28.8.1999 Official Journal of the European Communities L 227)27 COMMISSION DECISION of 9 June 1999 on the aid scheme implemented by the United Kingdom in favour of pig producers in Northern Ireland (notified under document number C(1999) 1602) (Only the English version is authentic) (1999/591EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Communities, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provision cited above (*) and having regard to their comments, Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1) By letter of 13 August 1998, registered on 14 August 1998, the United Kingdom notified the Commission of a new State aid scheme, the pig welfare slaughter scheme. This scheme provided for the payment of aid to pig producers in Northern Ireland of GBP 18 per pig to cover the cost of the slaughter and rendering of surplus pigs for which no normal market outlet can be found. Since it appeared that the United Kingdom had put this aid scheme into effect without awaiting approval by the Commission, this aid scheme was entered in the register of non-notified aid under the number NN 96/98. (2) By letter of 1 September 1998, registered on 2 September 1998, the United Kingdom informed the Commission that owing to a lack of response from farmers, the pig welfare slaughter scheme would be replaced by a new aid scheme, the pig welfare slaughter compensation scheme. In addition to the aid payments for slaughter and rendering of surplus pigs envisaged under the previous scheme, the new scheme provided for compensation payments for producers of overweight clean pigs (that is to say, pigs of a minimum live weight of 110 kg excluding in-pig gilts and breeding sows and boars) of up to GBP 30 per head. Since it appeared that the United Kingdom had put this aid scheme into effect without awaiting approval by the Commission, this aid scheme was entered in the register of non-notified aid under the number NN 95/98. Since in their letter of 27 October 1998, the United Kingdom authorities had confirmed that no aid payments had been made under the pig welfare slaughter scheme, and since that scheme had been entirely replaced by the pig welfare slaughter compensation scheme, the Commission decided to close the file on aid NN 96/98, concluding that this measure had been withdrawn by the United Kingdom. By letter dated 21 January 1999, the Commission informed the United Kingdom of its decision to initiate the procedure under Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the payment of compensation of up to GBP 30 per animal slaughtered. In the same letter, the Commission informed the United Kingdom of its decision not to raise objections to the payments for slaughtering and rendering surplus pigs. Comments from the United Kingdom were received by letter dated 23 February 1999. The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid. The Commission has received comments from the Ulster Farmers' Union, the North of Ireland Veterinary Association, Ulster Pork and Bacon Forum and the Northern Ireland Grain Trade Association. It has forwarded them to the United Kingdom, which was given the opportunity to react; by letter of 3 May 1999, the United Kingdom informed the Commission that it did not wish to submit any further comments. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURE Following an accidental fire on 20 June 1998, the major pig slaughtering plant in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, was destroyed, leading to the loss of an estimated 40% () O] C67,10.3.1999, p. 6. (®) See footnote 1.