Summary information communicated by Member States regarding State aid granted under Commission Regulation (EC) No 857/2006 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

(2007/C 128/04)

Aid No: XA 21/07

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: South West of England

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: South Hams Food and Drink Trade Fair Attendance

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

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

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity is 100 % in line with Article 15 Regulation.

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 13 March 2007.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will begin on 13 March 2007. It will close on the 31 March 2008. The last payment will be made no later than 30 April 2008.

Objective of aid: Sectoral Development. The scheme will enable the South Hams Food and Drink Association to attend trade fairs at Totnes Festival September 2007 and the Dartmouth Festival October 2007 to promote the products of its members (and other producers in the South Hams area) to visitors to the region. The scheme will be paid in line with Article 15 of Regulation 1857/2006 and the eligible costs will be the participation in fairs, specifically:

participation fees;

travel costs;

costs of publications;

Rent of exhibition premises.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to production of agricultural products. All sub-sectors are eligible.

Name and address of the granting authority: The statutory body responsible for the scheme is:

South West Regional Development Agency

Stirling House

Dix's Field

Exeter EX1 1QA

United Kingdom

The organisation operating the scheme is:

Devon Renaissance

7C Cranmere Road

Exeter Road Industrial Estate

Okehampton

Devon EX20 1UE

United Kingdom

Web-Address: http://www.ruraldevon.org/updocs/Trade_Fair_Full_Text_Final.doc

www.lovetheflavour.co.uk South Hams Food and Drink Association

Alternatively, you can go to the UK's central website for exempted agricultural State aids at:

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

Click on the link named South Hams Food and Drink Trade fair Attendance.

Other information: 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

Aid No: XA 22/07

Member State: Italy

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Deadlines for the submission of declarations/applications for access to the automatic incentives provided for in Article 8(2) of Law No 266 of 7 August 1997 on the initiatives in the regions of Sicily and Valle d'Aosta.

Legal basis:

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or total annual amount awarded to the company: EUR 40 million.

Maximum aid intensity: In accordance with point 3.1 of Table 2 of Annex A to the Decree of 30 May 2001: 50 % of eligible investment for Sicily; for Valle d'Aosta aid intensity varies from a minimum of 7,5 % to a maximum of 18 % according to the size of the enterprise and the site of the investment.

Date of implementation: 22 November 2006.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: 31 December 2006.

Objective of aid: Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1/2004. Type of investments: projects for new installations and to extend, update, restructure and convert production sites. Eligible expenditure: installations, machinery, equipment and services relating to participating in environmental management schemes and obtaining the product quality eco-label and services aimed at enhancing the production process.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to small and medium-sized enterprises involved in the processing of agricultural products listed in Annex I to the EC Treaty.

Name and address of the granting authority: Ministero dello Sviluppo economico

Direzione generale per il Coordinamento degli incentivi alle imprese.

Website: http://www.sviluppoeconomico.gov.it, under the headings:

Incentivi alle Imprese

Aree tematiche — Incentivi alle Imprese

Normativa (attuazione).

Other information: The annual expenditure given includes the annual expenditure provided for under the scheme with the same legal basis for small and medium-sized enterprises not covered by Regulation (EC) No 1/2004 but covered by Regulation (EC) No 70/2001.

Aid No: XA 28/07

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: England

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: England Catchment Sensitive Farming Capital Grant Scheme 2007-2008.

Legal basis: This is a non-statutory service, participation in which is voluntary. The Agriculture Act 1986 (section 1) provides the legal basis for the provision by Government of advice in connection with any agricultural activity.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: 1st April 2007 — 31st March 2008: GBP 5 million

Maximum aid intensity: The maximum aid intensity is 60 % in line with Article 4 of the Regulation.

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 1st April 2007.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will begin on 1st April 2007. It will close for applications on 29 June 2007 and claims on the 31st January 2008. The last payment to farmers will be made by 31st March 2008.

Objective of aid: Environmental protection. The aim of the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Capital Grant Scheme is to encourage early voluntary action by farmers to tackle diffuse water pollution from agriculture (DWPA) in 40 priority catchments by giving aid towards the cost of items which will reduce DWPA. It will contribute to the achievement of domestic and international environmental targets, in particular the Water Framework Directive. The scheme will be paid in line with Article 4 of Regulation 1857/2006 and the eligible costs will be investments in agricultural holdings.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to production of agricultural products. All subsectors will be eligible.

Name and address of the granting authority: The statutory body responsible for the scheme is:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

Defra

Water Quality Division

55 Whitehall, c/o 3-8 Whitehall Place

London SW1A 2HH

United Kingdom

The organisation operating the scheme is:

Natural England

Farm Advice Unit

Eastbrook

Shaftesbury Road

Cambridge CB2 2DR

United Kingdom

Web-Address: More information on the England CSF Capital Grant Scheme and the wider England CSF Delivery Initiative, and the full text of this document can be found at:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/environment/water/csf/pdf/state-aid-capitalgrantsscheme.pdf

http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/environment/water/csf/grants/state-aid.htm

click on State Aid on the left hand side of this page.

Alternatively, you can go to the UK's central website for exempted agricultural State aids at:

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

Click on the link England Catchment Sensitive Farming Capital Grants Scheme.

Other information: 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

Aid No: XA 30/07

Member State: Italy

Region: Sicily and Valle d'Aosta

Title of aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Revolving fund for the promotion and development of cooperation (FONCOOPER) regarding initiatives in the Regions of Sicily and Valle d'Aosta under the responsibility of the central government since these Regions have yet to implement the administrative decentralisation programme.

Legal basis:

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: Aid scheme: annual overall amount EUR 5 million.

