and ensuring
safe disposal of all fallen stock.

The aid is not granted in the form of a direct payment of
money to the producer

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 59 000

Sector(s) concerned: Livestock sectors

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity is 100 %
to cover the administrative costs of the establishment and main-
tenance of herd books.

The maximum aid intensity is 100 % to cover the costs of
TSE tests

Name and address of the granting authority:

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

Date of implementation: Aid may be granted from 1 March
and, at the earliest, 15 days after submission of an application.

Website:

http://www2.vlaanderen.be/ned/sites/landbouw/info/steun/eu.html

Aid can be granted by means of an implementation decree.
These decrees are drawn up annually. A draft implementation
decree has yet to be drawn up, and will
include a ‘standstill
clause’

Duration of scheme: The subsidy is available until 31.12.2008

Other information: —

Jules VAN LIEFFERINGE
Secretary-General

Objective of aid: The registered association Kleine Herkauwers
Vlaanderen vzw (KHV) — the ‘Flemish Association of Breeders of
Small Ruminants’ — maintains herd books for 11 sheep breeds
and five goat breeds. A number of breeds are to be added in
2008. The KHV indicates that it will use the aid to pay the
administrative costs of establishing and maintaining herd books
and entering the birth data and genealogical records in the data-
base, and producing and issuing zootechnical certificates and
pedigree certificates.

The KHV also organises TSE tests on its sheep breeders' hold-
ings.

Aid No: XA 85/08

Member State: Belgium

Region: Vlaanderen

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

Vlaamse Confederatie van het Paard vzw

Part of the breeders' costs are to be paid by means of the aid in
question.

Legal basis:

The aid is granted under Article 16 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006. It meets the criteria of Article 16 of Regulation
(EC) No 1857/2006.

Decreet van 21 december 2007 houdende de algemene uitga-
venbegroting van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap voor het begro-
tingsjaar 2008.

Article 16(1)(a): aid at a rate of up to 100 % to cover the
administrative costs of the establishment and maintenance of
herd books.

Koninklijk besluit van 10 december 1992 betreffende de verbe-
tering van paardachtigen (arrêté royal du 10 décembre 1992
relatif à l'amélioration des équidés).

Article 16(1)(g): aid at a rate of up to 100 % of the costs of
TSE tests.

Ministerieel besluit van 23 december 1992 betreffende de verbe-
tering van paardachtigen (arrêté ministériel du 23 décembre
1992 relatif à l'amélioration des équidés)

The total amount of the direct and indirect aid, including the
Community aid, for compulsory TSE tests on animals slaugh-
tered for human consumption is not more than EUR 40 per

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
aid granted to the company:
EUR 84 750

individual

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Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity is 100 %
to cover the administrative costs of the establishment and main-
tenance of herd books

Date of implementation: Aid may be granted from 1 March
and, at the earliest, 15 days after submission of an application.

Aid can be granted by means of an implementation decree.
These decrees are drawn up annually. A draft implementation
decree has yet to be drawn up, and will
include a ‘standstill
clause’

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The subsidy is
available until 31.12.2008

Objective of the aid: The approved body Vlaamse Confederatie
van het Paard vzw (VCP) specifies that the subsidy be used to
cover the administrative costs involved in the establishment and
maintenance of herd books of horses and donkeys.

Legal basis:

Decreet van 21 december 2007 houdende de algemene uitga-
venbegroting van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap voor het begro-
tingsjaar 2008.

Koninklijk besluit van 20 oktober 1992 betreffende de verbe-
tering van de schapen- en geitenrassen.

Ministerieel besluit van 21 oktober 1992 betreffende de verbe-
tering van de schapen- en geitenrassen

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 13 000

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity is 100 %
to cover the administrative costs of the establishment and main-
tenance of herd books.

The aid is granted under Article 16 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006. It fulfils the criteria of Article 16 of Regulation
(EC) No 1857/2006.

The maximum aid intensity is 100 % to cover the costs of
TSE tests

Article 16(1)(a): aid at a rate of up to 100 % to cover the
administrative costs of the establishment and maintenance of
herd books

Date of implementation: Aid may be granted from 1 March
and, at the earliest, 15 days after submission of an application.

Sector(s) concerned: Livestock sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

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

Website:

http://www2.vlaanderen.be/ned/sites/landbouw/info/steun/eu.html

Other information: —

Jules VAN LIEFFERINGE
Secretary-General

Aid No: XA 86/08

Member State: Belgium

Region: Vlaanderen

Title of aid scheme:

Steunpunt Levend Erfgoed vzw

Aid can be granted by means of an implementation decree.
These decrees are drawn up annually. A draft implementation
decree has yet to be drawn up, and will
include a ‘standstill
clause’

Duration of scheme: The subsidy is available until 31.12.2008

Objective of aid: The registered association Steunpunt Levend
Erfgoed vzw (SLE) — ‘Living Heritage Support Centre’ — main-
tains herd books for eight rare sheep breeds. A small number of
breeds, from the small ruminant breeding sector or from other
breeding sectors, may be added in 2008. The SLE indicates that
it will use the aid to pay the administrative costs of establishing
and maintaining herd books and entering the birth data and
genealogical records in the database, and producing and issuing
zootechnical certificates and pedigree certificates.

The SLE also organises TSE tests on its sheep breeders' holdings.

Part of the breeders' costs are to be paid by means of the aid in
question.

The aid is granted under Article 16 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006. It meets the criteria of Article 16 of Regulation
(EC) No 1857/2006.

Article 16(1)(a): aid at a rate of up to 100 % to cover the
administrative costs of the establishment and maintenance of
herd books.

Article 16(1)(g): aid at a rate of up to 100 % of the costs of
TSE tests.

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The total amount of the direct and indirect aid, including the
Community aid, for compulsory TSE tests on animals slaugh-
tered for human consumption is not more than EUR 40 per
test. That amount relates to the total cost of testing, including
the test kit and taking,
storing and
destroying the sample.

transporting,

testing,

There is a thorough programme for monitoring and ensuring
safe disposal of all fallen stock.

The aid is not granted in the form of a direct payment of
money to the producer

Sector(s) concerned: Livestock sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

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

Website:

http://www2.vlaanderen.be/ned/sites/landbouw/info/steun/eu.html

Other information: —

Jules VAN LIEFFERINGE
Secretary-General