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: 2008-08-19
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, France, Italy, Latvia, State aid, United Kingdom, agricultural production, control of State aid, small and medium-sized enterprises

19.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 210/11

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 210/05)

XA Number: XA 139/08

Member State: Italy

Region: Campania

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

Incentivi a favore delle aziende agricole per investimenti finaliz-
zati all'utilizzo di fonti rinnovabili di energia per l'auto-produ-
zione aziendale e il recupero di energia termica, elettrica e
meccanica e di sistemi idonei a ridurre i consumi energetici, per
la produzione primaria di prodotti agricoli

Legal basis:

Maximum aid intensity: The gross aid intensity does not
exceed 40 % of the eligible costs and may be increased by 50 %
for farms situated in the areas referred to in Article 36(a)(i), (ii)
and (iii) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005. In the case
of investments by young farmers within five years of setting up,
these percentages may be increased to a maximum of 50 % and
60 % respectively.

‘Young farmers’ means producers of agricultural products who
meet the criteria laid down in Article 22 of Regulation (EC)
No 1698/2005

Date of implementation: The aid scheme will enter into force
on the 30th day following its publication in the Bollettino Uffi-
ciale della Regione Campania (BURC) (Official Regional Gazette)
and, in any case, not less than ten working days following the
forwarding of
this document, as provided by Article 20 of
Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

— D.lgs 30 aprile 1998 n. 173, art. 1, commi 3 e 4 (Gazzetta
Ufficiale n. 129 del 5.6.1998), che ha istituito un regime di
aiuti per l'incentivazione dell'utilizzo di fonti rinnovabili di
energia e di sistemi idonei a limitare l'inquinamento e l'im-
patto ambientale o comunque a ridurre i consumi energetici

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
will last until the budget has been used up, but its duration will
not extend beyond the period of validity of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006

— DM n. 401 del 11.9.1999 (Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 260 del
5.11.1999),
recante le norme di attuazione dell'art. 1,
commi 3 e 4 del D.lgs n. 173/98 per la concessione di aiuti
a favore della produzione e utilizzazione di fonti energetiche
rinnovabili nel settore agricolo

— Regolamento (CE) n. 1857/2006 della Commissione, del 15
dicembre 2006, relativo all'applicazione degli articoli 87 e
88 del trattato degli aiuti di Stato a favore delle piccole e
medie imprese attive nella produzione di prodotti agricoli
e recante modifica del regolamento (CE) n. 70/2001 (GU
L 358 del 16.12.2006)

— D.G.R. n. 214 dell'1.2.2008, «Modifica della DGR n. 283 del
4 marzo 2006 ed adeguamento, alle condizioni previste dal
reg. (CE) n. 1857/2006 della Commissione del 15 dicembre
2006, degli aiuti a favore dell'impiego di fonti energetiche
rinnovabili e per
il risparmio energetico in agricoltura,
approvati con la medesima deliberazione n. 283/2006»

amount may be

increased to the

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: The total
expenditure budgeted for under this scheme is EUR 574 238.
This
sum of
EUR 1 990 941,22, allocated and paid to the region of
Campania under
Italian Ministerial Decree No 156409 of
8 November 2001 in respect of the initiatives included under
Legislative Decree No 173/98, Article 1(3) and (4), following
any expenditure saved in respect of actions financed under the
previous scheme (XA 74/05), which is exempt under Commis-
sion Regulation (EC) No 1/2004

total

Objective of aid: The scheme is designed to support small and
farms, whether as individual under-
medium-sized regional
takings or as groups, as defined in Annex I to Commission
Regulation (EC) No 70/2001, which are not classified as enter-
prises in difficulty.

The measures have the following objectives:

— to reduce production costs, particularly as regards saving

energy and using renewable sources of energy,

— to promote and improve the natural environment, by redu-

cing greenhouse gas emissions and erosion,

— to promote the diversification of farm activities.

These incentives are referred to in Article 4 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006.

The eligible costs under this scheme are as follows:

— the cost of work, plant and equipment relating to the collec-
tion, storage and initial processing of plant bio-mass to be
used for energy purposes, exclusively for the farm's own
requirements,

— the acquisition and installation of high-performance thermal
generator plants powered by agricultural plant biomass, for
the farm's own requirements,

C 210/12

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

19.8.2008

— machines, equipment, plant and work related to the produc-
tion and recovery of energy from renewable sources (solar,
wind, geo-thermal power, energy from plant and agricultural
biomass, hydraulic power) to meet the energy requirements
of the farm,

— machinery and equipment, including IT programmes, for the
technology designed to contain energy

application of
consumption on farms,

— general costs relating to those referred to above, such as

design fees, feasibility studies, consultancy, etc.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to all agricultural
sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Giunta regionale della Campania — Assessorato all'Agricoltura
ed attività produttive — Area generale di coordinamento
Sviluppo attività settore primario — Settore Interventi per la
produzione agricola, produzione agroalimentare, mercati agri-
coli, consulenza mercantile — Centro Direzionale-Isola A6 —
telefax
I-80143 Napoli — Tel.
(39) 081 796 75 30

