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 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: 2008-08-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: France, Italy, Latvia, Slovenia, Spain, State aid, aid to agriculture, control of State aid, exchange of information, small and medium-sized enterprises

C 222/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

30.8.2008

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 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 222/07)

Aid No: XA 150/08

Member State: Latvia

Region: —

Journal of the European Union, this aid scheme will replace aid
scheme XA 254/07, and the measures already undertaken in
accordance with Articles 16 and 15 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 will be continued

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid: Atbalsta shēma „Atbalsts ciltsdarbam“

Duration of scheme or individual aid award:

Until 31.12.2013.

Legal basis:

Ministru kabineta 2008. gada 22.
janvāra noteikumu Nr. 41
„Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu lauksaimniecībai 2008. gadā un
tā piešķiršanas kārtību“ 2. pielikums.

Ministru kabineta noteikumu „Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu
ciltsgrāmatā uzņemto dzīvnieku sagatavošanai un tā piešķiršanas
kārtību“ projekts

Until 31 December 2011 in the case of aid relating to the intro-
duction at farm level of innovative breeding techniques or prac-
tices, with the exception of any expenditure relating to artificial
insemination

Objective of aid:

The purpose of the aid for small and medium-sized enterprises
is:

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
individual aid granted to the company: The
amount of
annual
is
under
LVL 14 910 000

expenditure

planned

scheme

the

Additional information on financing: It is intended to supple-
ment the current aid scheme, XA 254/07, under which the
expenditure
planned
9 910 000, with
LVL 5 000 000 of
financing, and this aid scheme therefore
replaces aid scheme XA 254/07

annual

LVL

is

Maximum aid intensity:

accordance with Article

In
No 1857/2006:

16

of

Regulation

(EC)

technologies,

1. up to 100 % to cover the administrative costs of establishing

and maintaining a herd book;

2. 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;

3. up to 40 % of expenditure relating to the introduction at
farm level of innovative breeding techniques or practices,
with the exception of any expenditure relating to artificial
insemination, until 31 December 2011;

4. up to 100 % of the costs of removing fallen stock and 75 %

of the costs of destroying such carcasses.

accordance with Article

In
(EC)
No 1857/2006: up to 100 % of expenditure concerning the
organisation of, and participation in, competitions, exhibitions,
fairs and forums with a view to exchanging information in the
sector

Regulation

15

of

Date of implementation: 1.5.2008

information concerning implementation: The
Additional
measures provided for under
aid scheme,
the
XA 254/07, are to be implemented from 1 May 2007 to
31 December 2013. Following its publication in the Official

current

— to encourage breeders to take part in the evaluation of
selection

stock by offspring and in other

breeding
programmes,

— to increase livestock yield and improve genetic potential, and
to increase the number of herds of high breeding value,

— to establish records of

livestock yield and origins and to
improve software relating to breeding activities and animal
selection programmes using the joint IT network,

— to modernise livestock yield and meat quality assessment

— to encourage stock breeders to rear animals of high breeding

value and to improve their breed characteristics,

— to maintain and improve pedigree animals and their gene

pool in Latvia,

— to carry out evaluations of pedigree animals and organise
exhibitions and work capacity tests/competitions for horses.

Articles 15 and 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 apply.

Eligible expenses under the criteria for granting aid:

1. administrative expenditure arising from the establishment

and maintenance of herd books;

2. expenditure on 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;

3. expenditure relating to the introduction at

farm level of
innovative animal breeding techniques or practices, with the
exception of expenditure relating to the introduction or
performance of artificial insemination;

4. expenditure concerning the organisation of, and participation
in, competitions, exhibitions, fairs and forums, with a view
to exchanging information in the sector

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 222/9

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 sector

Name and address of the granting authority:

Latvijas Republikas Zemkopības ministrija
LV-1981 Rīga

Website:

