Summary information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 of 23 December 2003 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, processing and marketing of agricultural products.

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2006/C 293/03)

XA-Number: XA 90/06

Member State: Austria

Region: Burgenland

Title of aid scheme: Guidelines concerning the provision of guarantees for credit and loans to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production, processing and marketing of agricultural products under the law of 24 March 1994, published in Burgenland's provincial law gazette No 33/1994, on measures to encourage economic development in Burgenland (Landes-Wirtschaftsförderungsgesetz 1994 — WiföG)

Legal basis: Gesetz vom 24. März 1994 über Maßnahmen zur Gewährleistung der wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung im Burgenland (Landes-Wirtschaftsförderungsgesetz 1994 — WiföG), LGBl. Nr. 33/1994, in der Fassung des Gesetzes LGBl. Nr. 64/1998.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: Year 2006: Liability limit in EUR: 500 000

Maximum aid intensity: The grant equivalent of the guarantee is calculated using the evaluation method laid down in the Commission Notice on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid in the form of guarantees (OJ C 71 of 11 March 2000, p. 14).

The amount of the guarantee is in principle 50 % of principal plus interest. In cases where Burgenland has a particular interest in the implementation of the project, the amount of the guarantee can be up to a maximum of 75 %.

The calculated grant equivalent of the liability has to be considered in conjunction with other aid measures, in which case the following ceilings apply:

Nordburgenland: 30 %

Mittelburgenland: 35 %

Südburgenland: 35 %

Premiums of +15 % can be awarded.

The level of support is subject to the limit set by Regulation (EC) No 1/2004.

Date of implementation: The aid may be awarded once the scheme has been published in the Burgenland official gazette. Such publication is planned at the earliest for 10 working days after notification of this summary.

Duration of scheme: This scheme is valid until 31 December 2006.

Objective of aid: To improve the regional economic infrastructure of SMEs engaged exclusively in the processing and marketing of agricultural products.

The main focus of the scheme is on:

special aid for enterprises which place a strong emphasis on growth

making companies in Burgenland more internationally-oriented.

encouraging small-scale projects by such companies that show good signs of growth or which are expected to add value in the long term.

The only costs which are eligible are those which fall under the following articles:

Article 7 — investment in processing and marketing

Article 14 — provision of technical support in the agricultural sector

Sector(s) concerned: This scheme covers all economic sectors involved in the processing and marketing of agricultural products, except the tourism and leisure sector and primary agricultural and forestry production.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Internet Address: www.wibag.at

XA-number: XA 98/06

Member State: France

Region: Languedoc-Roussillon

Title of aid scheme: Programme d'appui à la création et à la transmission des exploitations en agriculture (PACTE-agriculture): volet investissements matériels — (PACTE-agriculture: aid programme for the creation and transfer of agricultural holdings, material investment

Legal Basis:

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 670 000

Maximum Aid Intensity: The aid scheme will take the form of overall support for set-up plans submitted by candidates — whether outside or within a farming family structure (duly substantiated (1)) — who are setting up their first holding, are under 40, already have or are in the process of acquiring the requisite professional capacity, and who are submitting a viable plan in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

PACTE-agriculture requires signature of a global installation contract, which includes, in particular,

aid of 30 % for investments over EUR 15 000 excluding tax up to a ceiling of EUR 4 600

a repayable advance of 35 % for investments under EUR 15 000

Technical and financial monitoring is implemented across the board.

Date of implementation: Following acknowledgement of receipt by the European Commission.

Duration of scheme: Unlimited, subject to budget resources

Objective of aid: The objective is, in accordance with Articles 4 and 8 of the Regulation (EC) No 1/2004, to encourage the creation of small and medium agricultural enterprises in the region by young farmers starting up. The region hopes in this way to ease the generational transition in agriculture by maintaining the number of active farmers and thus boosting the local economy. With agriculture employing 6 % of the working population in the area, it is an economic sector to be sustained and developed. PACTE-agriculture will support competitiveness in rural areas and will therefore contribute to maintaining and creating jobs in these areas.

The investment section of PACTE-agriculture aims to sustain the financial start-up of holdings by allowing investment in heavy equipment necessary for installation purposes.

PACTE-agriculture's conditions of access are defined by the national criteria for access to installation aid. In this way, assistance from the State and the Regional Council will be harmonised.

For investment aid over EUR 15 000 the conditions outlined in scheme N 184/2003 notified by France will be respected.

Material investments less than EUR 15 000 are key to installation and designed to improve working conditions on the holding. Aid will take the form of a repayable advance, of which the grant equivalent will be at most EUR 190. Failure to repay the advance will lead to the regional authority ordering full repayment of aid received under PACTE-agriculture.

Systematic checking of each application is implemented with the DDAFs (Departmental Agriculture and Forestry Directorates) in order to avoid any double-funding, in particular for investment aid. In this way, if an investment aid application is made to the State for an amount higher than 15 000 under the PIDIL programme, any application for an equivalent amount of aid under PACTE-agriculture will be rejected, and vice versa.

Sectors(s) concerned: All of the candidates for installation in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, all areas and all production sectors.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Internet address: www.cr-languedocroussillon.fr

(1)  The relevant situation is that before the holding is taken over. If the farm has not attained the viability criteria before this but the candidate demonstrates that modernisation/adaptation/enlargement will allow these criteria to be achieved within three years, viability will be deemed to be achievable.