(39) 081 796 74 25;

Website:

www.sito.regione.campania.it/agricoltura/aiuti/energia.html

Other information: —

XA Number: XA 142/08

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Scotland

(This Scheme will be operated as a service for the agricultural
community at large)

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity is 100 % in line
with Chapter 2 Article 10 of the Regulation

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 1.4.2008

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
will start on 1.4.2008 and will close on 31.3.2013

Objective of aid: The scheme will be pursued in accordance
with Chapter 2 Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.
The Shetland Johne's Disease Scheme (SJDS)
is designed to
provide a screening service for Johne's Disease in cattle both at
the point of livestock entry into Shetland, and in all the existing
Shetland cattle herds. Testing is effective in bulls and female
cattle over 2 years of age. This Scheme is all-inclusive, and
ensures that all relevant cattle entering Shetland, and in all
existing 201 cattle herds in Shetland are tested for Johne's
Disease. The Scheme is provided as a service for the agricultural
community at large, and makes no charge nor levy for testing
of imported or existing stock. Aid provided under this scheme
is granted in kind by means of subsidized services, and will not
involve direct payment of money to producers.

By testing imported livestock for disease, the principle aim of
SJDS is to sustain disease-free, High Health status of Shetland's
cattle, thereby meeting all of the following objectives:

— to reduce production costs,

— to improve or redeploy production,

— to improve quality,

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

— to preserve and improve the natural environment, hygiene

conditions and animal welfare standards

Shetland Johne's Disease Scheme

Legal basis:

Local Government
Council (ZCC) Act 1974

in Scotland Act 2003; Zetland County

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
aid granted to the company:
individual
amount of
GBP 35 000 (thirty-five thousand pounds)

Year

Total planned expenditure

GBP 35 000

Sector(s) concerned: Livestock — cattle

Name and address of the granting authority:

The organisation responsible for the scheme is:

Shetland Islands Council
Economic Development Unit
6 North Ness Business Park
Lerwick
Shetland ZE1 0LZ
United Kingdom

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

Total

GBP 35 000

Website:

GBP 35 000

http://www.sdt.shetland.org/Schemesinnotificationprocess.aspx

GBP 35 000

GBP 35 000

GBP 175 000

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

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

Click on the link ‘Shetland Johne's Disease Scheme’

19.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 210/13

Other information: —

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

Neil Marr
Agricultural State Aid Team Leader
Defra
5D 9 Millbank
c/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
Westminister
London SW1P 3JR
United Kingdom

XA Number: XA 143/08

Member State: Belgium

Region: Vlaanderen

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

Vlaams Varkensstamboek vzw

Legal basis:

— Decreet van 21 december 2007 houdende de algemene
uitgavenbegroting van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap voor het
begrotingsjaar 2008

— Koninklijk besluit van 2 september 1992 betreffende de
verbetering van fokvarkens/Arrêté royal du 2 septembre 1992
relatif à l'amélioration des reproducteurs porcins

— Ministerieel besluit van 3 september 1992 betreffende de
verbetering
du
3 septembre 1992 relatif à l'amélioration des reproducteurs
porcins

fokvarkens/Arrêté ministériel

van

de

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
aid granted to the company:
EUR 463 000

individual

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 100 % of the administrative
costs of establishing and maintaining herd books.

Up to 70 % of the costs of tests performed by or on behalf of
third parties to determine the genetic quality or yield of live-
stock; with the exception of controls undertaken by the owner
of the livestock and routine controls of milk quality

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

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

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The subsidy
will be granted in the period to 31.12.2008

Objective of the aid: Vlaams Varkensstamboek (VVS)
is a
recognised not-for-profit association which maintains the herd
books for the various breeds of pig. It indicates that it will use
the aid to pay the administrative costs of establishing and main-
taining herd books, entering the birth data and genealogical
records in the database, and producing and issuing zootechnical
and pedigree certificates.

The VVS also carries out tests to determine the genetic quality
or yield of breeding stock. Three types of test are carried out:

1. fertility;

2. fattening capacity and slaughter quality;

3. productivity in terms of growth and percentage of meat.

The measure comes under Article 16 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 and fulfils the conditions thereof.

