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 EC 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: 2009-08-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Slovakia, Slovenia, State aid, United Kingdom, agricultural production, animal disease, control of State aid, exchange of information, livestock farming, small and medium-sized enterprises








C_2009198EN.01001601.xml










22.8.2009   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 198/16





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 EC 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 198/05
Aid No: XA 17/09
Member State: Republic of Slovenia
Region: —
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Sofinanciranje zavarovalnih premij za zavarovanje kmetijske proizvodnje za leto 2009
Legal basis: Uredba o spremembah in dopolnitvah Uredbe o sofinanciranju zavarovalnih premij za zavarovanje kmetijske proizvodnje in ribištva za leto 2009
Uredba o sofinanciranju zavarovalnih premij za zavarovanje kmetijske proizvodnje in ribištva za leto 2009
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Planned expenditure for 2009 is EUR 9 947 980.
Maximum aid intensity: The co-financing covers 50 % of expenditure on insurance premiums for insuring crops and fruit against the risks of hail, fire, lightning, spring frost, storm and floods. In the case of insurance for animals against the risks of destruction, slaughter on the orders of a veterinary surgeon and economic slaughter on account of disease, the co-financing of insurance premiums is determined in absolute terms per species and category of animal and may not be more than 50 % of the eligible expenditure on insurance premiums.
Date of implementation: from the date on which the registration number of the exemption request is published on the website of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The aid may be approved for insurance policies concluded up to 31 December 2009.
Objective of aid: to support SMEs
Reference to Articles of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and eligible costs: The aid scheme includes measures and eligible costs constituting State aid in accordance with Article 12 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 12 of the Commission Regulation: Aid towards the payment of insurance premiums, including co-financing of insurance premiums for agricultural production.
Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture
Name and address of the granting authority: 





Ministrstvo za kmetijstvo




gozdarstvo in prehrano




Dunajska 58




SI-1000 Ljubljana




SLOVENIJA









Agencija RS za kmetijske trge in razvoj podeželja




Dunajska 160




SI-1000 Ljubljana




SLOVENIJA




Website: http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=200936&objava=1710
http://www.uradni-list.si/1/objava.jsp?urlid=2008126&objava=5748
Other information: The purpose of paying a proportion of the expenditure on insurance premiums is to encourage agricultural producers to insure themselves against potential losses due to natural disasters or adverse weather conditions, as well as losses due to disease in animals, whilst taking responsibility for reducing risk in the area of plant production and livestock farming.
The decree and the amended decree meet the requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 on aid towards the payment of insurance premiums and the general provisions applicable (steps preceding grant of aid, cumulation, transparency and monitoring of aid).


