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: 2008-09-05
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: France, Slovenia, Spain, State aid, United Kingdom, aid to agriculture, control of State aid, exchange of information, small and medium-sized enterprises

C 228/8

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Official Journal of the European Union

5.9.2008

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 228/08)

Aid No: XA 180/08

3. Relocation of farm buildings in the public interest:

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Idrija

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

Program razvoja podeželja v občini Idrija 2008–2013

Legal basis:

— up to 100 % of actual costs, where the relocation simply
consists of the dismantling, removal and re-erection of
existing facilities and does not involve modernization of
facilities or entail any increase in production capacity;
municipal aid amounts to up to 40 % of actual costs, or
50 % in less-favoured areas, if the relocation results in
the farmer benefiting from more modern facilities or an
increase in production capacity.

Pravilnik o dodeljevanju državnih pomoči za ohranjanje in
razvoj kmetijstva ter podeželja v občini Idrija

4. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

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

2008: EUR 38 000

2009: EUR 40 000

2010: EUR 40 000

2011: EUR 43 000

2012: EUR 47 000

2013: EUR 47 000

— the amount of municipal
amount of

the difference
insurance
between the
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 actual

legal and administrative costs

incurred.

Maximum aid intensity:

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

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

— up to 40 % of eligible costs, and up to 50 % in less-fa-

voured areas.

The support is to be granted for the modernization of agri-
cultural holdings for primary production and the manage-
ment of pastures and farmland.

2. Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings:

— up to 100 % of actual costs of investment to conserve

non-productive heritage features,

— up to 60 % of actual costs, or up to 75 % in less-fa-
voured areas, for investments to conserve the cultural
heritage of productive assets, provided that the invest-
ment does not entail any increase in the production capa-
city of the farm,

— up to 100 % of eligible costs. The aid is to be granted in
the form of subsidised services and does not involve
direct payments of money to producers.

7. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector:

— up to 100 % of eligible costs for education and training,
consultancy services,
forums, and
publications and websites. The aid is to be granted in the
form of subsidized services and must not involve direct
payments of money to producers

the organization of

implementation: May 2008 (the aid will not be
Date of
granted until a summary has been published on the European
Commission's website)

Duration of
31 December 2013

scheme or

individual

aid award: Until

— up to 100 % of extra costs incurred by using traditional

materials.

Objective of the aid: To support SMEs

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 228/9

Reference to Articles in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and
eligible costs: Chapter II of the Rules on granting State aid for
preserving and developing agriculture and rural areas in the
municipality of Idrija includes measures constituting State aid in
accordance with the following Articles of Commission Regu-
lation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 2006 on the appli-
cation 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,

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

England Catchment Sensitive Farming Capital Grant Scheme
2008 to 201 (XA 149/08 Revised)

Legal basis:

This is a non-statutory service, participation in which is volun-
tary. The Agriculture Act 1986 (section 1c) provides the legal
basis for the provision by Government of services in connection
with any agricultural activity

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

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

1 April 2008-31 March 2009

GBP 5 million

— Article 12: Aid towards

the payment of

insurance

premiums,

— Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

1 April 2009-31 March 2010

GBP 5 million

1 April 2010-31 March 2011

GBP 5 million

1 April 2011-31 March 2012

GBP 5 million

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

cultural products,

1 April 2012-31 March 2013

GBP 5 million

— Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural

sector

Economic sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Občina Idrija, Mestni trg 1, SLO-5280 Idrija

Website:

http://www.uradni-list.si/1/content?id=85569

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)

Marjan RUPNIK

1 April 2013-31 March 2014

GBP 5 million

1 April 2014-31 March 2015

GBP 5 million

Total

GBP 35 million

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity is 60 %
in line with Article 4(2)(e) of the Regulation. The maximum
amount of aid granted to a individual enterprise will not exceed
EUR 400 000 over any three year fiscal period in accordance
with Article 4(9) of the Regulation

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 6 May
2008

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
will begin on 6 May 2008. It will close to all new applications
on 28 February 2015 and the last date of payment will be on
31 March 2015

Objective of aid: Environmental protection. The aim of the
England Catchment Sensitive Farming Capital Grant Scheme is
to encourage early voluntary action by farmers to tackle diffuse
water pollution from agriculture (DWPA) in priority catchments
by giving aid towards the cost of
items which will reduce
DWPA. It will contribute to the achievement of domestic and
the Water
international environmental
Framework Directive. The scheme will be run in line with
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and the eligible
costs will be investments in agricultural holdings.

in particular

targets,

Aid No: XA 185/08

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: England

Note: There are currently 40 priority catchments; These catch-
ments are subject to change and, over the life of the Initiative,
new catchments may be added and some removed as a result of
further technical assessment

Sector(s) concerned: The beneficiaries of the grant scheme will
be involved in the production of agricultural products only. All
subsectors will be eligible

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Official Journal of the European Union

5.9.2008

Name and address of the granting authority:

The statutory body responsible for the scheme is:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Defra
Water Quality Division
Ergon House
Horseferry Road
London SW1P 2AL
United Kingdom

The organisation operating the scheme is:

Natural England
Integrated Services & Partnerships Team
John Dower House
Crescent Place
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire GL50 3RA
United Kingdom

Website:

More information on the England CSF Capital Grant Scheme
and the wider ECSFDI, together with the full text of this docu-
ment can be found at:

http://defrawebd/farm/environment/water/csf/pdf/state-aid-capi-
talgrantsscheme2008.pdf

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

www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/state-aid/setup/exist-exempt.htm

Click on the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery
Initiative: Capital Grant Scheme 2008-2015

Other information: Further and more detailed information
relating to eligibility and rules for the scheme can be found via
the web link above.

This scheme will replace XA 149/08 which will close to new
applicants when this scheme comes into force. We are re-noti-
fying this scheme to increase the maximum aid intensity to
EUR 400 000 in accordance with Article 4(9) of the Regulation,
in XA 149/08 we had limited the aid intensity to a maximum
of GBP 10 000 per beneficiary

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

Aid No: XA 186/08

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Scotland

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

The Scottish Farm Business Advice and Skills Service 2008

Legal basis:

Board of Agriculture Act 1889 (Section2)

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

1 April 2008-31 March 2009

GBP 1,5 million

1 April 2009-31 March 2010

GBP 1,5 million

1 April 2010-31 March 2011

GBP 2,0 million

1 April 2011-31 March 2012

GBP 2,5 million

1 April 2012-31 March 2013

GBP 2,5 million

Total expenditure

GBP 10 million

Maximum aid intensity: This scheme will comply with the
European State aid Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of Article 15
as all payments connected to the scheme will be paid direct by
the Scottish Government to the provider of the relevant service
up to a maximum of 100 % of the costs listed in paragraph 2
of the above article.

Aid will be granted to cover the following eligible costs:

2(a) concerning education and training of farmers and farm
workers:

(i) costs of organising the training programme,

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

Date of implementation: The scheme will open on 7 May
2008

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme
will open on 7 May 2008 (for re-launch of revised WFRS), and
will run until 31 March 2013

Objective of aid: The objective of the Whole Farm Review
Scheme (supported by FBAASS to ensure the service is provided
only by accredited advisers) is to encourage farmers and crofters
faced with fundamental changes in their market place and
industry to think like business people and take strategic deci-
sions about the future development of their businesses, leading
to more financially and environmentally sustainable businesses.

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 228/11

This will:

— foster an improvement in the economic and environmental

performance of the agriculture industry,

— achieve sustainable economic growth, and

— encourage use of and sharing best practice and dissemina-
information to improve performance within the

tion of
sector.

The Farm Business Adviser Accreditation Scheme for Scotland

This scheme has been established to set standards for and
encourage continuous professional development of advisers.
Only accredited advisers will be able to deliver the Whole Farm
Review service. Accreditation is open to advisers based in any
Member State and based on objective standards of competence.
This part of the Scheme will be administered under contract by
an external body (currently Lantra). When contract is up for
renewal, the body will be chosen on market principles in a
non-discriminatory way.
tendering procedures
which are in accordance with Community law and in particular
with case law will be used, using a degree of advertising suffi-
cient to enable the services market to be opened up to competi-
tion and the impartiality of procurement rules to be reviewed.

If necessary,

the maximum cost (net of VAT) of consultancy/training provi-
sion per applicant from GBP 1 850 to GBP 2 400.

Further and more detailed information relating to eligibility and
rules for the scheme can be found at the web links above

Aid No: XA 187/08

Member State: France

Regions: Département des Bouches-du-Rhône

Title of aid scheme:

Programme départemental d'aide à l'installation des jeunes agri-
culteurs — complément à la Dotation Jeune Agriculteur (DJA)

Legal basis:

— Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

— Articles L 1511-2 à L 1511-5 du Code Général des Collecti-

vités Territoriales

The aid will be provided in line with Article 15 of Regulation
(EC) No 1857/2006 and the eligible costs will be consultancy
services.

— Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005

— Plan de développement rural hexagonal 2007-2013

It should also be noted that there will be no direct payment to
producers this in line with Article 15

Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture sector, individual farm busi-
nesses

Name and address of the granting authority:

The Scottish Government
Agricultural and Rural Development Division
Rural Directorate
47 Robb's Loan
Edinburgh
Scotland EH14 1TY
United Kingdom

Contact:

Ronald E Vass
Head of Rural Business Development Branch — Agriculture and
Rural Development Division
Tel. (44-13) 12 44 31 59

Website:

WFRS: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/915/0059413.
pdf

Lantra (FBAASS): www.lantra.co.uk/scotland

Other information: Farm BASS was first confirmed as a noti-
fied State aid under aid N 363/03 dated 4 February 2004. An
extension to that decision was granted up to 31 March 2009
under aid N 439/05 dated 17 October 2005. This notified
scheme N 439/05 will close to new applications on the 2 May
2008 to be replaced by this exempt scheme which will open to
new applicants on the 7 May 2008. This scheme will increase

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

Rhône en date du 30.4.2008

Annual
expenditure
EUR 300 000 per year

Maximum aid intensity:

planned

under

the

scheme:

— rural areas (1):

national
EUR 4 650,

level:

EUR

12 650/Departmental

Council:

— urban and suburban areas (1):

EUR

level:

17 300/Departmental

national
Council:
EUR 5 000 (standard rate) or EUR 7 700 (higher rate of
Departmental Council supplementary aid for young farmers
setting up on farms with which they have no family connec-
tion, or for those within the family taking over small farms
in need of financial support).

level
This aid supplements the support available at national
rural areas; EUR 17 300 in urban and
(EUR 12 650 for
suburban areas). Under no circumstances may the
total
setting-up aid for any beneficiary exceed the EUR 55 000
ceiling in Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005.

The Departmental Council undertakes to respect the aid ceiling
in the rural development regulation. It has only decided not to
make use of aid scheme N 110/07 (PIDIL) on management
circuit issues

Date of implementation: From the date of publication of the
registration number of the exemption request on the website of
the Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural
Development

Duration of scheme: Until 31 December 2013

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Official Journal of the European Union

5.9.2008

Objective of aid: Given current economic and property market
conditions in the Bouches-du-Rhône, the setting-up of young
farmers remains a priority aim for the Departmental Council.

In addition to economic difficulties that do not always hold out
any real prospects, there are also problems in gaining access to
a property market where prices are so high (an average of
EUR 17 400/ha in 2006, according to SAFER) — they have
risen on average by 50 % between 2000 and 2007 in
this Department — as to be out of all proportion to farm pro-
fitability; especially hard hit are young farmers who want to set
up,
in particular in urban or suburban areas, and have to
contend with heavy start-up investment costs.

The Departmental Council is proposing to pay this aid on top
of the central government's Dotation Jeune Agriculteur (DJA) in
order to support young farmers' efforts to get started in agri-
culture.

Beneficiaries will have to comply with the conditions regarding
nationality, age, professional abilities and economic viability laid
down in the relevant legislation; they must:

— be a national of France, another European Union Member
State or a state with which the EU has a reciprocity agree-
ment,

— be under the age of 40 at the date of setting-up,

— be setting up for the first time as an independent farmer,

— have a holding of at least 0,5 SMI,

— undertake to join the MSA in either a primary or secondary

capacity as a farmer (2),

— fulfil the requirements in terms of qualifications or profes-

sional abilities,

— draw up a 5-year Farm Development Plan,

— compile a departmental aid application file

Sector(s) concerned: All agricultural holdings in Bouches-du-
Rhône (aid for young farmers)

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

Website:

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

(1) INSEE definition: 1999 zoning.
(2) For beneficiaries working as farmers in a secondary capacity, total

aid is reduced to 50 % of the amounts under the scheme.

Aid No: XA 188/08

Member State: Spain

Region: Principado de Asturias

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

Laboratorio Interprofesional Lechero y Agroalimentario de
Asturias (L.I.L.A.)

Legal basis:

Convenio de colaboración con el Laboratorio Interprofesional
Lechero y Agroalimentario de Asturias (L.I.L.A.) para la realiza-
ción de los análisis de control lechero oficial

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
aid granted to the company:
individual
EUR 395 000 in the 2008 financial year

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 70 % of the cost of this activity

Date of implementation: From the date of publication of the
registration number
for exemption on the
the request
website of the Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture
and Rural Development

for

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until December
2008

Objective of aid: Carrying out official milk control analyses in
for the genetic
the Principality of Asturias, as a basic tool
evaluation of breeding animals of dairy species and breeds and,
therefore, a basic element of any livestock improvement
programme.

The applicable Article of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 is:

Article 16: Support
the livestock sector. Eligible costs:
expenditure connected with carrying out tests to determine the
genetic quality and yield of livestock

for

Sector(s) concerned: The breeding of dairy cattle

Name and address of the granting authority:

Consejería de Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo Rural del Principado
de Asturias
C/ Coronel Aranda, s/n, 4a planta
E-33071 Oviedo (Asturias)

Website:

The text of the cooperation agreement can be consulted on the
www.asturias.es website by following the links to temáticas/gana-
dería/ayudas at the following address:

http://www.asturias.es/portal/site/Asturias/menuitem.fe57bf7c5fd
38046e44f5310bb30a0a0/?vgnextoid=959f4749be187110Vgn
VCM10000097030a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d2907989c258f0
10VgnVCM100000b0030a0aRCRD&i18n.http.lang=es