Cabinet Regulation No 41 of 22 January 2008 ‘Regulations on
State aid for agriculture in 2008 and the procedure for the
granting such aid’, Annex 2:

http://www.zm.gov.lv/doc_upl/2.pielikums.doc

Ministru kabineta noteikumu ‘Noteikumi par valsts atbalstu ciltsgrā-
matā uzņemto dzīvnieku sagatavošanai un tā piešķiršanas kārtību’
projekts (Draft Cabinet Regulation ‘Regulations on State aid for
the preparation of animals to be recorded in a herd book and
the procedure for granting such aid’):

http://www.zm.gov.lv/?sadala=932

Other information:

Following its publication in the Official Journal of the European
Union, this aid scheme will replace aid scheme XA 254/07.

The increase in the budget for the aid scheme will make it
possible to cover expenditure relating to the administrative costs
of maintaining a herd book not only on pedigree farms but also
for
to supervision, which will
improve the genetic quality of the livestock in the relevant stock-
farming sectors.

livestock on farms

subject

Aid for small and medium-sized enterprises active in the
primary production of agricultural products will be granted in
accordance with Article 16(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.
The aid will be granted in kind in the form of subsidised
involve direct payments of money to
services and will not
producers, and aid will not be granted retroactively in respect of
activities which have already been carried out by the beneficiary.

Expenditure concerning the organisation of, and participation
in, competitions, exhibitions, fairs and forums with a view to
exchanging information in the sector will be in conformity with
Article 15(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, and the aid
will be accessible to all those eligible in the area concerned,
based on objectively defined conditions

Aid No: XA 151/08

Member State: Italy

Region: Regione autonoma Valle d'Aosta

Title of aid scheme: Contributi alle spese per il controllo e la
certificazione nel settore dell'agricoltura biologica

Legal basis: Legge regionale 16 novembre 1999, n. 36 «Disposi-
zioni
in materia di controlli e promozione per le produzioni
agricole ottenute mediante metodi biologici» e successive modi-
ficazioni e integrazioni

Planned
EUR 0,03 million

annual

expenditure

under

the

scheme:

Maximum aid intensity: 100 % of expenses for the control
and certification of the organic production process. The aid is
granted by means of subsidised services without direct payments
of money to organic operators (farmers and gatherers of
products growing in the wild)

Date of implementation: as from the publication of the regis-
tration number of the request for exemption on the website of
the Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural
Development

Duration of scheme: Under the scheme, aid may be granted
until 31.12.2013 and for six months thereafter

Objective of aid: To promote the development of organic
farming. Reference to Community legislation: Article 14 of
Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

Sector(s) concerned: Livestock (cattle, sheep and goats, poultry
and rabbits, small traditional pig holdings, equines and other
minor species), fruit (apples, pears, nuts, small fruit and other
traditional
vegetables,
medicinal plants, flowers and nursery plants, bee-keeping and
other animal and crop sectors deemed eligible

fruit), wine,

cereals,

fodder

crops,

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione autonoma Valle d'Aosta
Assessorato agricoltura e risorse naturali
Dipartimento Agricoltura
Loc. Grande Charrière, 66
I-11020 Saint-Christophe

Website:

http://www.regione.vda.it/agricoltura/biologico/documenti/
riferimenti_3.pdf

Aid No: XA 159/08

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Ravne na Koroškem

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid: Podpore programom razvoja podeželja v občini Ravne
na Koroškem 2008–2013

Legal basis: Pravilnik o dodeljevanju pomoči za ohranjanje in
razvoj kmetijstva in podeželja v občini Ravne na Koroškem za
programsko obdobje 2008–2013 (II. poglavje)

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

2008: EUR 26 900

2009: EUR 27 200

2010: EUR 27 800

2011: EUR 28 300

2012: EUR 28 800

2013: EUR 29 400

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Maximum aid intensity:

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

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

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

— up to 100 % of eligible costs in the form of subsidised
services; this must not involve direct payments of money
to producers.

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

7. Provision of technical support:

— up to 60 % of eligible costs in less-favoured areas, and up
to 50 % of eligible costs in other areas, in the case of
investments made by young farmers within five years of
setting up.

