2003/530/EC: Council Decision of 16 July 2003 on the compatibility with the common market of an aid that the Italian Republic intends to grant to its milk producers
The aid the Italian Republic intends to grant to milk producers, by itself making payment to the Community of the amount due from them to the Community by virtue of the additional levy on milk and milk products for the period 1995/1996 to 2001/2002 and by allowing these producers to repay their debt by way of deferred payment over a number of years without interest, is exceptionally considered to be compatible with the common market on condition that:
- repayment shall be in full by yearly instalments of equal size,
- the repayment period shall not exceed 14 years, starting from 1 January 2004.
The grant of the aid set out in Article 1 shall be conditional on Italy declaring the amount of EUR 1386475250, corresponding to the total additional levy for the periods referred to in Article 1, to the European Agricultural Guarantee and Guidance Fund (EAGGF).
Italy shall deduct the outstanding debt, which corresponds to the total additional levy reduced by the levy already declared for the time-period up to and including March 2003 and credited to the EAGGF, the levy already withheld on the basis of reductions of monthly advances as well as the levy already withheld on the basis of the decision relating to the clearance of accounts for 1995/1996 and 1996/1997, and interest thereon corresponding to a total amount of EUR 249585217, in three yearly instalments of equal size, from the expenditure financed by the EAGGF for November 2003, November 2004 and November 2005 respectively.
Interest, calculated on a monthly basis, is reduced by the interest already charged on the basis of the decisions relating to the clearance of accounts for 1995/1996 and 1996/1997.
Declarations of the additional levy for April 2003 and onwards, for the periods referred to in Article 1, and credited to the EAGGF shall be taken into consideration.
In order to allow the Commission to perform its tasks under Article 88(1) of the Treaty, the competent Italian authorities shall report annually to the Council and the Commission on the progress made by them in recovering the amount due from the producers by virtue of the additional levy for the period 1995/1996 to 2001/2002. The Commission will assess this information and report its assessment to the Council.
This Decision is addressed to the Italian Republic.
Done at Brussels, 16 July 2003.
For the Council
The President
G. Magri
(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 48. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 806/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 1).
(2) OJ L 405, 31.12.1992, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 572/2003 (OJ L 82, 29.3.2003, p. 20).
(3) OJ L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), Β© European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
