Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty

Cases where the Commission raises no objections

(2005/C 103/09)

(Text with EEA relevance)

Date of adoption of the decision:

Member State: Italy (Tuscany)

No of the aid: N 315/2003

Title: Regional animal breeding plan

Objective: Investment aid, quality programmes, start-up aid to producers groups responsible for the supervision of the use of quality labels and agro-environment aid.

Legal basis: Delibera del Consiglio regionale n. 4 del 16.06.2003‘Piano zootecnico regionale’.

Budget: EUR 31 600 000

Aid intensity or amount: As detailed in the letter to the Member State

Duration: 5 years

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/sg/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision:

Member State: Germany (Niedersachsen)

No of the aid: N 331/2003

Title: Aid for the costs of transporting and destroying fallen stock

Objective: According to paragraph 3, section 3, point 3 of the Niedersächsisches Ausführungsgesetz zum Tierkörperbeseitigungsgesetz (AGTierKGB) the owners of fallen stock bear the costs of their pick-up, transport, storage, processing and rendering. However, paragraph 3 point 4 of the AGTierKBG provides that 100 % of the costs of pick-up and transport and 75 % of destruction costs of fallen stock are borne by the Land Niedersachsen. The remaining 25 % of the destruction costs is paid directly by the owner of the fallen stock to a central payment agency to be established. If the costs specified in paragraph 3, section 3 point 3 of the AGTierKBG relate to fallen stock on which TSE tests have to be performed by law the Land Niedersachsen reimburses 100 % of such costs to the owner of animals.

Legal basis: Niedersächsisches Ausführungsgesetz zum Tierkörperbeseitigungsgesetz; Niedersächsische Richtlinie über die Gewährung von staatlichen Beihilfen für die Entfernung und Beseitigung von Falltieren.

Budget: EUR 26,5 million per year

Aid intensity or amount: Variable

Duration: Unlimited

Other information: The German authorities have specified that when the present contracts between the carcass disposal firms and the municipal districts or cities expire these service providers will be chosen in an open procedure according to market principles.

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgb/state_aids/

Date of adoption of the decision:

Member State: The Netherlands

Aid No: N 528/2002

Title: Subsidy scheme for combating salmonella in the poultry sector

Objective: Compensation of poultry farmers for animals culled and hatching eggs destroyed due to salmonella infection.

Legal basis: Artikelen 2 en 4 van de Kaderwet LNV-subsidies (Framework act on subsidies of the ministry of agriculture, nature and fisheries (Articles 2 and 4)).

Budget: EUR 800 000 in 2002/EUR 600 000 in 2003

Aid intensity or amount: 100 %

Duration: indefinite

The authentic text(s) of the decision, from which all confidential information has been removed, can be found at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/sg/sgb/state_aids/