Maximum aid intensity:: In accordance with Article 4 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 2006, the aid intensity may not exceed:

Date of implementation: In accordance with Article 20(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, after confirmation from the Commission (within ten working days from receipt of this summary) given by a receipt bearing an identification number and publication on the internet.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: Ends 31 December 2013.

Objective of aid: Transparent aid to agricultural SMEs active in primary production to carry out investment projects in tangible fixed assets, to be implemented after the decision to grant the funding is taken.

Eligible expenditure (net of VAT) to purchase land and buildings, carry out building works and to purchase, update and restructure machinery, equipment and facilities.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to small and medium-sized enterprises active in primary production, excluding those cases referred to in Articles 1 and 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

Name and address of the granting authority:

Decision-making body: ‘Comitato di Gestione Foncooper’, in accordance with the agreement reached on 26 June 2000 between the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Crafts (now the Ministry of Economic Development) and Coopercredito SpA (now Banca Nazionale del Lavoro SpA., located at Via Veneto 119, I-00187 Rome).

Website: http://prodotti.bnl.it/pagina.asp?Page=2212

Other information: Each individual finance project may not exceed a maximum amount of EUR 2 million, with a limit of 70 % of eligible investments and the overall amount of aid granted to an individual enterprise (the difference between the repayments calculated at market rates and the subsidy repayments applied to the financing) may not exceed EUR 400 000 granted over any three-year period or EUR 500 000 if the enterprise is located in a less-favoured area or in an area pursuant to Article 36(a)(i), (ii) and (iii) of Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 designated as such by Member States in accordance with Articles 50 and 94 of the same Regulation.

The annual expenditure planned for the aid scheme includes the annual expenditure for the scheme with the same legal basis designed for SMEs that are not covered by Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 but covered by Regulation (EC) No 70/2001.

Aid No: XA 31/07

Member State: Italy

Region: Sicily and Valle d'Aosta

Title of aid scheme: Financial aid for the purchase or lease of new production machinery and tools.

Legal basis: Legge 28 novembre 1965, n. 1329

Delibera del comitato agevolazioni MCC del 22.2.2007

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme: EUR 10 000 000

Maximum aid intensity: Interest subsidy equivalent to 100 % of the reference rate in the Region of Sicily and equivalent to 50 % of the reference rate in the Region of Valle d'Aosta for the purchase of machine tools or new manufacturing equipment, excluding replacement investments.

In accordance with Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, the gross intensity of aid may not exceed:

50 % of eligible expenditure for enterprises operating in less-favoured areas (under Articles 18 to 20 of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999);

40 % of eligible expenditure for enterprises operating in other areas.

Date of implementation: The aid scheme enters into force ten working days after this information has been sent, as provided for in Article 20(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.

Duration of the scheme: Ends 31 December 2013.

Objective of the aid: The objective of the aid scheme is to help the purchase or leasing by SMEs of brand new machine tools or production equipment for an overall cost exceeding EUR 516,45. Assembly, testing, transport and packaging costs are eligible up to a maximum of 15 % of the cost of the machine or equipment via interest subsidies equivalent to 100 % of the reference rate in the Region of Sicily and 50 % of the reference rate in the Region of Valle d'Aosta.

Eligible investments must be aimed at one or more of the following objectives:

reduction of production costs;

improvement and redeployment of production;

improvement in quality;

preservation and improvement of the natural environment, or the improvement of hygiene conditions or animal welfare standards..

The amount of funding may reach up to 100 % of the investment plan for a period of up to 5 years.

Aid for each individual request may not exceed the maximum aid intensity granted under applicable EU rules.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products.

Name and address of the authority granting the aid:

Website: www.incentivi.mcc.it\sicilia et www.incentivi.mcc\vda

Aid No: XA 33/07

Member State: United Kingdom

Region: England

Title of Aid scheme or name of company receiving an individual aid: Farming Activities Programme (England) 2007 — 2008

Legal basis: The scheme is non-statutory. The Agriculture Act 1986 (section 1) provides the legal base for the provision by Government of advice in connection with any agricultural activity.

Annual expenditure planned under the scheme or overall amount of individual aid granted to the company: 5 April 2007 — 28 March 2008: GBP 1 152 000

Maximum aid intensity: The aid intensity is 100 %.

Date of implementation: The scheme will start on 5 April 2007.

Duration of scheme or individual aid award: The scheme will begin on 5 April 2007. It will close on the 31 March 2008. The last payment will be made on 28 March 2008.

Objective of aid: Sectoral development. This is a programme for practising farmers. The purpose of the programme, consisting of a range of conferences, workshops and seminars, is to help farmers understand current issues that may impact upon their businesses such as CAP reform, catchment sensitive farming, and the introduction of new Environmental Stewardship Schemes. This will increase the professionalism of the sector.

The aid will be paid in line with Article 15 of Regulation 1857/2006 and the eligible costs will be costs of organising and delivering training programmes.

Sector(s) concerned: The scheme applies to businesses active in the production of agricultural products only. The scheme is open to businesses producing any type of agricultural product.

Name and address of the granting authority: The statutory body responsible for the scheme is:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Nobel House

17 Smith Square

Westminster

London SW1P 3JR

United Kingdom

The organisation operating the scheme is:

Natural England

Land Management & Advisory Services

Eastbrook

Shaftesbury Road

Cambridge

Cambs CB2 8DR

United Kingdom

Web-Address: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/planning/farming-wildlife/docs/StateAidFarmingActivities.pdf

Click on ‘Farming Activities Programme (England)’. Alternatively, you can go direct to.

http://defraweb/farm/policy/state-aid/setup/exist-exempt.htm

Other information: 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

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Area 8B 9 Millbank

C/o Nobel House

17 Smith Square

Westminster

London SW1P 3JR

United Kingdom