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: 2010-03-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, State aid, aid to agriculture, control of State aid








C_2010060EN.01000401.xml










11.3.2010   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 60/4





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
2010/C 60/05
Aid No: XA 244/09
Member State: Austria
Region: Österreich
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Sonderrichtlinie des Bundesministers für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt und Wasserwirtschaft zur Förderung der Landwirtschaft aus nationalen Mitteln
Punkt 1 — Allgemeiner Teil
Punkt 2.2 und 2.3 — Beratung und Bildung — Personal und Umsetzung
Punkt 3 — Biologische Landwirtschaft (Bioverbände)
Punkt 6 — Landtechnische Maßnahmen
Punkt 7 — Pflanzenbau und Saatgutwirtschaft
Punkt 8 — Integrierter Pflanzenschutz
Punkt 9 — Garten-, Gemüse-, Obst- und Weinbau
Punkt 10 — Qualitätsverbesserung in der Tierhaltung
Legal basis: Landwirtschaftsgesetz 1992
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: 
Points 2.2 and 2.3 — Guidance and Training — personnel and implementation: planned expenditure EUR 10 200 000
Point 3 — Biological agriculture (organic farming associations): planned expenditure EUR 1 400 000
Point 6 — Agricultural engineering: planned expenditure EUR 6 300 000
Point 7 — Plant growing and seed production: planned expenditure EUR 200 000
Point 8 — Integrated pest management: planned expenditure EUR 300 000
Point 9 — Horticulture, vegetable, fruit and wine growing: planned expenditure EUR 125 000
Point 10 — Improving quality in livestock farming: planned expenditure EUR 16 000 000
Maximum aid intensity: 
Points 2.2 and 2.3 — Guidance and Training — personnel and implementation: Grant equal to a maximum of 80 % or 100 % for measures in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006
Point 3 — Biological agriculture (organic farming associations): Grant equal to a maximum of 70 % for measures in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006
Point 6 — Agricultural engineering: Grant equal to a maximum of 80 % for measures in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006
Point 7 — Plant growing and seed production: Grant equal to a maximum of 80 % for measures in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006
Point 8 — Integrated pest management: Grant equal to a maximum of 80 % for measures in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006
Point 9 — Measures: Horticulture, vegetable, fruit and wine growing: Grant equal to a maximum of 80 % for measures in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006
Point 10 — Measures: Improving quality in livestock farming: Grant equal to a maximum of 70 % for measures in accordance with Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. Grant equal to a maximum of 100 % for measures in accordance with Articles 10 and 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.
Date of implementation: 
Duration of scheme or individual aid award: From 1 january 2010 to 31 december 2013
Objective of aid: 

Funding objectives

The measures provided for under these special guidelines serve the following objectives in particular and are to be interpreted and applied in the light of these:






1.


maintaining and securing a farm-based agricultural sector with due consideration of social, ecological and economic requirements;










2.


improving the qualifications of farmers and their families and employees, particularly with regard to technical, economic and ecological aspects and the associated personal, social and communicative skills;










3.


development and dissemination of knowledge, competences, procedures and information;










4.


dissemination of agricultural production methods which enable production intensity levels to be minimised and take particular account of ecological requirements;










5.


improvements in crop and livestock production;










6.


introduction of alternative product types and alternative products;










7.


optimisation of production resources deployed;










8.


greater adaptation to market requirements.





Subject of the funding

Points 2.2 and 2.3 — Guidance and Training — personnel and implementation:






1.


Consultants as per consultancy contract
Deployment of consultants to provide advice and additional training for persons working in the agricultural and associated sectors and their families in accordance with the objectives of the agriculture law and the European Union's standards on CAP (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).










2.


Persons enrolled in agricultural training establishments
Deployment of staff trained to deliver theoretical or practical agricultural training in establishments specialised in education and training for persons working in the agricultural sector (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006)










3.


Production and purchase of documents, equipment and supporting resources for guidance, professional training and events for young people (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006)










4.


Preparation and delivery of and follow-up on consultancy services and professional training events for adults (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006)










5.


Organisation of events for young people, e.g. training events, information events, youth days, youth projects, competitions, exhibitions, educational trips in Austria and, where necessary, abroad (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006)










6.


Organisation of courses, modules and visits for professional training, in accordance with the law on professional training in the agriculture and forestry sector (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006)










7.


Organisation of extra-occupational training activities for workers in the agriculture and forestry sector (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).




Point 3 — Biological agriculture (organic farming associations):






1.


Provision of consultancy services, in particular individual and group consultations (organisation of seminars and professional visits to provide guidance documentation, etc.; Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).










2.


