Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Decision 2009/470/EC of 25 May 2009 on expenditure in the veterinary field^f1, and in particular Article 27(5) and (6) thereof,

Whereas:

Decision 2009/470/EC lays down the procedures governing the financial contribution by the Union for programmes for the eradication, control and monitoring of animal diseases and zoonoses.

Commission Decision 2008/341/EC of 25 April 2008 laying down Community criteria for national programmes for the eradication, control and monitoring of certain animal diseases and zoonoses^f2 provides that in order to be approved under the measures provided for in Article 27(1) of Decision 2009/470/EC, programmes submitted by the Member States to the Commission for the eradication, control and monitoring of the animal diseases and zoonoses listed in the Annex to that Decision must meet at least the criteria set out in the Annex to Decision 2008/341/EC.

Commission Decision 2009/883/EC of 26 November 2009 approving annual and multi-annual programmes and the financial contribution from the Community for the eradication, control and monitoring of certain animal diseases and zoonoses presented by the Member States for 2010 and following years^f3 approves certain national programmes and sets out the rate and maximum amount of the financial contribution by the Union for each programme submitted by the Member States.

The Commission has assessed the reports submitted by the Member States on the expenditures incurred for those programmes. The results of that assessment show that certain Member States will not utilise their full allocation for the year 2010 while others will spend in excess of the allocated amount.

Rabies programmes in most Member States are now approaching the stage of achieving their objective of eradicating the risk to public and animal health from that disease. It is appropriate to provide additional financial support for those programmes by increasing the rate of financing, in order to reinforce the efforts of the Member States to eradicate that disease as soon as possible.

Member States have informed the Commission that the maximum limit for reimbursement per monitoring test for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in bovine animals applied during recent years is no longer realistic. Based on the results of the Commission’s examination of that matter, it is appropriate to increase the maximum limit for reimbursement for those tests in order to approach the real costs incurred by the Member States for carrying them out.

The financial contribution by the Union for a number of national programmes therefore needs to be adjusted. It is appropriate to reallocate funding from national programmes which will not use their full allocation to those that are expected to exceed it. The reallocation should be based on the most recent information on expenditure actually incurred by the concerned Member States.

In addition, Portugal has submitted an amended programme for the eradication of bovine brucellosis, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria and Portugal have submitted amended programmes for the eradication and monitoring of bluetongue in endemic or high-risk areas and Bulgaria and Poland have submitted amended programmes for the eradication of rabies.

The Commission has assessed those amended programmes from both the veterinary and the financial point of view. They were found to comply with relevant Union veterinary legislation and in particular with the criteria set out in the Annex to Decision 2008/341/EC. The amended programmes should therefore be approved.

Decision 2009/833/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

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: