Aid for advisory services in the forestry sector
Article 48
1. Aid for advisory services in the forestry sector shall be compatible with the internal market within the meaning of Article 107(3), point (c), of the Treaty and shall be exempted from the notification requirement of Article 108(3) thereof where it fulfils the conditions laid down in this Article and in Chapter I of this Regulation. 2. The services concerned shall not be a continuous or periodic activity nor relate to the undertaking’s operating costs. Advisory services shall cover economic, environmental and social dimensions and deliver up to date technological and scientific information developed by research and innovation. Member States shall ensure that actions supported under this Article are consistent with the description of the AKIS provided in the CAP Strategic Plan. 3. The Member States shall ensure that the system of advisory services covers as a minimum issues related to the implementation of Directive 92/43/EEC, Directive 2000/60/EC, Directive 2008/50/EC, Directive 2009/147/EC, Regulation (EU) 2016/2031, Article 55 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and Directive 2009/128/EC. 4. The aid shall take the form of subsidised service. The bodies selected to provide the advisory service shall have the appropriate resources in the form of regularly trained and qualified staff and advisory experience and reliability with respect to the fields in which they advise. 5. Member States shall ensure that the provider of the advisory service is impartial and has no conflict of interest. 6. Where justified and appropriate, the advice may be partly provided in group, while taking into account the situation of the individual beneficiaries of the advisory services. 7. The aid shall be limited to 100 % of the eligible costs, and shall not exceed EUR 200 000 per undertaking within any three-year period.