Information and publicity work (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006):






—


media work (e.g. press releases, conferences),










—


publications (e.g. newspapers, brochures),










—


technical events and events aimed at raising public awareness,










—


development of service facilities which provide customers with answers to their questions in as direct a manner as possible.














3.


Organisational expenditure for points 1 and 2 (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).




Point 6 — Agricultural engineering:






1.


Agricultural education and training (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006):






—


technical courses on the use and maintenance of agricultural machinery and technical equipment, as well as on the organisation of work, specialised ICT courses and independent-learning programmes,










—


production and preparation of agricultural training documents and materials, as well as IT applications, relating to new working methods and technical developments.














2.


Other agricultural institutions with technical information, coordination and interface roles (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006):






—


planning and staging of events and participation in knowledge-building and knowledge-sharing events,










—


dissemination of technical information in a format which is accessible to all (e.g. publications such as brochures or websites setting out technical information in jargon-free language).








Point 7 — Plant growing and seed production:






1.


Technical and targeted events relating to plant growing and seed production, where these cannot be funded under the Austrian rural development programme 2007-2013 (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).










2.


With regard to plant growing (Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006):






—


investigations and inspections which are used for the preparation of technical guidance documents,










—


dissemination of scientific knowledge by means of small-scale demonstrations for the introduction of new production methods, crops and varieties,










—


explanatory material including teaching and learning aids.














3.


Protective measures for reproduction of plant and seed populations (Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).




Point 8 — Integrated pest management:






1.


Pest management measures (Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006):






—


eradicating viruses and virus-like diseases, as well as their carriers, in plant-growing and seed-production areas,










—


investigations on threadworms, particularly potato threadworms, in plant-growing and seed-production areas,










—


protecting against unpredictable and epidemic occurrences of harmful organisms which could result in major losses to the local harvest and dangerous propagation of the organisms in question;














2.


Education and training in the field of integrated pest management (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006):






—


technical and targeted events relating to integrated pest management, where these cannot be funded under the Austrian rural development programme 2007-2013 (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).










—


production and purchase of technical teaching and learning aids,










—


investigations and inspections which are required for the preparation of technical training documents;








Point 9 — Measures: Horticulture, vegetable, fruit and wine growing:






1.


Dissemination of scientific knowledge by means of small-scale demonstrations for the introduction of new production methods, crops and varieties (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).










2.


Organisation of technical conferences, courses, information events, presentations, specialist guidance and educational visits, including the appropriate teaching and learning materials (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).










3.


Participation of persons eligible for education and training in technical events and study trips (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).




Point 10 — Measures: Improving quality in livestock farming:






1.


Breeding (Articles 15 and 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006):






—


development, coordination, implementation or participation in the implementation of breeding programmes (in particular herd-book keeping, productivity tests and assessment of breeding animals, analysis of productivity data and estimation of breeding value, publication of results),










—


information regarding breeding,










—


displays relating to breeding activities; organisation of events and conferences in Austria focusing on breeding.














2.


Exhibitions and presentations (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006):






—


organisation and attendance of livestock exhibitions and participation in trade fairs abroad, including supplying Austrian breeding animals,










—


presentation and accompanying measures relating to the preparation and implementation of projects for third countries aimed at developing and securing the marketing of breeding animals.














3.


Supraregional cooperation (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006):






—


coordinated activities organised by countrywide associations of producer organisations, including supra-regional dissemination of information on improving quality and efficiency in agricultural production,










—


development of studies and models,










—


organisation of events and conferences in Austria.














4.


Development, coordination, implementation or participation in the implementation of genetic preservation programmes to protect and maintain endemic farm animal breeds and varieties which are endangered, including supporting measures (in particular, organisation of seminars and events, collection and presentation of the particular characteristics of these breeds with a view to sustainable farming practices). (Articles 15 and 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006)










5.


Eradicating livestock diseases in particular by means of spot-checks and preventative and guidance measures, including the necessary warning systems (Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).




Sector(s) concerned: All agricultural sectors.
Name and address of the granting authority: 





Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt und Wasserwirtschaft




Stubenring 1




1012 Wien




ÖSTERREICH




Website: http://www.landnet.at/filemanager/download/53356/
Other information: The aid is available to all those eligible in the area concerned, based on objectively defined criteria.
The aid does not involve direct payments of money to producers.
Aid No: XA 250/09
Member State: Spain
Region: Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: ayudas para constitución y puesta en marcha de Consejos Reguladores, fomento de la producción de productos agrícolas de calidad y asistencia técnica al sector agrario
Legal basis: Proyecto de Orden por la que se establecen las bases reguladoras para la concesión de ayudas para constitución y puesta en marcha de Consejos Reguladores, fomento de la producción de productos agrícolas de calidad y asistencia técnica al sector agrario, y se efectúa su convocatoria para el año 2009
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 2 000 000
Maximum aid intensity: Under the above mentioned draft Order, the amount of aid will be as follows:
Over a period of five years, it will be less than EUR 400 000.
The maximum amount of aid will be less than the 100 % indicated in the Guidelines, since it will be 60 %, up to a ceiling of EUR 100 000 of aid.
The maximum amount of aid will be less than the 100 % indicated in the Guidelines, since it will be 60 %, up to a ceiling of EUR 100 000 of aid.
Date of implementation: From the date of publication of the registration number of the request for exemption provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 on the website of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Grant period: 2009-2013
Payment until 2014
Objective of aid: Aid for producer groups. Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. Aid to encourage the production of quality agricultural products. Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006. The scheme concerns technical support in the agricultural sector. Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.






1.


Expenditure incurred for the creation and start-up of regulatory councils, as set out below:






(a)


rental of office space










(b)


acquisition of office equipment










(c)


annual expenditure on employment of secretarial and/or technical staff










(d)


annual expenditure on employment of administrative staff










(e)


annual expenditure on accounting, legal and employment consultancy services contracted out to external bodies.














2.


Expenditure to encourage the production of quality agricultural products, as set out below:






(a)


costs of market research activities, including costs of the preparation of applications for recognition of geographical indications and designations of origin;










(b)


costs of the introduction of quality assurance schemes;










(c)


costs of training of personnel to apply quality schemes and systems;










(d)


charges levied by recognised certifying bodies for the initial certification of quality assurance systems.














3.


Expenditure arising from actions in respect of technical support in the agricultural sector, as set out below:






(a)


training of farmers, costs of organising the training programme and travel and subsistence expenses of speakers;










(b)


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;










(c)


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 symbolic prizes (up to a value of EUR 250 per prize and winner);










(d)


publications such as catalogues or websites presenting factual information about producers from a given region or producers of a given product, provided the information and presentation is neutral and that all producers concerned have equal opportunities to be represented in the publication.








Sector(s) concerned: Regulatory councils for quality designations shall be considered to be aid recipients from the time they are recognised by publication of their internal rules and during the entire national protection transitional period.
Nonetheless, in the case of aid granted to encourage the production of quality agricultural products and for technical support in the agricultural sector, the applicants — Regulatory Councils — must guarantee that the final recipients of the aid will be small and medium-sized agricultural holdings active in the primary production of agricultural products.
Name and address of the granting authority: 





Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Alimentación (Dirección General de Agricultura)




C/ Tabladilla s/n




Edificio 8. Planta baja




41071 Sevilla




ESPAÑA




Website: http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/portal/opencms/portal/DGIndustrias/DESARROLLO_ORDENES?entrada=tematica&tematica=360
Other information: 
Seville, 21 October 2009
Aid No: XA 252/09
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 strát na hospodárskych zvieratách v dôsledku nariadených veterinárnych opatrení
Legal basis: The legal bases for granting aid are:
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 (the Commission Regulation);
§ 10 nariadenia vlády SR č. 264/2009 Z. z. o podporných opatreniach v pôdohospodárstve v znení neskorších predpisov (ďalej len ‘nariadenie vlády č. 264/2009 Z. z.’);
§ 45 zákona č. 39/2007 Z. z. z 12. decembra 2006 o veterinárnej starostlivosti v znení zákona č. 299/2009 Z. z. (ďalej len ‘zákon č. 299/2009 Z. z.’);
zákon č. 231/1999 Z. z. o štátnej pomoci v znení neskorších predpisov (ďalej len ‘zákon o štátnej pomoci’).
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The volume 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 1 000 000
The planned annual volume of funding under the scheme from 2010 is: EUR 1 000 000
The overall planned budget for granting aid to compensate for losses of livestock as a result of a compulsory measure during the period 2009-2013 is: EUR 5 000 000
Maximum aid intensity: Losses are calculated as:
The gross aid intensity shall not exceed 100 % of the calculated loss.
The maximum amount of aid provided per livestock farmer shall be EUR 200 000 in any calendar year.
Date of implementation: 






(a)


The scheme will take effect and 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 be made in 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 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 December 2013.
The deadline for approving applications is 31 December 2013.
Objective of aid: The objective of the aid is to support risk management in agricultural primary production and to compensate for losses of incurred by livestock farmers as a result of compulsory veterinary measures.
Sector(s) concerned: Section A — Agriculture, forestry and fishing (in accordance with NACE Rev. 2).
Class
Division 01 — Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities
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 (‘the ministry’)
Dobrovičova 12
812 66 Bratislava
SLOVENSKO/SLOVAKIA
Tel. +421 259266111
Website: http://www.land.gov.sk, under ‘Dotácie’ (Grants)
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 (the paying agency)
Dobrovičova 12
815 26 Bratislava
SLOVENSKO/SLOVAKIA
Tel. +421 259266111
Website: http://www.apa.sk, under ‘Sekcia štátnej pomoci’ (State aid section)
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 administers support mechanisms in the agricultural sector.
Website: http://www.land.gov.sk, ‘Dotácie’ (Grants)
http://www.land.gov.sk/sk/index.php?navID=161&id=1918
Other information: The scheme concerns the provision of State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises which are livestock farming businesses engaged in the primary production of agricultural products and which are established in the Slovak Republic. This aid is in the form of compensation for losses incurred as a result of compulsory veterinary measures undertaken by the Slovak State Veterinary and Food Administration.
Aid may be provided only as part of a public programme at Community, national or regional level for the prevention, control or eradication of the disease concerned. Diseases must be clearly identified in the programme (in individual and national prevention and eradication plans) and the programme must include a description of the measures concerned.
Aid may be granted as a one-off payment in the form of a grant as a compensatory cash payment to the livestock farmer.
Eligible costs are losses incurred by livestock farmers owing to the death of livestock from disease or the culling of livestock by public order.
The aid may be granted to compensate for losses incurred after 1 October 2009.


Agreed by: Alexander ČARNÝ

Director, State Aid and National Support Measures Department


Ministry of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic



Aid No: XA 253/09
Member State: Italy
Region: —
Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Aiuti al settore apistico
Legal basis: Legge 24 dicembre 2004, n. 313.
D.M. 20026 del 10 gennaio 2007
D.M. 25055 del 29 ottobre 2009
Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Individual aid: the maximum planned expenditure is EUR 1 200 000, broken down as follows:
Maximum aid intensity: Maximum intensity is 99 %, save for support for the livestock sector (test to determine genetic quality) for which, within the meaning of Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, maximum intensity is 70 %.
Date of implementation: The scheme will take effect on 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: Aid will be granted during the years 2009-2013.
Objective of aid: This aid is intended to support national associations and groupings, to encourage the production of quality agricultural products (Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006) and to provide technical support in the agricultural sector (Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006) and support for the livestock sector (Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006).
Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and, specifically, the bee-keeping sector
Name and address of the granting authority: 





Ministero delle politiche agricole alimentari e forestali




Department for Economic and Rural Development Policies




Via XX Settembre 20




00187 Roma RM




ITALIA




Website: http://www.politicheagricole.it/ConcorsiGare/default
Other information: —
Aid No: XA 255/09
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 v znení dodatku č. 1.
Legal basis: The legal basis for the aid is provided by:
zákon č. 231/1999 Z. z. o štátnej pomoci v znení neskorších predpisov (ďalej len ‘zákon o štátnej pomoci’),
§ 28 nariadenia vlády SR č. 264/2009 Z. z. zo 17. júna 2009 o podporných opatreniach v pôdohospodárstve v znení neskorších predpisov (ďalej len ‘nariadenie vlády č. 264/2009 Z. z.’),
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 (the Commission Regulation),
§ 10 ods. 3, 4 a 5, § 46 zákona č. 39/2007 Z. z. o veterinárnej starostlivosti, ktorý sa mení a dopĺňa zákonom č. 299/2009 Z. z. (ďalej len ‘zákon č. 39/2007 Z. z.’),
§ 4 ods. 4, § 8 ods. 2, § 8a) a § 21 až 23 zákona č. 523/2004 Z. z. o rozpočtových pravidlách verejnej správy a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov (ďalej len ‘zákon č. 523/2004 Z. z.’).
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 in Appendix 1 will enter into force on the date on which the summary information is published on the website of DG AGRI.
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 (Plán veterinárnej prevencie a ochrany štátneho územia SR), 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 fiscal 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 (hereinafter the Commission Regulation) 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 A — Agriculture, forestry and fishing (in accordance with NACE Rev. 2)
Branch
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 (‘the ministry’)
Dobrovičova 12
812 66 Bratislava
SLOVENSKO/SLOVAKIA
Tel. +421 259266111
Website: http://www.land.gov.sk, ‘Dotácie’ tab
Scheme implemented by:
Štátna veterinárna a potravinová správa Slovenskej republiky (‘ŠVPS SR’)
Botanická 17
842 13 Bratislava
SLOVENSKO/SLOVAKIA
Tel. +421 260257212
Website: http://www.svps.sk
Website: http://www.land.gov.sk, ‘Dotácie’ tab
http://www.land.gov.sk/sk/index.php?navID=161&id=1937
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.
The subsidy may be provided at a level of up to 100 % in the form of:
Aid may be granted in line with the national emergency plan or the national eradication plan.


Agreed by: Alexander ČARNÝ

Director, State Aid and National Support Measures Department


Ministry of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic