2000/200/EC: Commission Decision of 25 November 1999 concerning an aid scheme implemented by Portugal with a view to reducing the debt burden of intensive stock farms and assisting recovery in the pig-farming sector (notified under document number C(1999) 4861) (Only the Portuguese text is authentic)

• Articles: 5

Article 1

1. The credit line which, under Chapter I of Decree-Law No 146/94 of 24 May 1994, is available for reducing the debt burden of intensive stock farms is incompatible with the common market in the cases where, together with the investment aid received, the grant equivalent exceeds 35 % in farming areas other than less-favoured farming areas.

2. The credit line which is provided for in Chapter II of Decree-Law No 146/94 of 24 May 1994 for assisting recovery in the pig-farming sector is incompatible with the common market.

Article 2

Portugal shall cancel the aid schemes referred to in Article 1.

Article 3

1. Portugal shall take all the necessary measures to recover from the recipients the aids referred to in Article 1 which have already been granted unlawfully.

2. Recovery shall be effected in accordance with the procedures of national law. The amount to be recovered shall include interest from the date on which the aid was made available to the recipients until the date of its recovery. Interest shall be calculated on the basis of the reference rate used for calculating the grant equivalent of regional aid.

Article 4

Portugal shall inform the Commission, within two months of notification of this Decision, of the measures taken to comply with it.

Article 5

This Decision is addressed to the Portuguese Republic.

Done at Brussels, 25 November 1999.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 282, 1.11.1975, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 282, 1.11.1975, p. 77.

(3) OJ L 349, 31.12.1994, p. 105.

(4) OJ L 305, 19.12.1995, p. 49.

(5) OJ C 83, 18.3.1998, p. 5.

(6) Diário da República, Series I-A, No 120 of 24 May 1994.

(7) See footnote 5.

(8) The national reference rate is currently 8 %.

(9) OJ C 368, 23.12.1994, p. 12.

(10) OJ L 142, 2.6.1997, p. 1.

(11) Source: Eurostat (1997).

(12) See footnote 9.

(13) OJ C 283, 19.9.1997, p. 2.

(14) OJ C 74, 10.3.1998, p. 9.

(15) Precedents: N 904/95, N 21/96, N 864/96 and N 813/97.

(16) OJ C 29, 2.2.1996, p. 4.

(17) OJ C 44, 16.2.1996, p. 2.

(18) [1995] ECR II-1675.

(19) [1979] ECR 2161.

(20) [1973] ECR 813.

(21) [1987] ECR 901.

(22) [1990] ECR I-3437.

(23) OJ L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1.

(24) See footnote 14.