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)(b): aid at a rate of up to 70 % of the costs of tests
performed by or on behalf of third parties, to determine the
genetic quality or yield of
livestock, with the exception of
controls undertaken by the owner of the livestock and routine
controls of milk quality

Sector(s) concerned: Livestock

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
Secretaris-generaal

XA Number: XA 144/08

Member State: France

Region: Department of Hérault

Title of aid scheme:

Régime d'aides aux frais administratifs de cessions d'immeubles
ruraux non bâtis permettant la constitution d'îlots culturaux
regroupés (remembrement)

C 210/14

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

19.8.2008

Legal basis:

Website:

— Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006,

http://www.cg34.fr/economie/index.html

— Articles L121-24, L121-25 et L124-1 à L124-13 du Code

rural,

Under:

— Convention cadre avec la Région Languedoc-Roussillon
selon l'article L 1511-3 Code Général des Collectivités Terri-
toriales (projet)

— Délibération du Conseil général de l'Hérault (projet)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 50 000

Maximum aid intensity: 60 % of the actual costs incurred,
subject to the following conditions:

Eligible expenditure:

— administrative costs relating to transfers of land and their
taxation, including expenditure on surveying where this is
necessary to draw up the deeds.

Eligible transactions:

— transfers of undeveloped rural land with an area of no more

than 1,5 ha and a value greater than EUR 1 500,

— transfers endorsed by the Departmental Committee for Land
Consolidation in accordance with Article L124-4 of
the
Rural Code,

— aid will be limited to a total of no more than 10 ha of land

per purchaser

Date of implementation: Upon approval by the Commission

Duration of scheme: Ends 31.12.2013

Objective of aid: The objective is to facilitate land restructuring
through the sale of land by working proprietors who thus aim
to improve the profitability of their holding.

Urban sprawl and fragmentation of properties are not conducive
to good agricultural practices and increase costs,
thereby
affecting productivity and, where applicable, crop diversification.

In contrast, forming large enough blocks of land for crop culti-
vation will promote better optimisation of farming practices.

Provided that it is not prevented by physical (roads, ditches, etc.)
the Departmental Committee for
or administrative barriers,
Land Consolidation can request regrouping of land, as defined
for tax purposes

Sectors concerned: The agricultural (‘A’) and nature (‘N’ on
current local urban planning documents) sectors in the depart-
ment of Hérault

Name and address of the granting authority:

Conseil général de l'Hérault
Pôle développement et emploi
Direction agriculture et développement rural
Service foncier agricole et territoire Leader
Hôtel de Département
1000, rue d'Alco
F-34087 Montpellier Cedex 4
Tél. (33-0) 467 67 70 00 — Fax (33-0) 467 67 67 53
E-mail: agrirural@cg34

Économie/Agriculture/Territoire/Aménagement foncier/

[en savoir plus]: cessions de certains immeubles ruraux

Other information: —

Beneficiaries: Farmers, provided that the following conditions
are met:

— the farmers must be beneficiaries of a local development
initiative, as described on sheet 341-B1 of
the Regional
Rural Development Document for 2007-2013 (Languedoc-
Roussillon section),

— the parties involved in a bilateral transaction must not be

family members (including second-degree relatives)

XA Number: XA 147/08

Member State: Latvia

Region: —

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

Atbalsta shēma „Atbalsts demonstrējumiem saimniecībās“

Legal basis:

Ministru kabineta noteikumi „Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu lauk-
saimniecībai 2008. gadā un tā piešķiršanas kārtību“ 4. pielikuma
III. atbalsta programma 46.–53. punkts

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

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2008: LVL 120 000

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2009: LVL 130 000

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2010: LVL 140 000

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2011: LVL 150 000

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2012: LVL 160 000

Total amount under the aid scheme in 2013: LVL 170 000

Maximum aid intensity: Aid for demonstration activities on
holdings and at agricultural exhibitions is granted at a rate of
100 % in respect of operating expenditure for the provision of
services and for the acquisition of materials needed for demon-
stration activities and expenditure on the maintenance of infra-
structure

Date of implementation: 1.4.2008

Duration of
30.12.2013

scheme or

individual

aid award: Until

19.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 210/15

Objective of aid: The objective of
the aid is to organise
long-term demonstrations in the plant and animal production
sectors (including organic farming) across Latvia. It is aimed at
promoting the link between agricultural science and production.

The aid is granted in accordance with Article 15(2) of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1857/2006

Economic sector(s) concerned: The aid is intended for small
and medium-sized enterprises active in the primary production
of agricultural products.

The aid is intended for the animal production and plant produc-
tion sectors

Name and address of the granting authority:

Latvijas Republikas Zemkopības ministrija
LV-1981 Rīga

Website:

http://www.zm.gov.lv/doc_upl/4.pielikums.doc

Other information: Aid for demonstration activities on hold-
ings and at agricultural exhibitions for small and medium-sized
enterprises active in the primary production of agricultural
products will be granted in accordance with Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006: pursuant
the aid will be
granted in kind in the form of subsidised services and will not
involve direct payments of money to producers, and pursuant to
Article 15(4) the aid will be accessible to all those eligible in the
area concerned, based on objectively defined conditions. No aid
remains in an intermediary enterprise; all aid is passed on to the
final beneficiaries.

to Article 15(3)

Aid will not be granted retroactively in respect of activities
which have already been carried out by the beneficiary