No L 23/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 1. 88 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 6 May 1987 concerning a State aid consisting of a reduction in the social charges imposed in respect of the employment of casual labour and of persons seeking employment in six agricultural sectors in France (Only the French text is authentic) (88/39/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular the first subpara- graph of Article 93 (2) thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1035/72 of 18 May 1972 on the common organization of the market in fruit and vegetables ('), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1351/86 (3), and in particular Article 31 thereof, and the corresponding provisions of the other Regulations on the common organization of the markets in agricultural products, After having requested the parties concerned, in accor- dance with Article 93 (2) of the EEC Treaty, to submit their comments (%), Whereas : 1. As a result of information notified to it, the Commis- sion sought information from the French authorities on 26 September 1985 as to the existence of aid for the horticultural industry. On § November 1985, by note No 1338, the French Permanent Representation to the European Communi- () OJ No L 118, 20. 5. 1972, p. 1. () OJ No L 119, 6.°5. 1986, p. 46. () OJ No C 312, 6. 12. 1986, p. 3. ties forwarded to the Commission information concer- ning arrangements planned ‘with a view to assisting the fruit and vegetable industry in the light of the accession of Spain and Portugal’ . Further information was received by note of 14 February 1986 and by telexes of 17 and 28 April 1986 in reply to the Commission’s telexes of 23 December 1985 and 16 April 1986. Information was also provided at a bilateral meeting held on 14 May 1986 between a representative of the French Ministry of Agriculture and the Commission, and by note of 2 June 1986 from the French Permanent Representa- tion. 2. The aid consists of measures to: — reduce from 8 to 4 SMIC (minimum wage) the standard daily rate on which are based the social contributions payable in respect of casual workers, and to extend from 10 to 21 days worked consecu- tively the period of application of the reduced basis of assessment, — provide a better definition of ‘casual labour’ which ~ would include any person not working habitually as an agricultural wage-earner but covered either personally or as a dependent by health insurance, — extend to a maximum of four months the period during which employers are entitled to benefit from the reduced basis for the assessment of social charges by virtue of the fact that they are employing casual labour,