Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/246 of 3 February 2016 amending Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 as regards the forms to be used for the notification of State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2015/1589 of 13 July 2015 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (1), and in particular Article 33 thereof,

After consulting the Advisory Committee on State aid,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 (2) lays down rules concerning the form, content and other details for the notification of State aid. It provides that the supplementary information needed for the assessment of State aid measures in accordance with regulations, guidelines, frameworks and other texts applicable to State aid is to be provided in the supplementary information sheets set out in Part III of Annex I to that Regulation.

(2) In addition, Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 provides that whenever the relevant guidelines or frameworks are modified or replaced, the Commission shall adapt the corresponding forms and information sheets.

(3) Following the adoption by the Commission of the European Union Guidelines for State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas 2014 to 2020 (3), the rules applied by the Commission in assessing the compatibility of State aid measures with the internal market have changed. Accordingly, it is necessary to replace the information sheets for the notification of State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors set out in Part III of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 794/2004.

(4) Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 3 February 2016.

For the Commission The President Jean-Claude JUNCKER

(1) OJ L 248, 24.9.2015, p. 9.

(2) Commission Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 of 21 April 2004 implementing Council Regulation (EU) 2015/1589 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (OJ L 140, 30.4.2004, p. 1).

(3) OJ C 204, 1.7.2014, p. 1, as modified by OJ C 390, 24.11.2015, p. 4.