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: 2008-11-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia, State aid, aid to agriculture, control of State aid, livestock farming, small and medium-sized enterprises

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Official Journal of the European Union

6.11.2008

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 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 282/06)

Aid No: XA 213/08

Date of implementation: 8 September 2008

Member State: Netherlands

Region: —

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving indivi-
dual aid: Subsidieregeling Wet op het Waddenfonds

Legal basis: Artikel 9, Wet op het Waddenfonds en Subsidiere-
geling Wet op het Waddenfonds

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: The aid
a
notified
(maximum) amount of EUR 5 250 000 per year

exemption Regulation comprises

under

the

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 1 June
2014

Objective of aid:

To support small and medium-sized enterprises active in the
agricultural sector in the Wadden area. Support must comply
with the four objectives set out in Article 2(2) of the Law on
the Wadden fund.

The purpose of the fund is to subsidise activities, other than
regular investment or management/maintenance work, which
are directed at or contribute towards:

(a) expanding and strengthening the Wadden area's natural and

landscape assets;

Maximum aid intensity:

1.

investment
costs, up to a maximum of EUR 400 000;

in agricultural holdings: 40 % of

the eligible

(b) diminishing or eliminating external threats to the Wadden

Sea's natural resources;

2. conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings: 90 % of
the eligible costs of investment or capital expenditure for the
conservation of non-productive heritage features located on
agricultural holdings; 40 % of the eligible costs of investment
or capital expenditure for
the conservation of heritage
features which at the same time form part of agricultural
holdings' productive assets;

3. relocation of farm buildings in the public interest: 90 % of
the eligible costs if relocation in the public interest comprises
the dismantling, removal and re-erection of existing facilities;
40 % if relocation in the public interest results in the farmer
benefiting from more modern facilities or in an increase in
production capacity;

4. encouraging the production of quality agricultural products:
40 % of the eligible costs, insofar as they are related to the
development of quality agricultural products;

5. technical support in the agricultural sector: 40 % of the

eligible costs

(c) sustainable economic development in the Wadden area or a
substantial transition to sustainable energy management in
the Wadden area and the directly adjoining areas;

(d) developing sustainable knowledge management with regard

to the Wadden area.

Use is made of the following Articles of the exemption Regu-
lation.

1. Article 4 — Investment in agricultural holdings. The eligible
costs are those set out in Article 4(4) of the exemption Regu-
lation: (a) the construction, acquisition or improvement of
immovable property; (b) the purchase or lease-purchase of
machinery and equipment, including computer software, up
to the market value of the asset; general costs linked to
expenditure under points (a) and (b),
including costs for
architects, engineers and consultants, feasibility studies and
the acquisition of patents and licences. The aid satisfies the
conditions of Article 4(5), (6), (7) and (8) of the exemption
Regulation;

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2. Article 5 — Conservation of

traditional

landscapes and
buildings. The eligible costs are those set out in Article 5 of
the exemption Regulation: the costs actually incurred for
investment or capital expenditure; and for investment or
capital expenditure for the conservation of non-productive
heritage features located on agricultural holdings: reasonable
compensation for the work undertaken on the project by the
farmer himself or his workers, up to a maximum amount of
EUR 10 000 per year. The aid satisfies the conditions of
Article 5(3) of the exemption Regulation;

Website:

http://www.vrom.nl/Docs/20080721-wijziging-wet-op-het-
waddenfonds.pdf

Other information: —

3. Article 6 — Relocation of

farm buildings in the public
interest. The eligible costs comprise the costs actually
incurred in relocating the farm building. The aid satisfies the
conditions of Article 6(3) and (4) of the exemption Regu-
lation;

Aid No: XA 234/08

Member State: Italy

4. Article 14 — Aid to encourage the production of quality
agricultural products. The eligible costs are those set out in
Article 14(2)(a) of the exemption Regulation: the costs of
market research and of product conception and design,
including the preparation of applications for recognition of
geographical indications and designations of origin or certifi-
cates of specific character in accordance with the relevant
Community regulations. The aid satisfies the conditions of
Article 14(3), (4), (5) and (6) of the exemption Regulation;

5. Article 15 — Technical support in the agricultural sector.
The eligible costs are those set out in Article 15(2) of the
exemption Regulation: education and training of farmers and
farm workers, including the cost of organising the training
programme, participants' travel and subsistence expenses, the
cost of providing replacement services during the absence of
the farmer or a farm worker; concerning farm replacement
services: the actual cost of replacing a farmer, the farmer's
partner or a farm worker during illness or holidays;
concerning consultancy services provided by third parties:
the fees for services which do not constitute a continuous or
periodic activity or relate to the enterprise's usual operating
expenditure such as routine tax consultancy services, regular
legal services, or advertising; concerning the organisation of
and participation in forums to share knowledge between
businesses, competitions, exhibitions and fairs: participation
fees, travel costs, costs of publications, rental of exhibition
premises, and the symbolic prizes awarded in the framework
of competitions, up to a value of EUR 250 per prize and
winner;
including catalogues or
websites presenting factual
information about producers
from a given region or producers of a given product,
provided that the information and presentation are neutral
and that all producers concerned have equal opportunities to
be represented in the publication. The aid satisfies the condi-
tions of Article 15(3) and (4)

the cost of publications,

Sector(s) concerned: All small and medium-sized agricultural
enterprises active in the primary production of agricultural
products referred to in Annex I to the EC Treaty

Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministerie van Volkshuisvesting, Ruimtelijke Ordening en Milieu
Postbus 20951
2500 EZ Den Haag
Nederland

Region: Regione marche

Title of aid scheme: Proroga del Programma obiettivo triennale
2003-2005 dei servizi di sviluppo del sistema agroalimentare
regionale e Linee di indirizzo per il programma annuale 2008.
Legge regionale del 23 dicembre 1999, n. 37

Legal basis:

— Legge regionale del 23 dicembre 1999, n. 37 ‘Disciplina dei
servizi per lo sviluppo del sistema agroalimentare regionale’;

— Legge regionale del 23 ottobre 2007, n. 14 ‘Assestamento
del bilancio 2007’ comma 1 dell'articolo 26 ‘Interventi a
favore della zootecnia’;

— Delibera amministrativa ‘Proroga del Programma obiettivo
triennale 2003-2005 dei servizi di sviluppo del sistema
agroalimentare
il
programma annuale 2008. Legge regionale del 23 dicembre
1999, n. 37’

indirizzo per

e Linee di

regionale

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme:

the services
The planned expenditure for
covered by this aid scheme for 2008 does not exceed
EUR 1 million.

the provision of

Public funding will in any event be set within the limits of the
financial resources allocated to the activities of Agricultural
Development Services in the 2008 draft budget

Maximum aid intensity:

Aid to the producers who are the end beneficiaries will be paid
in the form of services provided by implementing bodies as
specified under ‘Other information on this summary sheet’ with
the exclusion of direct payments of money. For implementing
bodies, on the other hand, aid will be paid, in accordance with
Articles 15 and 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, up to the
following maximum amounts:

— up to 100 % of eligible expenditure for specialist technical

assistance services in the animal husbandry sector,

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— up to 70 % of eligible expenditure for assistance services for
the genetic and functional improvement of milk production,

— up to 80 % of eligible expenditure for the dissemination of
agro-meteorological data for agronomic and plant health
assistance

Date of implementation: The aid scheme will be implemented
only following confirmation by the Commission of receipt of
this summary sheet and of its publication on the Internet

Duration of scheme: The aid scheme covers 2008 only

Objective of aid:

The primary objective of
the aid is to provide small and
medium-sized agricultural enterprises engaged in agricultural
and husbandry activities with support in the form of technical
assistance services.