Branko RAVNIK


Generalni direktor Direktorata za kmetijstvo



Aid No: XA 65/09
Member State: United Kingdom
Region: England
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: England Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Capital Grant Scheme 2009/2010
Legal basis: This is a non-statutory service, participation in which is voluntary. 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: Up to GBP 9 million
Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity is 60 % in line with Article 4 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.
Date of implementation: The grant scheme will be launched and open for applications from 2 March 2009. Applications will be assessed from that date but no aid will be granted until the scheme summary has been published by the Commission.
Note: This is the third year of a scheme that has previously been run during 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 (see other information section).
Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will close to applications on 30 April 2009. Claims must be submitted by 26 February 2010 so that payment can be made by 31 March 2010. Grants are subject to conditions which last until 31 March 2015.
Objective of aid: Environmental protection. The aim of the England Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Capital Grant Scheme is to encourage early voluntary action by farmers to tackle diffuse water pollution from agriculture in 50 priority catchments. The scheme provides grant aid towards the improvement or installation of facilities that would benefit water quality by reducing diffuse pollution.
The scheme contributes to the achievement of domestic and international environmental targets, in particular the Water Framework Directive. It will be run in accordance with Article 4 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and the eligible costs will be investments in agricultural holdings.
Sector(s) concerned: The beneficiaries of the grant scheme will be small and medium-sized enterprises involved in the production of agricultural products. All sub-sectors will be eligible.
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 England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative, together with the full text of this document, can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/environment/water/csf — click on State aid on the left hand side of this page.
Click on the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative: State aids to see the full text of the State aids application for 2009/2010. http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/environment/water/csf/grants/state-aid.htm
Other information: This scheme replaces XA 185/08 (England Catchment Sensitive Farming Capital Grant Scheme 2008 to 2015 (XA 149/08 revised)) which has now closed.
Aid No: XA 126/09
Member State: Slovak Republic
Region: All regions of the Slovak Republic, i.e. Bratislavský kraj, Západné Slovensko, Stredné Slovensko and Východné Slovensko
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Schéma štátnej pomoci na úhradu straty na hospodárskych zvieratách a ich produktoch v dôsledku nariadeného opatrenia
Legal basis: The legal basis for the aid is provided by:
Article 10(2)-(8) of 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 (hereinafter the Commission Regulation),
článok 14 nariadenia vlády SR č. 369/2007 Z. z. o niektorých podporných opatreniach v pôdohospodárstve v znení nariadenia vlády SR č. 159/2008 Z. z. (ďalej len ‘nariadenie vlády č. 369/2007 Z. z’.),
zákon č. 231/1999 Z. z. o štátnej pomoci v znení neskorších predpisov (ďalej len ‘zákon o štátnej pomoci’),
zákon č. 523/2004 Z. z. o rozpočtových pravidlách verejnej správy a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov (ďalej len ‘zákon o rozpočtových pravidlách’).
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The amount of funding intended for implementing the scheme will be published by the grantor on its website: http://www.land.gov.sk
The planned volume of funding under the scheme for 2009 is EUR 2 655 513.
The planned annual volume of funding under the scheme from 2010 is EUR 2 655 513.
The overall planned budget for granting aid to compensate for losses of livestock and livestock products as a result of a compulsory measure during the period 2009–2013 is EUR 13 277 565.
Maximum aid intensity: 100 % of the gross loss calculated
Date of implementation: 






(a)


The scheme will enter into force on the date on which the application for exemption is assigned an identification number and the summary information is published on the website of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development and on the ministry’s website: http://www.mpsr.sk










(b)


Amendments to the scheme may take the form of written addenda. Amendments other than those of a formal or administrative nature will be notified to the European Commission in the form of summary information and will take effect following publication of the summary information on the website of the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development.










(c)


Amendments to the European legislation referred to in point B of the scheme or to any related legislation must be reflected in the scheme within six months following their entry into force.




Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will expire on 31 December 2013.
The deadline for submitting aid applications is 31 October 2013.
The deadline for approving applications is 31 December 2013.
Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to compensate for losses suffered by livestock farmers as a result of compulsory veterinary measures.
The purpose of the aid is to address losses referred to in Article 10(2)(a)(ii) and (c), (3) and (8) of the Commission Regulation.
The provisions of Article 10(2)-(8) of 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 (hereinafter the Commission Regulation) apply.
Eligible costs comprises losses referred to in Article 10(2)(a)(ii) and (c), (3) and (8) of the Commission regulation.
Sector(s) concerned: Section A — Agriculture, forestry and fishing (in accordance with NACE Rev. 2)
Primary production of agricultural products listed in Annex I to the EC Treaty
Name and address of the granting authority: Aid granted by:
Ministerstvo pôdohospodárstva SR (hereinafter the ministry)
Dobrovičova 12
812 66 Bratislava
SLOVENSKO/SLOVAKIA
Tel. +421 259266111
Website: http://www.land.gov.sk Dotácie
The ministry's remit is laid down by Act No 575/2001 on the organisation of government activities and the organisation of central state administration, as amended.
Scheme implemented by:
Pôdohospodárska platobná agentúra (hereinafter the paying agency)
Dobrovičova ul. 12
815 26 Bratislava
SLOVENSKO/SLOVAKIA
Tel. +421 259266111
Website: http://www.apa.sk Sekcia štátnej pomoci
The paying agency is a budgetary organisation within the ministry which was established on 1 December 2003 pursuant to Act No 473/2003 on the Agricultural Paying Agency, on support for business activity in agriculture and amending certain acts.
It provides administrative back-up for support mechanisms in the agricultural sector.
Website: http://www.land.gov.sk Dotácie
http://www.land.gov.sk/sk/index.php?navID=161&id=1491
Other information: The purpose of the scheme is to provide aid to livestock farmers established in the Slovak Republic following the completion of compulsory veterinary measures, to compensate for losses caused by compulsory quarantine as a result of a measure ordered by the competent district veterinary and food administration.
Compensation for losses (hereinafter the grant) provided under this scheme is a direct form of State aid within the meaning of Section 5(1)(a) of the State Aid Act. Aid is awarded to livestock farmers on a one-off basis in the form of a grant.


