Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 November 2018
157. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 194 of 8 November 2018, the details of EU agricultural state aid rules and regulations in question; and the ceilings that apply for each regulation. [47649/18]
View answerMy Department has responsibility for the implementation of the State Aid rules and regulations governing the agricultural sector. There are three separate regulations, details of which are outlined below:
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 1408/2013 on the application of de minimis aid in the agriculture sector – aid granted under this Regulation does not need to be notified to the European Commission. Aid can only be granted to undertakings active in the primary production of agricultural products. The individual ceiling is set at €15,000 over a three year rolling period, while the national ceiling is set at €66,280,000 over a rolling three year period.
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 702/2014 – the Agriculture Block Exemption Regulation. This Regulation applies to micro, small and medium sized enterprises active in primary agricultural production and the processing and marketing of agricultural products. Aid granted under this Regulation must be notified to the European Commission, through a simplified notification procedure. The aid intensity can vary from 100% of the eligible costs being paid to 40%, depending on the particular measure under which a scheme operates. There are no specific ceilings per se under this Regulation, however, individual aid which exceeds €7.5 million for certain measures or €500,000 for other measures would not be eligible to receive aid. Aid in excess of these amounts would need to be notified under the European Union Guidelines for State Aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas.
- The European Union Guidelines for State Aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas applies in principle to SME’s and large enterprises active in primary agricultural production, the processing of agricultural products resulting in another agricultural product and the marketing of agricultural products. Aid granted under these Guidelines requires full notification to the European Commission. Notification thresholds under the Guidelines start from €7.5 million.
As outlined in my reply to PQ No 194 of 8 November 2018, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has responsibility for the general de minimis regulation 1407/2013.
