Commission Decision (EU) 2018/479 of 20 March 2018 on the long-term national aid scheme for agriculture in the northern regions of Sweden (notified under document C(2018) 1622)

Authorised aid

Article 1

1.   From 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022 Sweden is authorised to implement the long-term aid scheme for agriculture in its northern regions listed in Annex I. 2.   The total amount of aid granted shall not exceed SEK 422,92 million per calendar year. The yearly maximum amounts shall be considered as annual averages of the aid granted in the period of 5 calendar years covered by this Decision. 3.   Aid categories and the production sectors for each category, the maximum average yearly amounts allowed, as specified in paragraph 2, including the separate maximum amount for cow's milk production and transport, as well as the maximum yearly number of eligible production factors per aid category, are set out in Annex II. 4.   Aid shall be granted on the basis of eligible production factors or production amounts as follows: (a) per kilogram milk of actual production for the production of cow's milk; (b) per livestock unit for animal husbandry; (c) per hectare for crop and horticultural production including berries; (d) as a compensation for actual costs for the transport of cow's milk, deducting any other public support for the same costs. Aid linked to production amounts may be granted only towards the production of cow's milk and in no case shall the aid be linked to future production. The conversion rates into livestock units for the various types of livestock are set out in Annex II. 5.   In accordance with paragraph 3 and within the limits set out in Annex II, Sweden shall differentiate the aid in its northern regions and set the aid amounts annually per production factor, cost or unit of production on the basis of objective criteria relating to the severity of the natural handicap and other factors contributing to attaining the objectives set out in the third subparagraph of Article 142(3) of the Act of Accession.

Reference periods

Article 2

The reference period referred to in the second indent of the first subparagraph of Article 142(3) of the Act of Accession shall be 1993 as regards both the quantities and the level of support set out in Article 1 of this Decision.

Conditions for granting aid

Article 3

1.   Sweden shall lay down, within the limits provided for in this Decision, the conditions for granting aid to the various categories of beneficiaries. Such conditions shall include the eligibility and selection criteria applied and ensure the equal treatment of beneficiaries. 2.   The aid shall be paid to the beneficiaries based on actual production factors or, as regards the production of cow's milk, amount of actual production, referred to in Article 1(4). 3.   The aid shall be paid annually, except for cow's milk, transport aid for cow's milk, laying hens and pigs for slaughter in regard to which the aid may be paid in monthly instalments. 4.   An overrun of the maximum yearly number of production factors or amounts eligible for aid, as set out in Annex II, shall be taken into account as a corresponding reduction in the number of production factors in the year following the overrun where the aid is paid in annual instalments or in the last month of the year where the aid is paid monthly. 5.   Sweden shall take appropriate measures to prevent the overrun referred to in paragraph 4 where such an overrun appears likely, based on official or officially verified statistical projections. 6.   An overpayment or undue payment to a beneficiary shall be recovered by deducting the corresponding amounts from the aid paid to the beneficiary the following year or be otherwise recovered in that year, where no aid is due to the beneficiary. The undue amounts shall be recovered by 1 June of the following year.

Information and control measures

Article 4

1.   Sweden shall, as part of the information provided pursuant to Article 143(2) of the Act of Accession, submit to the Commission each year before 1 June information on implementation of the aid granted under this Decision during the preceding calendar year. The information shall concern in particular: (a) identification of the municipal units in which the aid was paid by means of a detailed map and where necessary by other data; (b) the total production, covering the reporting year, for the sub-regions eligible for aid under this Decision, expressed in quantities for each of the products specified in Annex II; (c) the total number of production factors and quantities, the number of production factors and quantities eligible for aid and the number of production factors and quantities supported per production sector specified in Annex II with a breakdown by product within each sector, including the indication of any overrun of the allowed maximum yearly number of production factors and quantities, as well as the description of measures, if any, taken to prevent such an overrun; (d) the total aid paid, the total amount of aid per aid category and the type of production, amounts paid to beneficiaries per production factor/other unit, as well as the criteria for differentiating aid amounts by sub-regions and types of farm holdings or on the basis of other considerations; (e) the payment system applied with details concerning any advances based on estimates, final payments as well as observed overpayments and their recovery; (f) amounts of aid paid under Article 32 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 in the administrative units covered by this Decision; (g) references to national legislation whereby the aid is implemented. 2.   Before 1 June 2023 Sweden shall, in addition to the annual report covering year 2022, submit to the Commission a report covering the 5-year period from 1 January 2018 until 31 December 2022. This report shall also cover the support granted under Decision C(2010) 6050 during 2016 and 2017. That report shall indicate, in particular: (a) the total aid paid during the 5-year period, and its distribution among aid categories, types of production and sub-regions; (b) for each aid category, the total production amounts per year and for the 5-year period, the number of production factors and the income levels of farmers in the regions eligible for the aid; (c) the evolution of agricultural production, processing and marketing in the social and economic context of the northern regions; (d) the effects of the aid on the protection of the environment and the preservation of the countryside; (e) proposals for the medium-term development of the aid based on the data presented in the report. 3.   Sweden shall provide data in a form compatible with the statistical standards used by the Union. 4.   Sweden shall take all steps necessary to apply this Decision and suitable control measures vis-à-vis beneficiaries of aid. 5.   Control measures shall to the extent possible be harmonised with the control systems applied under the Union support schemes.

