COMMISSION DECISION
of 7 December 2011
concerning compensation payments made by the Greek Agricultural Insurance Organisation (ELGA) in 2008 and 2009
(notified under document C(2011) 7260)
(Only the Greek text is authentic)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2012/157/EU)
I.
PROCEDURE
II.
DESCRIPTION
III.
DOUBTS RAISED BY THE COMMISSION IN INITIATING THE INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
1.
The existence of aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU
2.
Qualification of the measures as illegal aid
3.
Preliminary assessment of the compatibility of the aid
IV.
COMMENTS BY THIRD PARTIES
V.
OBSERVATIONS BY GREECE
1.
Specific observations concerning compensation aid granted in 2008 and 2009
2.
Specific observations concerning compensation aid granted in 2008
Minimum amount of damage as a percentage of normal production |
Total amount of compensation (EUR) |
Number of agricultural parcels which suffered losses |
Percentage of total amount of compensation granted |
20–29 |
26 063 999,19 |
101 162 |
6,98 |
30–100 |
347 193 466,52 |
565 244 |
93,02 |
Total |
373 257 465,71 |
666 406 |
100 |
3.
Specific observations regarding compensation aid granted in 2009
Agricultural product |
Total amount of compensation (EUR) |
Adverse weather conditions |
Description of the damage |
||
|
56 580 555 (for all products) |
High temperatures and heatwave; warm, dry winter; prolonged drought; sudden variations in temperature. |
The high temperatures and the heatwave in the summer of 2007 had a negative impact on the production of these crops and, in particular, on fruit bud formation. Prolonged drought in 2007 and sudden changes in temperature led to a fall in production. In addition, tree crops did not have sufficient chill time as a result of the warm, dry winter. |
||
|
10 970 348 |
Same weather conditions as in 1. |
Same damage as in 1. |
||
|
6 751 747 |
Warm, dry winter; low temperatures. |
The warm, dry winter of 2007-08 increased the level of catabolic (acid-forming) activity in the asparagus, depleting the nutrient content. These conditions led to a sudden drop in the next asparagus yield. Production, which was already reduced, was also affected by the low temperatures in February 2008 which retarded growth. This caused a further fall in the asparagus yield in Greece in 2008. |
||
|
13 817 834 |
High temperatures and heatwave; drought. |
The high temperatures and heatwave in the summer of 2007 combined with the drought made it difficult to treat insect and thrips virus infestations and caused tobacco production to fall throughout Greece. |
||
|
7 220 996 |
High temperatures. |
High temperatures in the summers of 2006 and 2008 made it difficult to treat insect infestations and plant diseases which affected summer potato crops in several Greek prefectures. |
||
|
109 564 462 |
Prolonged drought; hot summer; cold autumn; rain. |
The prolonged drought reduced water stores. In 2008, a hot summer followed by a cold autumn combined with excessive rainfall towards the end of September led to a reduction in production and a decline in the quality of the cotton crop throughout Greece. |
||
|
72 026 112 |
Drought; frost; rain. |
Prolonged drought, the icy weather of February 2008, which followed a mild winter, and the high temperatures and excessive rainfall during the olive flowering period led to a significant reduction in the olive yield throughout Greece. |
||
|
138 087 394 |
Rain; variations in temperature. |
The rain and variations in temperature in the spring and autumn of 2008 led to a decline in the production of cereals and left the crops more vulnerable to disease. The decline in quality was also due to the absence of essential nutrients (protein, gluten) caused by the adverse weather conditions. |
||
Total |
415 019 448 |
|
|