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 168/05

Aid No: XA 77/10

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: Scotland

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Natural Heritage Grant Scheme 2010

Legal basis: National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: The annual expenditure from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 is expected to be GBP 90 000,00 (EUR 102 065,15) and the amount given to an individual beneficiary will not exceed GBP 20 000,00 (EUR 22 683,95).

Maximum aid intensity: Aid will only be made available for investments which protect or enhance the natural heritage. Aid may be paid at the following rates:

A decision on the rate of aid to be paid will be made on a case-by-case basis, whereby each case will be assessed as to whether it is a non-productive asset, a productive asset, will result in an increase in production capacity, is within or outwith an LFA, and if the applicant is a young farmer within five years of setting up.

Date of implementation: 6 May 2010 (or as soon as EC approval is secured)

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will close to new applications on 16 March 2011.

Final payment to applicants will be 31 March 2011.

Objective of aid: The Natural Heritage Grant Scheme is a capital grants scheme, designed to encourage and provide support for measures that will conserve and enhance the natural heritage of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, and promote understanding and enjoyment of its special qualities. The statutory National Park Plan indicates the particular activities that will be regarded as a priority for assistance to deliver the objectives and this is in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

Sector(s) concerned: All IACS registered SME agricultural producers in the National Park.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Website: http://www.lochlomondtrossachs.org/images/stories/Looking%20After/PDF/NHGS/NHGS%20notes%20appendix.pdf

Other information: This is not a new scheme, but an extension of the pre-existing scheme XA 182/07. The only proposed change is to extend the pre-existing scheme by one year and increase the budget by GBP 90 000. The technical support that was part of XA 182/07 has not been extended for the additional year of this scheme.