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: 2008-12-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Austria, Germany, Slovenia, State aid, control of State aid, exchange of information, farmer, horticulture, livestock farming, small and medium-sized enterprises

11.12.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 316/3

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 316/03)

Aid No: XA 292/08

Member State: Germany

Region: Germany

Title of aid scheme:

für Ernährung, Land-
Richtlinien des Bundesministeriums
wirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz über die Verwendung des
Zweckvermögens des Bundes bei der Landwirtschaftlichen
Rentenbank (LR), Ziffer 2.2 Markt- und Praxiseinführung

Legal basis:

Investment in the area of introduction to market and practical
use is eligible for aid if it pursues one or more of the following
objectives:

(a) reduction of production costs;

(b) improvement and re-deployment of production;

(c) improvement in quality;

(d) preservation and improvement of the natural environment,
or the improvement of hygiene conditions or animal welfare
standards.

§ 2 Abs. 1 des Gesetzes über das Zweckvermögen des Bundes
bei der Landwirtschaftlichen Rentenbank vom 12. August 2005
(BGBl. I S. 2363), zuletzt geändert durch Art. 175 der Neunten
Zuständigkeitsanpassungsverordnung vom 31. Oktober 2006
(BGBl. I S. 2407)

Expenditure on the following may be taken as the basis of
assessment
the funding of projects for introduction to
market and practical use, if they are deemed to serve as role
models:

for

Type of aid: Aid scheme

Annual
EUR 1,4 million

expenditure

planned

under

the

scheme:

Total amount of ad hoc aid: EUR 0

Paid over a period of: 6 years

Maximum aid intensity: The value of aid granted to a firm
must not exceed 40 %, as a percentage of the eligible costs, or
EUR 400 000 in absolute figures,
three
marketing years

in any period of

Date of implementation: 20 August 2008

(If the claim is delayed due to requests for clarification, internal
arrangements are made to ensure that the time limit set by
Article 20(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 is complied
with.)

(a) the construction, acquisition or improvement of immovable

property;

(b) the purchase of new machinery and equipment, including
computer software up to the market value of the asset;

(c) general costs linked to expenditure under points (a) and (b),
such as architects, engineers and consultation fees, feasibility
studies,
the acquisition of patents and licences up to a
maximum rate totalling 12 % of the said eligible expenses.

Aid is not granted in the case of simple replacement invest-
ments, the purchase of production rights, animals and annual
plants, the planting of annual plants, drainage works or irriga-
tion equipment and irrigation works, unless such investment
leads to a reduction of water use of at least 25 %. Aid may be
granted for a purchase of land other than land for construction
purposes costing up to 10 % of the eligible expenses of the
investment

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 30 June 2014

Sector(s) concerned: NACE code: A10500 — Mixed farming

Objective of aid: Promoting small and medium-sized enter-
prises in their introduction to the market and practical use of
innovations by encouraging investment in agriculture and horti-
culture (Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).

Name of the granting authority:

Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank

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Official Journal of the European Union

11.12.2008

Address of the granting authority:

Hochstr. 2
D-60313 Frankfurt am Main

Website:

http://www.rentenbank.de/d/Kredite/Richtlinie_Zweckvermoegen.pdf

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 308/08

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: —

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

Pomoč za izgube zaradi neugodnih vremenskih razmer – suša
2007

Legal basis:

— up to 40 % of the estimated direct damage, or up to 45 %
in less-favoured areas, if the damage is caused by adverse
climatic events which cannot be covered by insurance
contracts for agricultural production in the Republic of
Slovenia.

When establishing the amount of funds to be granted to the
beneficiary in order to rectify the consequences of damage to
farming,
the individual agricultural
is ensured that,
product concerned, the total of:

for

it

— funds granted to rectify the consequences of damage in agri-

culture under this Act,

— any other State budget funds to rectify the consequences of

damage in agriculture,

— municipal budget funds granted to the beneficiary as a direct
payment to rectify the consequences of damage in agri-
culture, and

— insurance payments to cover damage in agriculture (where

insurance is possible)

does not exceed 80 % and, in less favoured areas, 90 % of the
reduction in the value of agricultural production.

The reduction in the value of agricultural production is calcu-
lated as the difference between:

— zakon o odpravi posledic naravnih nesreč (Uradni list RS,
št. 114/05 – uradno prečiščeno besedilo, 90/07 in 102/07)
– v nadaljevanju: ZOPNN

— delni program odprave posledic škode v kmetijstvu zaradi
naravnih nesreč v letu 2007 (sklep Vlade RS na 164. redni
seji z dne 3. aprila 2008, točka 1.6)

— the usual annual production of

the agricultural product,

multiplied by the average market price of that product, and

— the actual annual production of the agricultural product in
the year in which the damage to agriculture occurred, multi-
plied by the average market price of that product in that
year.

— končna ocena neposredne škode v tekoči kmetijski proiz-
vodnji zaradi toč in suše v letu 2007 (sklep Vlade RS na
152. redni seji z dne 27. decembra 2007, točka 1.13)

Costs not incurred because of the adverse climatic event are not
included in the calculation

— uredba o metodologiji za ocenjevanje škode (Uradni list RS,

št. 67/03, 79/04, 81/06, 68/08)

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of individual aid granted to the company: Planned
expenditure for 2008 is EUR 4 622 990, which represents 28 %
of
the estimated damage caused by the natural disaster
concerned (drought) in 2007

Maximum aid intensity: State aid for damage caused by
drought is granted to beneficiaries in accordance with the provi-
sions of ZOPNN and the Decree on the method of calculating
confirmed damage to agriculture and the method of calculating
the amounts of authorized allocations for the elimination of the
consequences of damage to agriculture (Official Gazette of the
Republic of Slovenia Nos 109/03, 77/04 and 97/04)

In order to rectify the consequences of damage in agriculture
due to drought, beneficiaries are granted the following amounts
of aid per agricultural product:

Date of implementation: 28.8.2008

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Aid may be
approved within one year of the adoption of the programme,
i.e. up to 3.4.2009

Objective of aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and
eligible costs: The aid scheme includes measures and eligible
costs constituting State aid in accordance with Article 11 of
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 agricultural products and amending Regulation
(EC) No 70/2001 (OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3):

— Article 11: Aid for losses due to adverse climatic events

Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

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Name and address of the granting authority:

Ministrstvo za kmetijstvo, gozdarstvo in prehrano
Dunajska cesta 58
SLO-1000 Ljubljana

Agencija RS za kmetijske trge in razvoj podeželja
Dunajska cesta 160
SLO-1000 Ljubljana

Website:

http://www.mkgp.gov.si/fileadmin/mkgp.gov.si/pageuploads/
saSSo/zakonodaja/2008/DIREKTORAT_ZA_KMETIJSTVO/
NARAVNE_NESRECE/Delni_program_odprave_posledic_sko-
de_v_kmetijstvu_zaradi_naravnih_nesrec_v_letu_2007.pdf

Other information: The above-mentioned legal bases meet the
requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 concerning aid
measures for losses due to adverse climatic events to be imple-
mented by the Republic of Slovenia and the general provisions
applicable.

At
the
its 152nd regular meeting on 27 December 2007,
Government of the Republic of Slovenia officially recognised
the adverse climatic event of drought in 2007 as an event
which can be assimilated to a natural disaster.

it

The calculation of loss is to be made at individual holding level.
The corresponding compensation will be paid directly to the
is
farmer concerned. When compensation is calculated,
ensured that the total of the funds granted to rectify the conse-
quences of the damage, any other national budget funds to
rectify the consequences of damage in agriculture and municipal
budget funds granted to the beneficiary as a direct payment to
rectify the consequences of the damage in agriculture does not
exceed 80 %, and 90 % in less favoured areas, of the fall in the
value of agricultural production. It was not possible to insure
production against drought in Slovenia in 2007, which is why
payments from insurance are not included in the calculation.
Moreover, costs not incurred because of the adverse climatic
event are not included in the calculation of the damage

Branko RAVNIK
Generalni direktor Direktorata za kmetijstvo

Aid No: XA 316/08

Member State: Austria

Region: Oberösterreich

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall
amount of
individual aid granted to the company: The
average funding requirement in Upper Austria is expected to be
EUR 500 000 annually