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.

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 maintain 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,

— 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.

4. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

— the amount of municipal
amount of

the difference
between the
insurance
premiums from the national budget and up to 50 % of
eligible costs of insurance premiums for insuring crops
and fruit and for insuring livestock against disease.

support
co-financing of

is

5. Aid for land reparcelling:

— up to 100 % of costs concerning education and training
the organization of
of
farmers, consultancy services,
forums, competitions, exhibitions,
fairs, publications,
catalogues 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: April 2008 (the aid will not be
granted until a summary has been published on the European
Commission's website)

Duration of
31.12.2013

scheme or

individual

aid award: Until

Objective of the aid: To support SMEs

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

Chapter II of the draft Rules on granting aid for preserving and
developing agriculture, forestry and rural areas in the munici-
pality of Ravne na Koroškem includes measures constituting
State aid in accordance with the following Articles of Commis-
sion 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
and amending Regulation (EC)
of
No 70/2001 (OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3):

agricultural products

— 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

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of granting authority:

Občina Ravne na Koroškem
Gačnikova pot 5
SLO-2390 Ravne na Koroškem

— up to 100 % of actual

legal and administrative costs

Website:

incurred.

http://www.uradni-list.si/1/ulonline.jsp?urlid=200822&dhid=95160

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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 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)

Tomaž ROŽEN
Mayor of the Municipality of Ravne na Koroškem

Aid No: XA 162/08

Member State: Spain

Region: Andalucía

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Ayudas destinadas a la recuperación del potencial
productivo de las explotaciones de ovino y caprino tras la apari-
ción de la Lengua Azul

Legal basis: Sección Primera del Capítulo Segundo del Proyecto
de Orden por la que se establecen las bases reguladoras para la
concesión de ayudas establecidas en el marco del Plan Andaluz
de Recuperación de la Capacidad Productiva del Sector Ovino y
Caprino, así como la concesión de subvenciones en forma de
tipos de interés a préstamos como medidas de apoyo a los titu-
lares de explotaciones ganaderas de vacuno de carne, porcino y
cunícola ubicadas en Andalucía, y se efectúa su convocatoria

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Expendi-
ture is estimated at EUR 3 million in 2008 and a further
EUR 3 million in 2009

Maximum aid intensity: The total aid will be EUR 30 for each
breeding ewe of more than 12 months old dead or slaughtered
because of blue tongue and EUR 40 for each breeding she-goat
of more than 12 months old dead or slaughtered because of
blue tongue. In addition, in order to provide compensation for
animals that are now no longer productive, aid can be requested
for 10 % more animals than the total number of
female
breeding animals of more than 12 months old dead or slaugh-
tered because of blue tongue

Date of implementation: From the publication and entry into
force of the Proyecto de Orden por la que se establecen las bases regu-
ladoras para la concesión de ayudas establecidas en el marco del Plan
Andaluz de Recuperación de la Capacidad Productiva del Sector Ovino
y Caprino

Duration of scheme or individual aid award:

Payments will be made throughout 2008, although, depending
on the available budget, they could continue into 2009.

Article 10(6) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 in that it is
being introduced within three years of the occurrence of the
loss and the aid is being paid out within four years of the occur-
rence

Objective of aid:

Only SMEs may benefit under this scheme.

In addition, the aid is intended to compensate the holders of
sheep and/or goat farms for the loss of future breeding animals,
facilitating the purchase or replacement of animals with the aim
of restoring the number of breeding animals before the outbreak
of the disease, in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006

Sector(s) concerned: Sheep- and goat-breeding

Name and address of the granting authority:

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

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

http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/portal/opencms/
portal/DGPAgraria/orden_plan_apoyo_sector_ganadero?entrada=
tematica&tematica=194

Other information:

The draft Order governing this scheme sets out:

— aid under the notified scheme, i.e. the aid provided for in
Section 1 of Chapter 2 of the draft Order, contained in the
Plan Andaluz de Recuperación de la Capacidad Productiva del
Sector Ovino y Caprino (Andalusian Plan for Restoring Repro-
ductive Capacity in the Sheep and Goat Sectors),

— and a scheme of de minimis aid in accordance with Commis-
sion Regulation (EC) No 1535/2007 of 20 December 2007
on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to
de minimis aid in the sector of agricultural production: subsi-
dies in the form of
interest rates on loans as support
measures for the holders of sheep, goat, beef cattle, pig and
rabbit farms in Andalusia.

