CHAPTER IVOTHER AIDS FROM THE RESTRUCTURING FUND
Article 15Transitional aid to full-time refiners
1.
A full-time refiner who, on 30 June 2006, was a refiner within the meaning of Article 7(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/2001 may apply for the transitional aid provided for in Article 8(2) of Regulation (EC) No 320/2006, to be granted by the Member State on whose territory it is situated.
2.
The full-time refiner shall lodge the aid application, accompanied by the business plan referred to in Article 8(3) of Regulation (EC) No 320/2006, by a deadline to be determined by the Member State concerned, which shall be no later than 30 September 2007.
3.
The business plan referred to in Article 8(3) of Regulation (EC) No 320/2006 shall include at least the following elements:
(a)
a summary of the main objectives, measures, actions, costs, financing interventions and time schedules;
(b)
a description and analysis of the problems encountered to adapt to the reform of the Community sugar market organisation;
(c)
a presentation of the actions or measures foreseen, demonstrating their consistency with other measures undertaken or foreseen under other Community funds in the region concerned under which the applicant is a beneficiary;
(d)
a time schedule of all the actions or measures foreseen and the criteria followed to differentiate them from similar actions or measures intended to be financed by other Community funds under which the applicant is a beneficiary;
(e)
a financial plan detailing all the costs by action or measure and the timetable foreseen for the payments.
4.
Actions or measures foreseen in the business plan shall include one or more of the following elements: investments, dismantling of production facilities, contributions to operational costs, provisions for depreciation of equipment and other provisions considered to be necessary in order to adapt to the new situation.
5.
The Member State shall decide on the eligibility of the business plan within the financial limits of Article 8(2) of Regulation (EC) No 320/2006 and shall notify the applicant and the Commission of its decision within 30 working days after the deadline referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article.
The Member State shall, within the same period, inform the Commission of the amounts to be awarded to each refiner and, if relevant, of the objective and non-discriminatory criteria used to distribute the aid between the different full-time refiners located on their territory.
6.
The actions or measures provided for in the business plan shall be implemented by 30 September 2010.