20.3.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 66/26

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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 66/10)

Aid No: XA 406/08

Member State: Austria

Region: Bundesland Wien

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Richtlinie für die Gewährung eines Zuschusses zu den Versicherungsprämien für versicherbare Risiken in der Landwirtschaft

Legal basis: Gesetz über die Förderung der Landwirtschaft in Wien (Wiener Landwirtschaftsgesetz), LGBl. für Wien Nr. 15/2000, in der geltenden Fassung

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 0,13 million

Maximum aid intensity: A grant of no more than 50 % of the premium costs will be made

Date of implementation: From 1 January 2009

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2013

Objective of aid: There are some 700 agricultural holdings in the Province of Vienna, with horticulture and arable farming being among the main production sectors. The holdings are all SMEs. Apart from supplying the city with fresh, high-quality agricultural products these family businesses make a significant contribution to the appearance and maintenance of the farmed landscape of the Vienna region through cultivating and managing the agricultural land. The long-term security of these businesses is therefore an important goal of Vienna Province's policies.

An important tool in the economic viability of the businesses is the taking-out insurance policies against damage to agricultural production caused by adverse climatic events which can be likened to natural disasters. As climate fluctuations have become greater in recent years good risk management is becoming increasingly important for agricultural holdings.

According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 aid to insure against risks in the form of subsidies for insurance premiums is compatible with the common market.

Since 2001 the Province of Vienna has been subsidising horticultural businesses to the tune of a maximum of 50 % of the cost of taking out insurance against storm damage to glasshouses.

This aid scheme approved by the Commission (State aid N 854/2000/Austria/Vienna) has very much proved its worth with the result that more than 90 % of the glasshouses in the Vienna region are now insured against storm damage. To guarantee the continuation of the scheme aid is to continue to be offered to the businesses under these new guidelines.

In view of the highly effective nature of the scheme and of the increased risk of adverse climatic events caused by climate change which may cause extensive damage to agricultural production, particularly in the arable sector, this aid scheme is to be extended to cover Viennese arable farms from 2009. A multi-risk insurance policy for arable land will enable farms to insure against not only storm and hail damage but also other adverse climatic events such as drought, flooding, spray drift, mud silting, storms, etc. To give Viennese arable farmers an incentive to take out such insurance they will be granted an annual subsidy of a maximum of 50 % of the cost of the premium. This scheme is intended to speed up the widest possible coverage of Viennese arable land against the above risks thus contributing to risk management and the financial stability of the agricultural holdings in the Province of Vienna

Sector(s) concerned: Agricultural production businesses (horticulture and arable farming) in Vienna

Name and address of the granting authority:

Amt der Wiener Landesregierung

Magistratsabteilung 58

Volksgartenstraße 3

1082 Wien

ÖSTERREICH

Website: http://www.wien.gv.at/umwelt/wasserrecht/foerderrichtlinie.html

Other information: Entry into force of these guidelines repeals the approved ‘Richtlinie für die Gewährung eines Zuschusses zu den Versicherungsprämien zum Schutz vor Sturmschäden an Gewächshäusern in der Landwirtschaft’ (State aid N 845/00/Austria/Vienna).

This scheme falls under to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and meets its requirements in full. In particular, this scheme does not jeopardise the operation of the single market in insurance services. The granting authority guarantees that the aid is not limited to insurance provided by a single insurance company or group of companies, or subject to the condition that the insurance contract be taken out with a company established in Austria

Aid No: XA 409/08

Member State: France

Region: Champagne-Ardenne

Title of aid scheme: Aide à la reconstitution du cheptel ovin de la région Champagne-Ardenne à la suite de la crise de la fièvre catarrhale ovine (F.C.O.)

Legal basis:

—	Article L 1511-2 du Code Général des Collectivités Territoriales.

—	Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

—	Règlement «Aide à la reconstitution des troupes ovines» adopté par la Commission permanente du Conseil Régional de Champagne-Ardenne du 7 juillet 2008

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 800 000 for the programme, which will end in January 2010

Maximum aid intensity: The Region will provide aid of a maximum of 80 % of losses for which compensation has not been received (up to EUR 200 per ewe replaced, EUR 20 per sheep and EUR 320 per registered ram replaced).

The aid will be paid for up to the number of mortalities declared to the groupement de défense sanitaire (health protection group) between the date an outbreak of bluetongue is notified and the date aid is requested

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: Until 31 January 2010

Objective of aid: The aid is to compensate farmers for financial losses suffered as a result of the death of livestock from bluetongue.

In the Champagne-Ardenne Region, an estimated total of 6 639 sheep on 237 holdings were declared as having died from bluetongue in applications to the authorities for compensation (including 1 660 adult animals). In addition, in 2008 farmers applied for 2 882 fewer ewe/goat premiums (EGP = the number of ewes that have lambed at least once or that are more than 12 months old declared to be present on sheep farms from 1 February to 10 May of the year in question) than in 2007. This crisis hit when the Region's sheep flock had been growing since 2003 (an additional 10 000 ewes over the past four years). The sector's regional dynamic is therefore facing a serious threat.

That is why the Champagne-Ardenne Region is to provide aid to sheep farmers affected by the bluetongue crisis and suffering serious financial and health problems since September 2006.

The regional aid is intended to provide support to professional sheep farms with a flock equivalent to 100 EGP minimum.

Beneficiaries of the regional aid must undertake to maintain their production level for five years. A check will be carried out on the annual declaration of the number of EGP

Sector(s) concerned: All farmers with a holding with 80 % of its utilised agricultural area in the Champagne-Ardenne Region, who practise farming as their main occupation and who are 60 years old or younger (or agricultural companies 50 % of whose shares are held by natural persons who are 60 years old or younger and members of AMEXA (the agricultural sickness insurance scheme) as main occupation farmers)

Name and address of the granting authority:

Région Champagne-Ardenne

Hôtel de Région

5, rue de Jéricho

51037 Chalons en Champagne cedex

FRANCE

Website: http://www.cr-champagne-ardenne.fr/?SID=731

http://www.cr-champagne-ardenne.fr/getFile.aspx?FILEID=2808

Aid No: XA 414/08

Member State: Federal Republic of Germany

Region: Land Baden-Württemberg

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Landwirtschaft — Wachstum

Legal basis: Rechtsgrundlage ist das Gesetz über die Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg — Förderbank vom 11.11.1998 (Gesetzblatt für Baden-Württemberg (GBl.) vom 18.11.1998, S. 581), zuletzt geändert durch Gesetz vom 11.12.2007 (GBl. vom 14.12.2007, S. 581) in Verbindung mit dem Programmmerkblatt Landwirtschaft — Wachstum

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Soft loans will be granted with a planned aid value amounting to between EUR 500 000 and EUR 600 000. That amount will be made available by the Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank. L-Bank will not be making a contribution of its own

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 20 % of the eligible costs. The maximum amount of aid granted to an individual enterprise must not exceed EUR 400 000 over any period of three fiscal years. Where there is cumulation with other public funding in respect of the same eligible costs, the thresholds laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 will be complied with. Aid may be granted for the purchase of land, other than land for construction purposes, costing up to 10 % of the eligible expenses of the investment

Date of implementation: In accordance with the time limit laid down in Article 20(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, but not before 2 January 2009

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 30 June 2014

Objective of aid: To support SMEs active in the primary production of agricultural products, as listed in Annex I to the EC Treaty (with the exception of fisheries and aquaculture), by promoting investment in primary agricultural production (Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006). The eligible expenses cover (a) the construction, acquisition or improvement of immovable property; (b) the purchase or lease-purchase of machinery and equipment, including computer software, up to the market value of the asset; and (c) general costs linked to expenditure under points (a) and (b), such as architects, engineers and consultation fees, feasibility studies, etc. Under the scheme, aid will not be granted in contravention of any prohibitions or restrictions laid down in Council Regulations establishing common organisation of the markets, even where such prohibitions and restrictions refer only to Community support

Sector(s) concerned: Agriculture, viticulture, horticulture

Name and address of the granting authority:

Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg — Förderbank

Postfach 10 29 43

70025 Stuttgart

DEUTSCHLAND

Website: www.l-bank.de/landwirtschaft-wachstum

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 417/08

Member State: Federal Republic of Germany

Region: Freistaat Bayern

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Bezuschussung der aufgrund gesetzlicher Testpflicht durchgeführten BSE/TSE-Schnelltests bei Schlachtrindern über 30 Monaten entstandenen Kosten, durch Verrechnung der Finanzhilfe der Gemeinschaft für diese BSE-Pflichttests

Legal basis:

—	Article 6(1) in conjunction with Chapter A II, point 2 of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001

—	Gesetz zum Vollzug des Tierseuchenrechts und der Verordnung über die Benutzungsgebühren der Gesundheitsverwaltung

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Approx. EUR 2,3 million grant for rapid tests for BSE in slaughter bovine animals over 30 months; the level of grant depends on the Community support decided on each year and the number of tests required

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 100 %

Date of implementation: Annual implementation

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Until 31 December 2013

Objective of aid: State grant to cover costs arising from the legal obligation to test for TSE or BSE.

Legal basis of State aid: Article 16(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

It is confirmed that aid pursuant to Article 16(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 does not include any direct payments to producers

Economic sectors: Slaughterhouses and rendering plants in Bavaria and small and medium-sized agricultural holdings. The requirements of Article 16(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 are met as regards slaughterhouses and rendering plants in Bavaria

Name and address of the granting authority:

Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Gesundheit

Rosenkavalierplatz 2

Postfach 810140

81901 München

DEUTSCHLAND

Queries may be addressed to:

Bayerisches Staatsministerium für

Landwirtschaft und Forsten

Referat C/6

Ludwigstr. 2

80539 München

DEUTSCHLAND

Tel. +49 892182-2222

Website: http://www.stmugv.bayern.de/tiergesundheit/krankheiten/bsediagnostik.htm

Other information: —

Aid No: XA 429/08

Member State: Ireland

Region: Member State

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Cattle Breeding Infrastructure Program

Legal basis: National Development Plan 2007-2013

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Maximum of EUR 1,5 million annually

Maximum aid intensity: Up to 70 % of eligible costs

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 1 January 2009-31 December 2013

Objective of aid: The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) will administer the Cattle Breeding Infrastructure Program. This program aims to encourage the uptake of modern scientific breeding values by beef and dairy farmers, thus contributing to their long-term viability. This program comprises a number of elements relating to testing, genetic evaluation and data collection and distribution of scientific information.

The genetic evaluation project includes researching, reviewing and developing enhancements to the beef and dairy genetic evaluation systems operating in Ireland, incorporating genomic data where appropriate, rollout of new beef evaluations, including advertising, publication of educational material, direct mail shots to farmers, and meetings with farmers and stakeholders in the industry with a view to improving farmer understanding of the new indices.

The Data Collection and Information Distribution element of this program aims to develop computer systems, provide training and to support the roll-out of beef and dairy indices.

This aid is provided in accordance with Article 15(2)(d), 15(2)(e) and 16(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/06 — provision of technical support in the agricultural sector and support for the livestock sector

Sector(s) concerned: Bovines

Name and address of the granting authority:

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

Agriculture House

Kildare Street

Dublin 2

IRELAND

Website: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/schemes/NDP_State_Aid/CattleBreedingInfrastructure2009_13.doc

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