Blue tongue or ovine catarrhal fever is mentioned in the list of
animal diseases established by the International Office of
Epizootics and in the Annex to Council Decision 90/424/EEC
and thus complies with Article 10(7) of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006.

The measure is part of a public programme to combat the
disease provided for by the Orden de 26 de julio de 2007, por la
que se establecen medidas de lucha contra la lengua azul
(fiebre
catarral ovina) ocasionada por virus del serotipo 1 (BTV-1) y se regula
el movimiento pecuario de animales de las especies sensibles en la
Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía (Order of 26 July 2007 laying
down measures to combat blue tongue (ovine catarrhal fever)
caused by the serotype 1 virus (BTV-1) and laying down rules
on the movement of animals of susceptible species in the
Autonomous Community of Andalusia) and thus complies with
Article 10(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

The animals to be replaced must have been lost in 2007. Conse-
laid down in
quently,

the scheme fulfils

the conditions

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Aid No: XA 167/08

Member State: France

Region: Département des Bouches-du-Rhône

Date of implementation: From the date on which the registra-
tion number of
the exemption request is published on the
website of the Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture
and Rural Development

Title of aid scheme: Dispositif d'aides à l'investissement des
Coopératives d'Utilisation de Matériel Agricole (C.U.M.A.)

Duration of scheme: 2008-2013

Legal basis:

— Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

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

collectivités territoriales

— Projet de délibération du Conseil général des Bouches-du-

Rhône

Annual
EUR 100 000

expenditure

planned

under

the

scheme:

Maximum aid intensity: 15 %

Between 5 % and 15 % of the total eligible cost, depending on
the equipment and the 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.

EQUIPMENT

RATE OF AID

Harvesting equipment
bigarreau cherries, olives and nuts)

(other than for tomatoes,

Equipment
respect for the environment

to aid environmental protection and

Livestock farming equipment and equipment
producing fodder for consumption on the farm

for

Harvesting equipment for integrated industries:
— industrial bigarreau cherry growing,
— industrial tomato growing,
— olive-oil

(vibrating

combs,

sector
shakers, netting)

branch

Other equipment

Construction of agricultural storage sheds

15 %

15 %

15 %

10 %

15 %

5 %

Objective of aid:

In a difficult economic climate, where the investment needed to
maintain or improve competitiveness is becoming an increasing
burden, farmers should be encouraged to pool equipment and
resources. Purchasing the equipment as a cooperative avoids
over-investment by individuals, which boosts the competitive-
ness of the holdings concerned.

This aid scheme falls under Article 4 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006.

This programme should make it possible to achieve the objec-
tives of cutting production costs for holdings by reducing the
cost of mechanisation,
in accordance with Article 4(3)(a) of
Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, and protecting the environ-
ment, in line with Article 4(3)(d) of that Regulation, through
more widespread use of innovative and more environmentally
friendly equipment

Sector(s) concerned:

All sectors.

The aid is open to all CUMAs, irrespective of their sector of
activity, provided that they comply with the definition of SMEs
within the meaning of the Community legislation

Name and address of the granting authority:

Monsieur le Président du Conseil général des Bouches-du-Rhône
Direction de l'agriculture et du tourisme
Hôtel du Département
52, avenue de Saint-Just
F-13256 Marseille cedex 20

Purchases of second-hand equipment are not eligible for aid
from the Departmental Council

Website:

http://www.cg13.fr/amenagements/agriculture/aides.html