The technical assistance services provided do not constitute a
continuous or periodic activity nor do they relate to the enter-
prise's usual operating expenditure; for each project, therefore,
monitoring of
indicators is required to assess improvements
made under the assistance measures, accompanied by a detailed
report of the results obtained.

Reference is made to Articles 15 and 16 of Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006

Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Regione Marche
Servizio Agricoltura Forestazione e Pesca
PF Competitività e Sviluppo dell'Impresa Agricola
Via Tiziano 44
I-60125 Ancona

Website:

http://www.agri.marche.it/Aree %20tematiche/Aiuti %20di %
20stato/2008/sviluppo %20agricolo.pdf

Other information:

Development
services
supplied by ‘implementing bodies’,
Regional Law, previously selected by public tender.

enterprises will be
identified in the reference

agricultural

for

The ‘end beneficiaries’ of the development services of this aid
scheme are small and medium-sized agricultural holdings
taking part in the initiatives covered by the multiannual projects
eligible for funding, holders of a VAT number and enrolled
in the regional union of the Campania Chambers of Commerce
(C.C.I.A.A.) with a standard gross margin including assistance
shares for at least EUR 3 500, who benefit from the services of
the implementing bodies. In any case, for all the service activities
covered by this annual scheme, no aid may involve direct
payments in money to producers.

Agricultural holdings with employees must adhere to national
reference collective contracts and current legislation on work-
place safety and health.

All beneficiaries in the area affected by the project will have
access to the services provided. The fact that an end beneficiary
is controlled by an implementing body will not be a condition
for access to the service. Any contribution to implementing
bodies' administrative costs by beneficiaries
that are not
members of
these implementing bodies
the organisation of
must cover solely the cost of the service provided.

Eligible expenditure — Eligible expenditure will include only the
costs of services that do not constitute a continuous periodic
activity or that do not relate to the enterprise's usual operating
expenses

Vincenzo CIMINO
Head of Unit, Competitiveness and Development of Agricultural
Holdings

Aid No: XA 265/08

Member State: Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Šempeter-Vrtojba (Goriška statistična
regija)

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an indi-
vidual aid: Podpora programom razvoja podeželja v občini
Šempeter-Vrtojba 2008–2013

Legal basis: Pravilnik o dodeljevanju finančnih pomoči za
programe in investicije v kmetijstvu v občini Šempeter-Vrtojba

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

2008: EUR 47 000

2009: EUR 47 000

2010: EUR 47 000

2011: EUR 47 000

2012: EUR 47 000

2013: EUR 47 000

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

— up to 40 % of the costs of investment.

The purpose of the aid is to invest in farmland, pastures and
private tracks and roads and to purchase equipment to be
used for primary production.

2. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

amount of

— the amount of municipal co-financing is the difference
between the
insurance
premiums from the national budget and the subsidy limit
(up to 50 %) applying to the eligible costs of insurance
premiums for crops, fruit and cases of disease among
animals.

co-financing of

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3. Aid for land reparcelling:

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

including inspection costs.

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

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

5. Provision of technical support in the agricultural sector:

— up to 100 % of eligible costs concerning education, the
organisation of events, competitions, exhibitions and
fairs, and publications, such as catalogues and websites.
The aid is to be granted in the form of subsidised services
and must not
involve direct payments of money to
producers

implementation:

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

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31.12.2013

Objective of the aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and
eligible costs:
the draft Rules on granting financial aid for
Chapter II of
programmes and investment in agriculture in the municipality
of Šempeter-Vrtojba 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 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

Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of granting authority:
Občina Šempeter-Vrtojba
Cesta Goriške fronte 11
SLO-5290 Šempeter pri Gorici

Website:
http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200833&objava=1348

Other information:
The measure relating to payment of insurance premiums to
insure crops and fruit covers the following adverse climatic
events which can be assimilated to natural disasters: spring frost,
hail, lightning, fire, storms 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)

Secretary of the municipality