Application of any amendments

Article 5

1.   Based on the information on the support scheme referred to in Article 4 and having regard to the national and Union context of agricultural production as well as other relevant factors, Sweden shall in 2022 make appropriate proposals to the Commission for amending and prolonging, for a period of 5 years, the aid authorised under this Decision. 2.   If the Commission decides to amend this Decision, in particular on the basis of any changes in the common market organisations or the direct support scheme or a change in the rate of any authorised national agricultural State aid, any amendment to the aid authorised by this Decision shall apply only from the year following that in which the amendment was adopted.

Repeal

Article 6

Decision C(2010) 6050 is repealed with effect from 1 January 2018. However, Article 6(1) of that Decision shall continue to apply to the aid granted under that Decision in 2017.

Application

Article 7

This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2018.

Addressee

Article 8

This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of Sweden.

ANNEX ISupplementary provisions

ANNEX I SUB-REGION 1 Province Municipal unit Parish Dalarna Älvdalen Idre Jämtland Krokom Hotagen   Strömsund Frostviken   Åre Åre     Kall     Undersåker   Berg Storsjö   Härjedalen Linsell     Hede     Ljusnedal     Tännäs Västerbotten Storuman Tärna   Sorsele Sorsele   Dorotea Risbäck   Vilhelmina Vilhelmina Norrbotten Arvidsjaur Arvidsjaur   Arjeplog Arjeplog   Jokkmokk Jokkmokk     Porjus   Pajala Muonionalusta     Junosuando   Gällivare Gällivare     Nilivaara     Malmberget   Kiruna Jukkasjärvi     Vittangi     Karesuando Agricultural area sub-region 1 6 700 ha SUB-REGION 2 Province Municipal unit District Dalarna Malung Lima     Transtrand   Älvdalen Särna Västernorrland Örnsköldsvik Trehörningsjö Jämtland Ragunda Borgvattnet     Stugun   Bräcke Bräcke     Nyhem     Håsjö     Sundsjö     Revsund     Bodsjö   Krokom Näskott     Aspås     Ås     Laxsjö     Föllinge     Offerdal     Alsen   Strömsund Ström     Alanäs     Gåxsjö     Hammerdal     Bodum     Tåsjö   Åre Mattmar     Mörsil     Hallen   Berg Berg     Hackås     Oviken     Myssjö     Åsarne     Klövsjö     Rätan   Härjedalen Sveg     Vemdalen     Ängersjö     Lillhärdal   Östersund Östersund     Frösö     Sunne     Näs     Lockne     Marieby     Brunflo     Kyrkås     Lit     Häggenås Västerbotten Vindeln Vindeln     Åmsele   Norsjö Norsjö   Malå Malå   Storuman Stensele   Sorsele Gargnäs   Dorotea Dorotea   Åsele Åsele     Fredrika   Lycksele Lycksele     Björksele     Örträsk   Skellefteå Boliden     Fällfors     Jörn     Kalvträsk Norrbotten Jokkmokk Vuollerim   Övertorneå Svanstein   Pajala Pajala     Korpilombolo     Tärendö   Gällivare Hakkas Agricultural area sub-region 2 46 600 ha SUB-REGION 3 Province Municipal unit District Värmland Torsby Södra Finnskoga Dalarna Älvdalen Älvdalen Gävleborg Nordanstig Hassela   Ljusdal Hamra     Los     Kårböle Västernorrland Ånge Haverö   Timrå Ljustorp   Härnösand Stigsjö     Viksjö   Sundsvall Indal     Holm     Liden   Kramfors Nordingrå     Vibyggerå     Ullånger     Torsåker   Sollefteå Graninge     Junsele     Edsele     Ramsele   Örnsköldsvik Örnsköldsvik     Anundsjö     Skorped     Sidensjö     Nätra     Själevad     Mo     Gideå     Björna Jämtland Ragunda Ragunda   Bräcke Hällesjö   Krokom Rödön   Strömsund Fjällsjö   Åre Marby   Härjedalen Älvros     Överhogdal     Ytterhogdal   Östersund Norderö Västerbotten Nordmaling Nordmaling   Bjurholm Bjurholm   Robertsfors Bygdeå     Nysätra   Vännäs Vännäs   Umeå Umeå Landsförsamling     Tavelsjö     