01/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 26 November, the Commission decided to launch a formal investigation against unlawful state aid granted by Belgium since 2002 to farmers for the BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) tests of bovine animals. The state aid rules for agriculture allow the granting of aid for BSE tests up to a certain amount, but the Commission received indications that Belgium has granted aid exceeding this amount. According the information provided by the Belgian authorities an amount of direct and indirect aid of €15 million would have been granted to farmers above the maximum of € 40 per test from 1 January 2003, and Belgium seems to have to started to recover the unlawful aid. (L.C./transl/rh)