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

(2007/C 130/05)

XA Number: XA 29/07

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: North West England

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Collaborative Advisory Service (North West England).

Legal basis: Section 5 of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: 4 April 2007 — 31 March 2008: GBP 180 000

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity is 100 %

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 4th April 2007.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will begin on 4th April 2007. It will close on the 31 March 2008. The last payment will be made 31 September 2008

Objective of aid: Sectoral development. The scheme will provide an advice service for farmers, farmer controlled businesses (FCBs) and other collaborative ventures within the agricultural supply chain in the North West of England. The scheme will provide advice, to help improve farm business performance and efficiency through collaboration and supply chain efficiency.

The aid will be paid in line with Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and the eligible costs will be consultancy services.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme is aimed primarily at businesses active in the production of agricultural products. However, some businesses in other parts of the wider agricultural supply chain (including processing and marketing) may also be eligible to take part. The scheme is open to businesses producing (or processing or marketing) any type of agricultural product.

Name and address of the granting authority:

The statutory body responsible for the scheme is:

The organisation operating the scheme is:

Web-Address: http://www.effp.com/x1345.xml

Alternatively, you can access information on this scheme via the UK's central web listing for exempted agricultural State aid schemes

www.defra.gov.uk/farm/state-aid/setup/exist-exempt.htm

Other information: The scheme will be made available to all businesses active in the wider supply chain for agricultural products. Accordingly, some of the businesses might not be active in the agricultural production. Aid to non-agricultural businesses will be paid with regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1998/2006 on de minimis aid.

Beneficiaries will not be able to choose the service provider. The service provider will be English Farming and Food Partnerships who were selected by a tendering exercise on the basis of market principles in line with Article 15(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006

No payments will be made to producers who are given technical support in accordance with Article 15 of the Regulation.

Further and more detailed information relating to eligibility and rules for the scheme can be found in the web links above

Signed and dated on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK competent authority)

Neil Marr

Agricultural State Aid

Defra

8B 9 Millbank

c/o 17 Smith Square

London SW1P 3JR

United Kingdom

XA number: XA 46/07

Member State: Belgium

Region: Flemish Authority: Department for Agriculture and Fisheries

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Vlaams interprovinciaal verbond van fokkers van neerhofdieren vzw.

Legal basis:

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 7 500

Maximum intensity of the aid: Article 16(1)(a): aid at a rate of up to 100 % to cover the administrative costs of the establishment and maintenance of herd books.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The subsidy is granted for the 2007 financial year.

Objective: Article 16(1)(a): aid at a rate of up to 100 % to cover the administrative costs of the establishment and maintenance of herd books.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Farmyard animals

Name and address of the granting authority:

Website: http://www2.vlaanderen.be/ned/sites/landbouw/dier/pluim.html

Other information: —

Jules Van Liefferinge

Secretary-General

XA number: XA 48/07

Member State: Belgium

Region: Flemish Authority: Department for Agriculture and Fisheries

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving individual aid: Vlaams Varkensstamboek vzw.

Legal basis:

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: EUR 457 000

Maximum intensity of the aid: Article 16(1)(a): aid at a rate of up to 100 % to cover the administrative costs of the establishment and maintenance of herd books;

Article 16(1)(b): aid at a rate of up to 70 % of the costs of tests performed by or on behalf of third parties to determine the genetic quality or yield of livestock; there is no exemption for aid granted to cover the costs of controls undertaken by the owner of the livestock or routine checks on milk quality.

Date of implementation:

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The subsidy is granted for the 2007 financial year.

Objective: To support small and medium-sized enterprises and sectoral development.

Article 16(1)(a): aid at a rate of up to 100 % to cover the administrative costs of the establishment and maintenance of herd books.

Article 16(1)(b): aid at a rate of up to 70 % of the costs of tests performed by or on behalf of third parties to determine the genetic quality or yield of livestock; there is no exemption for aid granted to cover the costs of checks undertaken by the owner of the livestock or routine checks on milk quality.

Economic sector(s) concerned: Pigs

Name and address of the granting authority:

Website: http://www2.vlaanderen.be/ned/sites/landbouw/dier/vark.html

Other information: —

Jules Van Liefferinge

Secretary-General