Ing. Alexander ČARNÝ

riaditeľ odboru štátnej pomoci a národných podpôr

Ministerstvo pôdohospodárstva SR



Aid No: XA 127/09
Member State: Slovak Republic
Region: All regions of the Slovak Republic, i.e. Bratislavský kraj, Západné Slovensko, Stredné Slovensko and Východné Slovensko
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Schéma štátnej pomoci na eradikáciu a prevenciu ochorení zvierat
Legal basis: The legal basis for the aid is provided by:
zákon č. 231/1999 Z. z. o štátnej pomoci v znení neskorších predpisov,
Article 10(1) and (3)-(8) 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,
článok 10 ods. 3, 4 a 5, článok 46 zákona č. 39/2007 Z. z. o veterinárnej starostlivosti,
článok 4 ods. 4, článok 8 ods. 2, článok 8a) a článok 21 až 23 zákona č. 523/2004 Z. z. o rozpočtových pravidlách verejnej správy a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov.
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The amount of funding intended for implementing the scheme will be published by the ministry on its website: http://www.land.gov.sk
The planned volume of funding under the scheme for 2009 will not exceed EUR 6 638 784.
The planned annual volume of funding under the scheme from 2010 will not exceed EUR 6 638 784.
The overall planned budget for granting aid for the eradication and prevention of livestock diseases during the 2009–2013 period will not exceed EUR 33 193 920.
Maximum aid intensity: The gross value of aid to livestock farmers must not exceed 100 % of the eligible costs.
Date of implementation: The scheme will enter into force on the date on which the application for exemption is assigned an identification number and the summary information is published on the website of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development and on the ministry’s website: http://www.mpsr.sk
Amendments to the scheme may take the form of written addenda. Amendments other than those of a formal or administrative nature will be notified to the European Commission in the form of summary information and will take effect following publication of the summary information on the website of the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Amendments to the European legislation referred to in point B of the scheme or to related legislation must be reflected in the scheme within six months following their entry into force.
Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 December 2013
The deadline for submitting applications is the publication date of the Slovak Republic’s Veterinary Prevention and State Territory Protection Plan, i.e. 31 December 2013.
Decisions on the award of aid will be taken by 31 December 2013 at the latest, i.e. by the scheme’s expiry date, or in accordance with the Veterinary Prevention and National Territory Protection Plan and the eradication plans for the financial year in question.
Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to support small and medium-sized holdings in the eradication and prevention of livestock diseases in the calendar year in question in the form of compensation for eligible costs.
The provisions of Article 10(1) and (3)-(8) 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 (SMEs) active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 apply to this scheme.
For the purposes of this scheme, eligible costs include the value of services and goods provided by the ŠVPS SR (State Veterinary and Food Administration of the Slovak Republic) to livestock farmers via official veterinarians or private veterinarians who carry out state veterinary measures under the Slovak Republic’s Veterinary Prevention and State Territory Protection Plan and eradication plans in the fiscal or budget year in question.
Eligible costs include the value of services rendered and goods used for the implementation of the Veterinary Protection and State Territory Protection Plan and eradication plans.
Sector(s) concerned: Section
Section A — Agriculture, forestry and fishing (in accordance with NACE Rev. 2)
Division 01 — Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities
Group 01.6 — Support activities to agriculture and post-harvest crop activities
Class 01.62 — Support activities for animal production
Subclass 01.62.0 — Support activities for animal production
Sector of agricultural primary production relating to the keeping of bovine animals, swine, sheep and goats, poultry and horses
Primary production of agricultural products listed in Annex I to the EC Treaty
Name and address of the granting authority: Aid granted by:
Ministerstvo pôdohospodárstva SR (hereinafter the ministry)
Dobrovičova ul. 12
812 66 Bratislava
SLOVENSKO/SLOVAKIA
Tel. +421 259266111
Website: http://www.land.gov.sk Dotácie
Scheme implemented by:
Štátna veterinárna a potravinová správa Slovenskej republiky (hereinafter ‘ŠVPS SR’)
Botanická 17
842 13 Bratislava
SLOVENSKO/SLOVAKIA
Tel: +421 260257212
Website: http://www.svps.sk
Website: http://www.land.gov.sk Dotácie
http://www.land.gov.sk/sk/index.php?navID=161&id=1492
Other information: State aid is provided in the form of subsidised services and goods through the ŠVPS SR as an authorised organisation.
The ministry’s budget heading includes budgeted forecast compulsory expenditure for the calendar year in question to ensure the running of budgetary or subsidised organisations within the department, including the ŠVPS SR.
The funding envisaged for the ŠVPS SR is allocated under programme 08W ‘Food safety, health and animal and plant protection’ to the implementation of the Slovak Republic’s Veterinary Prevention and State Territory Protection Plan and the eradication programmes. These funds are intended to cover the current and capital expenditure of the ŠVPS SR and of the budgetary organisations which it has set up, namely the regional veterinary and food administrations (KVPS SR) and the district veterinary and food administrations (RVPS SR). The KVPS SR and RVPS SR budget is broken down and, if necessary, adjusted by the ŠVPS SR. Under Act No 291/2002, the ŠVPS SR and the budgetary organisations which it has set up (KVPS and RVPS) must execute their budgets exclusively through the State Treasury.
The ŠVPS SR will identify specific diseases, the actions to be taken and tests to be provided under the State aid scheme for the eradication and prevention of livestock diseases in the Veterinary Prevention and State Territory Protection Plan for the relevant fiscal or budget year, which it will publish in the official journal at the beginning of the calendar year in question.
The relevant RVPSs will conclude contracts with authorised official veterinarians from the Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons of the Slovak Republic (private veterinarians) on the basis of the requirements defined by the ŠVPS SR. After performing the required actions, private veterinarians will, once a month and at the latest by the end of the following month, submit to the relevant RVPS invoices for the actions they have performed.
The invoices must have appended to them a detailed breakdown of actions and travel costs and, where appropriate, copies of invoices for materials purchased. The invoices will be reimbursed only after RVPS staff have carried out expert, substantive and numerical checks.
In the case of State aid for the purchase of vaccines, the vaccines will be obtained by the ŠVPS SR under a public procurement contract and they will then be distributed to livestock farmers via private veterinarians.
Laboratory tests covered by the State aid will be conducted by individual State Veterinary and Food Institutes and the State Veterinary Institute in Zvolen on the basis of requests for laboratory analyses from individual RVPSs. After completion of the tests, the institute concerned will send the relevant RVPS an account detailing the actions performed and the precise amount due on the basis of the price list for laboratory diagnostics. The individual institutes may charge the amount specified in the statement against the appropriations provided from the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture only after staff at the relevant RVPS have carried out expert, substantive and numerical checks.


Ing. Alexander ČARNÝ

riaditeľ odboru štátnej pomoci a národných podpôr

Ministerstvo pôdohospodárstva SR