1.7.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 193/1 II (Non-legislative acts) REGULATIONS COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 702/2014 of 25 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas com- patible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Func- tioning of the European Union THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 108(4) thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 994/98 of 7 May 1998 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to certain categories of horizontal State aid (*) and in particular Article 1(1)(a) and (b) thereof, Having published a draft of this Regulation in accordance with Article 6 and Article 8(2) of Regulation (EC) No 994/98, Having consulted the Advisory Committee on State Aid, Whereas: (1)  State funding meeting the criteria laid down in Article 107(1) of the Treaty constitutes State aid and requires noti- fication to the Commission by virtue of Article 108(3) thereof. However, pursuant to Article 109 of the Treaty, the Council may determine categories of aid that are exempted from that notification requirement. In accordance with Article 108(4) of the Treaty the Commission may adopt regulations relating to those categories of aid. Regu- lation (EC) No 994/98 empowers the Commission to declare, in accordance with Article 109 of the Treaty, that certain categories of aid may be exempted from the notification requirement of Article 108(3) of the Treaty. On the basis of that Regulation, the Commission adopted Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 (3 which applies until 30 June 2014. (2)  On 22 July 2013 Regulation (EC) No 994/98 was amended by Regulation (EU) No 733/2013 (°) to empower the Commission to extend the block exemption to new categories of aid in respect of which clear compatibility conditions can be defined. Such new categories of aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors should include: aid in favour of heritage conservation, aid in favour of making good the damage caused by natural disasters and aid in favour of forestry which can, under certain conditions, be exempted from the notification requirement of Article 108(3) of the Treaty. () OJL142,14.5.1998,p. 1. (*) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 of 15 December 2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises active in the production of agricultural products and amending Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 (O] L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 3), as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) No 11142013 of 7 November 2013 amending Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 as regards its period of application (OJ L 298, 8.11.2013, p. 34). () Council Regulation (EU) No 7332013 ofP22 July 2013 amending Regulation (EC) No 994/98 on the application of Articles 92 and 93 of the Treaty establishing the European Community to certain categories of horizontal State aid (O] L 204, 31.7.2013, p. 11).