Maximum aid intensity: A contribution of up to 25 % of the
cattle insurance premiums paid

Date of implementation: January 2009

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: January 2009
to 2013

increased injuries and falls. Quite apart

Objective of aid: Cattle holdings, particularly those based on
pasture and hill grazing, have been confronted by increasingly
extreme weather conditions in recent years. These climatic
vagaries represent an extremely serious threat to cattle. Cattle
holdings sustain enormous financial
losses in particular after
thunderstorms, when livestock grazing in Alpine meadows
suffer
from these
dangers, climate change is leading even in our latitudes to a
greater incidence of fatal diseases which can be traced back to
the expanding ranges of insects and parasites. Higher rates of
loss through stillbirths or cattle dying as a result of disease or
accidents can threaten farmers'
In Upper Austria
alone, of 150 929 cattle insured, 2007 saw accidents involv-
ing 8 600. The proportion of cattle insured in Upper Austria
represents
total population (of
around 585 000).

virtually 26 % of

livelihoods.

the

This guideline is intended to create an additional incentive for
cattle farmers to take out insurance to cover losses from disease
and accidents. Farmers are to be encouraged to take responsi-
bility for managing risk and crises, including by hiving off some
of the risk so as to provide financial security for the growth of
their operations.

in the event of

An insurance policy is often the best way of managing risk.
Also,
loss, the farmer has a legal right to
compensation and does not have to rely on ad hoc payments
from government.

The aim is to reduce financial losses in cattle farming and thus
contribute to maintaining grassland and livestock production in
Upper Austria. Securing the long-term future of cattle farming
— especially that exploiting the habitat and economic potential
of Alpine meadows and pastures — is not only a farming
concern, but also a cultural and socio-political objective.

Objectives:

— to protect against risk and contribute to steady farm growth,

— to ensure quantifiable income levels for cattle farmers,

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

— to relieve the costs of risk management,

— to help preserve grassland and livestock production in

Richtlinie für die Gewährung eines Zuschusses des Landes Ober-
österreich zu den Prämienkosten für die Rinderversicherung

Upper Austria,

— to assist rural communities

Legal basis:

OÖ Landwirtschaftsgesetz

Economic sectors: Agricultural holdings in Upper Austria
which keep cattle

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Name and address of the granting authority:

Amt der Oberösterreichischen Landesregierung (Office of the
Government of Upper Austria)
Abteilung für Land- und Forstwirtschaft
Bahnhofplatz 1
A-4021 Linz

Website:

farm buildings

as
(granaries, drying frames, barns,
pigsties, beehives, etc.), provided the investment does not
entail any increase in the production capacity of
the
farm,

— up to 50 % of

investment or
measures to conserve the heritage of non-productive
assets on farms.

the eligible costs of

http://www.land-oberoesterreich.gv.at/cps/rde/xchg/SID-9218A1
2A-67057BFB/ooe/hs.xsl/77441_DEU_HTML.htm

3. Aid for land reparcelling:

— up to 100 % of actual

legal and administrative costs

Other information: The insurance premium aid scheme is
based on Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

incurred

The aid does not constitute a barrier to the operation of the
internal market
for insurance services. The Upper Austrian
Regional Government office will ensure that the aid is not
limited to insurance from a sole insurance company and also
not made conditional on taking out a policy with an insurance
company established in Austria

Aid No: XA 320/08

Member State: Republic of Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Horjul

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

Pomoč za ohranjanje in razvoj kmetijstva in podeželja v občini Horjul
za programsko obdobje 2008–2013

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

Duration of
31 December 2013

scheme or

individual

aid award: Until

Objective of aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and
eligible costs: Chapter II of the draft Pravilnik o dodeljevanju
finančnih pomoči za programe razvoja podeželja in kmetijstva v občini
Horjul (Rules on granting financial aid for agricultural and rural
development programmes
in the municipality of Horjul)
includes measures constituting State aid in accordance with
the
following Articles of Commission Regulation (EC)
No 1857/2006 of 15 December 2006 on the application of
Articles 87 and88 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):

Legal basis:

