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: 2009-07-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Czechia, France, Ireland, Spain, State aid, agricultural production, control of State aid, environmental protection, exchange of information, small and medium-sized enterprises








C_2009162EN.01001101.xml










15.7.2009   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 162/11





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 Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001
2009/C 162/07
Aid No: XA 67/09
Member State: Czech Republic
Region: —
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Podpora poradenství v zemědělství zaměřená na odborné konzultace poskytované výzkumnými institucemi, odbornými sdruženími, které plní roli nositele odborných poznatků v těch případech, kdy neexistují odpovídající výzkumné instituce, a veřejnými vysokými školami s resortním zaměřením
Legal basis: Zákon č. 252/1997 Sb., o zemědělství, ve znění p.p.
Zásady, kterými se stanovují podmínky pro poskytování dotací na základě § 2 a § 2d zákona č. 252/1997 Sb., o zemědělství
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: No more than CZK 15 000 000
Maximum aid intensity: Up to 100 % of the costs specified in Article 15(2)(c), subject to a ceiling of CZK 800 000 per applicant.
Date of implementation: From 16 March 2009
Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 December 2013
Objective of aid: The aid is to be granted pursuant to Article 15 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.
Support and development of farm advisory services in the form of expert consultations provided by research institutes, professional associations which serve as repositories for expertise where there are no relevant research institutes, and universities and colleges specialised in the area concerned. Modern means of communication will be used for communication activities, as will personal contact of short duration, aimed at transferring research findings of an operational nature
Sector(s) concerned: Small and medium-sized enterprises active in the primary production of agricultural products
Name and address of the granting authority: 





Ministerstvo zemědělství




Těšnov 17




117 05 Praha 1




ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA




Website: http://www.mze.cz/Index.aspx?ch=74&typ=2&ids=1802&val=1802
(see Rules governing the granting of aid for the year in question — Aid programme 9.F.i)
Other information: The Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic declares that the conditions laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 will be complied with, i.e. the aid will be targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises active in the primary production of agricultural products, and in particular the conditions set out in Article 15 will be met.
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic confirms that technical support will be provided in kind by means of subsidised services and will not involve direct payments of money to producers

Prague, 18 February 2009


Head of Education and Consultancy Department

Ing. Alois NOVÁČEK



Aid No: XA 70/09
Member State: Czech Republic
Region: —
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Podpora poradenství v zemědělství — vstupní konzultace poskytované agrárními nevládními neziskovými organizacemi
Legal basis: Zákon č. 252/1997 Sb., o zemědělství, ve znění p.p.
Zásady, kterými se stanovují podmínky pro poskytování dotací na základě § 2 a § 2d zákona č. 252/1997 Sb., o zemědělství
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: No more than CZK 10 million
Maximum aid intensity: The aid may cover up to 100 % of the costs specified in Article 15(2)(c), subject to a ceiling of CZK 500 per member of the agricultural NGO concerned
Date of implementation: From 16 March 2009
Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 December 2013
Objective of aid: The aid is to be granted pursuant to Article 15 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.
The objective is to support and develop agricultural advisory services in the form of initial consultations provided to farmers by agricultural NGOs. Modern means of communication will be used for consultancy activities, as will personal contact of limited duration aimed at providing general information on support programmes, information on the need to comply with the terms of good production practice, notably in the context of cross-compliance and agri-environmental programme requirements, and directing clients to expert consultations or individual advisory services. The activities of agricultural NGOs will also include the provision of feedback to the Ministry on target groups’ advisory service needs and on the advisory services supplied
Sector(s) concerned: Small and medium-sized enterprises active in the primary production of agricultural products
Name and address of the granting authority: 





Ministerstvo zemědělství




Těšnov 17




117 05 Praha 1




ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA




Website: http://www.mze.cz/Index.aspx?ch=74&typ=2&ids=1802&val=1802
(see Rules governing the granting of aid for the year in question — Aid programme 9.F.i)
Other information: The Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic declares that the conditions laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 will be complied with, i.e. the aid will be focused on small and medium-sized enterprises active in the primary production of agricultural products, and in particular the conditions set out in Article 15.
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic confirms that technical support will be provided in kind by means of subsidised services and will not involve direct payments of money to producers

Prague, 18 February 2009


Head of Education and Consultancy Department

Ing. Alois NOVÁČEK



Aid No: XA 79/09
Member State: Spain
Region: Aragón
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Modificación de la Orden de 24 de septiembre de 2007, del Departamento de Agricultura y Alimentación, por la que se aprueban las bases reguladoras de las subvenciones en materia de fomento de las estructuras asociativas agrarias
Legal basis: 






—


the general legislation applicable to public subsidies, especially Ley 38/2003, de 17 de noviembre, General de Subvenciones (BOE no18-11-2003) and Decreto 2/2007, de 26 de enero, del Gobierno de Aragón que establece un marco de subvenciones en materia de agricultura y alimentación (B.O.A. no22-01-2007),










—


Article 9 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,










—


Orden de 24 de septiembre de 2007, del Departamento de Agricultura y Alimentación, por la que se aprueban las bases reguladoras de las subvenciones en materia de fomento de las estructuras asociativas agrarias




Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The planned annual budget allocation for the subsidy scheme is EUR 700 000, to be distributed among the potential beneficiaries. As provided for in Article 9 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, each beneficiary may receive aid over a period of five years, subject to an overall limit of EUR 400 000
Maximum aid intensity: During the period when the subsidies may be granted, each beneficiary may, in accordance with Article 9(7) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, receive up to EUR 400 000 in respect of the eligible expenditure referred to in Article 9(3)
Date of implementation: From the date of publication of the registration number of the request for exemption on the website of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 December 2013 (Article 23 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006)
Objective of aid: This aid aims to support the measures taken by the agricultural associations to improve their structure, operation and organisation, and to promote products of distinctive quality, in accordance with Decree 2/2007 and the provisions of Article 9 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.
The aid scheme will be governed by the following principles:
The following aspects of the activity subsidised qualify as eligible expenditure:






—


external audits of accounts, with an annual report, and audits relating to gaining and retaining certificates or accreditations for processes or products linked to market requirements on the quality of agri-foodstuffs. The former is open only to associations that are not obliged to carry out statutory external audits under Act 19/1988 of 12 July on audits of the accounts,










—


technical and market evaluations on the production and marketing of the agricultural products grouped by producer association or group,










—


for processes that bring bodies together (mergers, takeovers or amalgamations), the expenditure incurred in constituting the resulting body relating to consultancy, e.g. fees for reports, studies, agencies dealing with legal or administrative work, registration, licences and permits.




Sector(s) concerned: This is a horizontal aid scheme which may cover any agri-food sector or subsector in which producer associations or groups operate
Name and address of the granting authority: 





Departamento de Agricultura y Alimentación Gobierno de Aragón




Edificio Pignatelli




Paseo María Agustín, 36




50071 Zaragoza




ESPAÑA




Website: www.aragon.es via the link:
fomento estructuras asociativas agrarias
fomento estructuras asociativas agrarias Orden inicial
Aid No: XA 98/09
Member State: France
Region: Département de la Haute-Garonne (Conseil général de Haute-Garonne)
Title of aid scheme: Indemnisation des pertes entraînées par la fièvre catarrhale ovine (FCO) en Haute-Garonne: difficultés liées à la reconstitution du troupeau de souche en élevage ovin
Legal basis: Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 2006.
Arrêté du 15 décembre 2008 modifiant l'arrêté du 1er avril 2008 définissant les zones réglementées relatives à la fièvre catarrhale du mouton,
Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field.
Délibération du Conseil régional Midi-Pyrénées du 21 octobre 2008.
Délibération du Conseil général de la Haute-Garonne du 28 janvier 2009
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 200 000
Maximum aid intensity: 28 %
The aid scheme which the General Council wishes to implement is as follows, for all animals dying as a result of bluetongue disease and which have been replaced (flat-rate amounts per animal):
The intensity of this aid will vary from 16 % to no more than 28 % of the financial losses caused by the death of these animals.
The financial loss incurred by replacing breeding livestock is assessed as follows. These examples relate to the minimum amounts of losses.

In terms of sheep production: (lambing at two years and productivity: 1.4 lamb/ewe)

Ewes:
Total minimum financial loss in terms of sheep production*: EUR 302/ewe
Aid from the Department: EUR 50, i.e. 16 % of the estimated loss
Aid from the Region: between EUR 30 and EUR 50, i.e no more than 16 % of the estimated loss
Aid from the State: no more than EUR 100, i.e no more than 33 of the estimated loss
Rams:
Total minimum financial loss in terms of sheep production**: EUR 520/recognised ram
Aid from the Department: EUR 150, i.e. 28 % of the estimated loss
Aid from the Region: EUR 150, i.e. 28 % of the estimated loss
Aid from the State: no more than EUR 91,47, i.e no more than 17 % of the estimated loss
The cumulated aid rate may not in any event exceed 100 %.






—


purchase of one ewe lamb: EUR 130 + ageing: EUR 55 (13 months × EUR 0,20/kg × 21 kg),










—


production loss: 1,4 lambs × EUR 100 minus EUR 23 in feed,










—


total: 130 + 55 + 140 – 23 = EUR 302,










—


purchase of one breeding ram recognised by a selection body: EUR 520,




In any event, the aid from the Department of Haute-Garonne will be used only for the justified replacement of animals certified as dead and hence giving rise to an entitlement to State compensation, or animals which were slaughtered after having been treated for bluetongue disease (with support from the solidarity fund of the animal health associations (Groupements de Défense Sanitaire)).
Beneficiaries will also be requested to declare any amounts they receive through insurance schemes; these amounts will be taken into account to ensure that the maximum 100 % aid rate is not exceeded
Date of implementation: 
Duration of scheme: Until the end of 2009
Objective of the aid: In accordance with the national bluetongue disease control programme and in addition to various measures taken to monitor this disease, the Department of Haute-Garonne wishes to grant aid to livestock farmers in the region to reduce the costs of replacing breeding stock which have died as a result of bluetongue disease
Sector concerned: sheep
Name and address of the granting authority: 





Conseil général de la Haute-Garonne




1 boulevard de la Marquette




31090 Toulouse CEDEX




FRANCE




Website: http://www.cg31.fr/upload/pdf_dadre_fco/aide_reconstruction_cheptel_ovin.pdf
Aid No: XA 152/09
Member State: Éire/Ireland
Region: Éire/Ireland
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Prolongation of Stamp Duty Relief for Farm Consolidation. (Scheme XA 328/07)
Legal basis: Section 81C of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999, as introduced in Section 104 of the Finance Act 2007 and amended by Section 85 of Finance (No 2) Act 2008
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The prolongation will have a duration of two years and is expected to cost EUR 1,5 m per annum
Maximum aid intensity: The rate of stamp duty does not exceed 6 % of the value of the land involved. (The maximum rate of stamp duty was reduced in Budget 2009 for non residential land and property from 9 % to 6 % with effect from 15 October 2008). The maximum aid intensity is 100 % of the stamp duty liability on the investment. Accordingly, the maximum aid intensity does not exceed 100 % of the legal and administrative costs of reparcelling, including survey costs
Date of implementation: 
Duration of scheme or individual aid award: two years to 30 June 2011
Objective of aid: The purpose of the relief is to reduce the operating difficulties caused by land fragmentation and to improve the viability and competitiveness of Irish farms by encouraging greater levels of farm consolidation. The scheme is within the parameters set out in Article 13 of the Block Exemption Regulations (Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006) — ‘Aid for land reparcelling’
Sector(s) concerned: All Agriculture Sectors
Name and address of the granting authority: The aid is in the form of tax relief or tax repayment. The granting authority in this regard is the Revenue Commissioners, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2, Ireland. The scheme will also require certification by the State agriculture and food development authority Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow, Ireland
Web-address: The legislation providing for stamp duty relief can be found in Section 81C of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999, as introduced by Section 104 of the Finance Act 2007 — http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/acts/2007/a1107.pdf
The legislation providing for the prolongation of stamp duty relief can be found in Section 85 of Finance (No 2) Act 2008 — http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/acts/2008/a2508.pdf
Other Information: This measure is an extension to 30 June 2011 to the deadline of 30 June 2009 of approved scheme XA 328/07. There are no other changes to the scheme and on this basis it is the understanding of the Irish authorities that the proposed time extension cannot effect the evaluation of the compatibility of the aid measure with the common market.
As is the case with scheme XA 328/07 the scheme will also require certification by the State agriculture and food development authority Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow, Ireland
Other Information: The guidelines for this scheme, as is the case with scheme XA 328/07, also include the following conditions:






(a)


a reduction in the number of separate parcels of land comprised in a farm; or










(b)


an overall reduction in the distance between existing parcels comprised in a farm;










(a)


retain ownership of the exchanged land;










(b)


use it for farming; and










(c)


spend more than 50 % of his/her normal working time farming; and




An eligible farmer must apply to Teagasc with all relevant documentations and if satisfied, Teagasc will issue a farm consolidation certificate, which the farmer will then produce to the Revenue Commissioners to obtain stamp duty relief or repayment, as necessary.