21.12.2010 Official Journal of the European Union L 336/43 COMMISSION DECISION of 17 November 2010 concerning aid for the costs of removal and destruction of fallen stock on agricultural holdings in the Walloon Region (State aid C 1/10 — Belgium) (notified under document C(2010) 7263) (Only the French and Dutch texts are authentic) (2010/789/EU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 108(2)(1) () thereof, Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 62(1)(a) (?) thereof, Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to those Articles (%), Whereas: I. PROCEDURE (1) Following a complaint submitted on 23 April 2007, the Commission decided to initiate an investigation concerning alleged State aid granted by Belgium to cover costs associated with the removal and destruction of fallen stock on agricultural holdings in the Walloon Region. (20 On 2 July 2007 the Commission sent a letter to the Belgian authorities, asking for information on the measure in question. The Belgian authorities provided information by letter of 27 July 2007, registered on 3 August 2007. At the request of the competent Belgian authorities a technical meeting was held on 21 August 2007. Following the meeting, the Belgian authorities provided, on 4 October 2007, additional information concerning the case. (3) By letter of 10 September 2007, the Commission services informed Belgium that the aid scheme was () From 1 December 2009, Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty became Articles 107 and 108 respectively of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU’). In both cases the provisions are identical in their substance. For the purposes of this Decision, references to Articles 107 and 108 of the TFEU should be understood, where necessary, as being made to Articles 87 and 88 respectively of the EC Treaty. ® OJ L1, 31.1994, p. 3. () OJ C 191, 15.7.2010, p. 12. () ) O] O] included in the register of non-notified aid, under No NN 56/2007, as part of the funds had clearly already been paid out. At the request of the competent Belgian authorities a second technical meeting was held on 12 October 2007. By letter of 25 October 2007 the Commission services asked the Belgian authorities to provide further information. As no reply was received within the prescribed time limit, a reminder letter was sent to the Belgian authorities on 21 December 2007 with a new prescribed time limit to reply. On 4 June 2008, not having received a reply to the first reminder letter within the prescribed time limit, the Commission services sent a new reminder letter drawing the attention of the Belgian authorities to the fact that if the four-week time limit assigned for the sending of a reply was not complied with, the Commission could send an information injunction according to Article 10(2) and (3) of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (). This time limit expired on 4 July 2008. For this reason, on 1 October 2008 the Commission adopted a decision requiring the Belgian authorities to provide the relevant information. In this Decision, the Commission requested the Belgian authorities to submit, inter alia, the relevant information sheets, as provided for in Commission Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 of 21 April 2004 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (°) for the assessment of the aid granted after 31 January 2007. The Belgian authorities finally replied by letter of 27 November 2008 and sent additional information on 5 December 2008. However, they did not provide the information sheets as required in the Decision of the Commission of 1 October 2008. On 27 January 2009, the Commission sent the Belgian authorities a request for additional information. The Belgian authorities replied to this request by letter of 16 March 2009, registered on 19 March 2009. 83, 27.3.1999, p. 1. 140, 30.4.2004, p. 1. ==