— Article 4: Investment in agricultural holdings,

Pravilnik o dodeljevanju finančnih pomoči za programe razvoja pode-
želja in kmetijstva v občini Horjul

— Article 5: Conservation of traditional landscapes and build-

ings,

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

— Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling

2008: EUR 15 000

2009: EUR 10 000

2010: EUR 10 000

2011: EUR 10 000

2012: EUR 10 000

2013: EUR 10 000

Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Občina Horjul
Slovenska cesta 7
SLO-1354 Horjul

Website:

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

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

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

http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200881&objava=3604

Other information: The municipality's Rules meet the require-
ments of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 concerning the
measures to be adopted by the municipality and the general
provisions applicable (procedure prior to the aid grant, cumula-
tion, transparency and monitoring of aid)

2. Conservation of traditional landscapes and buildings:

Janko JAZBEC

— up to 50 % of eligible costs of investment or measures to
protect the heritage of productive assets on farms, such

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Aid No: XA 321/08

Member State: Slovenia

Region: Območje občine Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih goricah

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

Podpora programom razvoja podeželja v občini Sveta Trojica v
Slovenskih goricah 2008–2013

Legal basis:

Pravilnik o ohranjanju in spodbujanju razvoja kmetijstva in
podeželja v občini Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih goricah za
programsko obdobje 2008–2013

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

2008: EUR 15 000

2009: EUR 14 000

2010: EUR 14 500

2011: EUR 14 500

2012: EUR 15 000

2013: EUR 15 000

Maximum aid intensity:

1. Investment in agricultural holdings for primary production:

— up to 40 % of eligible costs of investment,

— the maximum amount of aid granted to an individual
enterprise must not exceed EUR 400 000 over three
financial years.

2. Aid for conserving traditional landscapes and buildings:

— up to 100 % of actual costs for non-productive struc-

tures,

— up to 60 % of actual costs for productive structures on
farms, provided that the investment does not entail any
increase in the production capacity of the farm,

— up to 100 % of aid to cover the extra costs incurred by
using traditional materials necessary to conserve the heri-
tage features of buildings.

4. Aid for land reparcelling:

— up to 100 % of actual eligible costs incurred.

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

— up to 100 % of costs incurred for activities, insofar as
they relate to improving the quality of agricultural
products,

— the aid is to be granted in the form of subsidised services
and must not involve direct payments of money to agri-
cultural holdings, apart from the amount referred to in
the previous paragraph.

6. Aid for providing technical support in the agricultural sector:

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

Date of implementation: 13 October 2008 (the aid will not
be granted until a summary has been published on the
European Commission's website)

Duration of
31 December 2013

scheme or

individual

aid award: Until

Objective of aid: To support SMEs

Reference to Articles of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and
eligible costs: The draft Pravilnik o ohranjanju in spodbujanju
razvoja kmetijstva in podeželja v Občini Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih
goricah za programsko obdobje 2008-2013 (Rules on preserving
and promoting the development of agriculture and rural areas
in the municipality of Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih goricah for the
programming period 2008-2013) include 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
of
and amending Regulation (EC)
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 12: Aid towards

the payment of

insurance

premiums,

3. Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums:

— Article 13: Aid for land reparcelling,

— municipal support, in line with the Decree on co-finan-
cing of insurance premiums for agricultural production
for the current year, adopted by the Slovenian Govern-
ment, comprises the difference between aid and the
subsidy limit (up to 50 %) applying to the eligible costs
of insurance premiums.

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

cultural products,

— Article 15: Provision of technical support in the agricultural

sector

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Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Občina Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih goricah
Mariborska cesta 1
SLO-2235 Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih goricah

Website:

adverse climatic events which can be assimilated to natural
disasters: spring frost, hail, fire, lightning, 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
applicable
(procedure prior to the aid grant, cumulation, transparency and
monitoring of aid).

general provisions

and

the

http://www.izit.si/muv/index.php?action=showPredpis&predpis
ID=6666

When this scheme enters into force, scheme XA 422/07 will
cease to apply

Other information: The measure for the payment of insurance
includes the following
premiums to insure crops and fruit

Darko FRAS
Župan občine Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih goricah