State aid in the agricultural sector: Legislation
Specific to the agricultural sector
Community guidelines for state aid in the agriculture and forestry sector 2007-2013
These guidelines cover most sorts of State aids: investment aids, environmental aids, disaster aids, etc.
>> What are the Community guidelines about? 
>> Read the Community Guidelines 
Agricultural Block Exemption Regulation (ABER)
This regulation allows Member States to grant various types of agricultural state aid without having to seek the Commission's prior clearance.
Agricultural de minimis Regulation
The Regulation foresees that aid up to EUR 7500 per farmer could be granted over a period of three years without being notified to the Commission, provided that the global amount of such aid does not exceed an amount set by the Commission, calculated as 0.75% of the value of production in the fisheries or agricultural sector by the Member State concerned. Since 1 January 2008, Member States are able to grant aid that is in line with the Regulation without the Commission having to approve the aid in advance. The Member States only have to provide information certifying that the two ceilings have been complied with.
General de minimis Regulation
This regulation applies to processing and marketing of agricultural products and to forestry.
Information on the forms related to these regulations
General legal instruments that also apply to the agricultural sector
See the European Commission's 'Competition' website about EU legislation on State Aid