Sävar   Skellefteå Skellefteå Landsförsamling     Kågedalen     Byske     Lövånger     Burträsk Norrbotten Överkalix Överkalix   Kalix Nederkalix     Töre   Övertorneå Övertorneå     Hietaniemi   Älvsbyn Älvsby   Luleå Luleå Domkyrkoförsamling     Örnäset     Nederluleå     Råneå   Piteå Piteå Stadsförsamling     Hortlax     Piteå Landsförsamling     Norrfjärden   Boden Överluleå     Gunnarsbyn     Edefors     Sävast   Haparanda Nedertorneå-Haparanda     Karl Gustav Agricultural area sub-region 3 108 650 ha SUB-REGION 4 Province Municipal unit District Värmland Torsby Lekvattnet     Nyskoga     Norra Finnskoga     Dalby     Norra Ny   Filipstad Rämmen   Hagfors Gustav Adolf Dalarna Vansbro Järna     Nås     Äppelbo   Malung Malung   Rättvik Boda     Ore   Orsa Orsa   Mora Våmhus     Venjan   Falun Bjursås   Ludvika Säfsnäs Gävleborg Ovanåker Ovanåker     Voxna   Nordanstig Ilsbo     Harmånger     Jättendal     Gnarp     Bergsjö   Ljusdal Ljusdal     Färila     Ramsjö     Järvsö   Bollnäs Rengsjö     Undersvik     Arbrå   Hudiksvall Bjuråker Västernorrland Ånge Borgsjö     Torp   Timrå Timrå     Hässjö     Tynderö   Härnösand Härnösands Domkyrkoförsamling     Högsjö     Häggdånger     Säbrå     Hemsö   Sundsvall Sundsvalls Gustav Adolf     Skönsmon     Skön     Alnö     Sättna     Selånger     Stöde     Tuna     Attmar     Njurunda   Kramfors Gudmundrå     Nora     Skog     Bjärtrå     Styrnäs     Dal     Ytterlännäs   Sollefteå Sollefteå     Multrå     Långsele     Ed     Resele     Helgum     Ådals-Liden     Boteå     Överlännäs     Sånga   Örnsköldsvik Arnäs     Grundsunda Jämtland Ragunda Fors Västerbotten Umeå Umeå Stadsförsamling     Teg     Ålidhem     Holmsund     Hörnefors     Holmön     Umeå Maria   Skellefteå Skellefteå Sankt Olov     Skellefteå Sankt Örjan     Bureå Agricultural area sub-region 4 69 050 ha SUB-REGION 5 Province Municipal unit District Värmland Kil Boda   Eda Eda     Järnskog     Skillingmark     Köla   Torsby Fryksände     Vitsand     Östmark   Grums Värmskog   Årjäng Silbodal     Sillerud     Karlanda     Holmedal     Blomskog     Trankil     Västra Fågelvik     Töcksmark     Östervallskog   Sunne Gräsmark     Lysvik   Filipstad Gåsborn   Hagfors Hagfors     Ekshärad     Norra Råda     Sunnemo   Arvika Arvika Östra     Arvika Västra     Stavnäs     Högerud     Glava     Bogen     Gunnarskog     Ny     Älgå     Mangskog     Brunskog   Säffle Svanskog     Långserud Dalarna Gagnef Mockfjärd     Gagnef     Floda   Leksand Leksand     Djura     Ål     Siljansnäs   Rättvik Rättvik   Mora Mora     Sollerön   Falun Svärdsjö     Enviken Gävleborg Ockelbo Ockelbo   Ovanåker Alfta   Gävle Hamrånge   Söderhamn Söderhamn     Sandarne     Skog     Ljusne     Söderala     Bergvik     Mo     Trönö     Norrala   Bollnäs Bollnäs     Segersta   Bollnäs Hanebo   Hudiksvall Hudiksvall     Idenor     Hälsingtuna     Rogsta     Njutånger     Enånger     Delsbo     Norrbo     Forsa     Hög Agricultural area sub-region 5 72 300 ha

ANNEX IISupplementary provisions

ANNEX II   Maximum average yearly aid for a 5-year period from 1 January 2018 until 31 December 2022(million SEK) Maximum yearly number of eligible production factors or amounts  ( 1 ) Cow's milk and transport aid for cow's milk   450 000 000 kg She goats, pigs for slaughter, sows, laying hens   17 000 LU Soft fruit, vegetables and potatoes   3 660 hectares TOTAL AID 422,92  ( 2 )   ( 1 )   Conversion rates into livestock units (LU): A she goat is 0,15 LU, a pig for slaughter 0,10 LU, a sow 0,33 LU, and a laying hen 0,01 LU. ( 2 )   Of which a maximum support of SEK 395,9 million may be granted towards the category cow's milk and transport aid for cow's milk.