Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania, and in particular Article 4(3) thereof,

Having regard to the Act of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania, and in particular Article 42 thereof,

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field^f1, and in particular Article 24(5), (6) and Articles 29 and 32 thereof,

Whereas:

Decision 90/424/EEC provides for the possibility of a financial contribution by the Community in the eradication and monitoring of animal diseases and for checks aimed at the prevention of zoonoses.

Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies^f2, provides for annual programmes for the eradication and monitoring of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in bovine, ovine and caprine animals.

In view of the Accession of Bulgaria and Romania, it is appropriate to lay down the Community financial contribution for programmes for the eradication and monitoring of animal diseases and of certain TSEs presented by Bulgaria and Romania for the year 2007.

Bulgaria and Romania have submitted programmes for the eradication and monitoring of certain animal diseases, for the prevention of zoonoses and for the eradication and monitoring of TSEs in their territories.

After examination of those programmes they were found to comply with relevant Community veterinary legislation and in particular with the Community criteria relating to the eradication of those diseases, in accordance with Council Decision 90/638/EEC of 27 November 1990 laying down Community criteria for the eradication and monitoring of certain animal diseases^f3.

In the light of the importance of those programmes for the achievement of Community objectives in the field of animal and public health, as well as the obligatory application in all Member States in the case of the TSE programmes, it is appropriate to fix the appropriate rate of financial contribution of the Community to reimburse the costs to be incurred by Bulgaria and Romania for the measures referred to in this Decision up to a maximum amount for each programme.

The presence of classical swine fever in pig holdings in Romania is a particularly serious threat for pig holdings in the rest of the Community. Therefore the rate of the Community contribution for the purchase of vaccine for the vaccination of pigs with the live attenuated vaccine should be set at the rate of 100 % of the costs.

For the sake of better management, more efficient use of Community funds and improved transparency it is also necessary to fix, for each programme, where appropriate, maximum amounts to be reimbursed to Bulgaria and Romania for certain costs for items such as tests, vaccines and compensation to owners for their losses due to the slaughter or culling of animals.

Under Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 of 21 June 2005 on the financing of the common agricultural policy^f4, programmes for the eradication and control of animal diseases are to be financed under the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund. For financial control purposes, Articles 9, 36 and 37 of that Regulation are to apply.

The financial contribution from the Community should be granted subject to the condition that the actions planned are efficiently carried out and that the competent authorities supply all the necessary information within the time limits laid down in this Decision.

In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005, the conversion rate for expenditure shall be the rate most recently set by the European Central Bank prior to the first day of the month in which the application is submitted by Bulgaria or Romania and the expenditure shall be expressed in euro.

The approval of some of the programmes should not prejudge a decision of the Commission on rules for eradication of those diseases based on scientific advice.

The list of programmes in Commission Decision 2006/687/EC of 12 October 2006 on programmes which qualify for a Community financial contribution in 2007 for the eradication and monitoring of certain animal diseases, for the prevention of zoonoses, for the monitoring of TSEs as well as programmes for the eradication of BSE and scrapie^f5 should be amended to include Bulgaria and Romania.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: