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 31(2) thereof,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules^f2, and in particular Article 32(7) thereof,

Whereas:

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 926/2011 of 12 September 2011 for the purposes of Council Decision 2009/470/EC as regards Union financial aid to the EU reference laboratories for feed and food and the animal health sector^f3 provides that the financial aid from the Union is to be granted if the approved work programmes are implemented effectively and that the beneficiaries supply all the necessary information within certain time limits.

The Commission services have assessed and approved the work programmes and corresponding budget estimates submitted in 2012 by the EU reference laboratories for the year 2013.

As work programmes are being performed since 1 January 2013, the present Implementing Decision should apply from 1 January 2013.

Accordingly, a Union financial aid should be granted to the EU reference laboratories designated in order to co-finance their activities to carry out the functions and duties provided for in Article 32 of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004. The Union’s financial aid should be at the rate of 100 % of eligible costs as defined in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 926/2011.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 135/2013^f4 lays down eligibility rules for the workshops organised by the EU reference laboratories. It also limits the financial aid to a maximum of 32 participants, 3 invited speakers and 10 representatives of third countries in workshops. Derogations to that limitation should be provided for some European Union reference laboratories that need support for attendance by more than 32 participants in order to achieve the best outcome of its workshops. Derogations can be obtained in case an EU reference laboratory takes the leadership and responsibility when organising a workshop with another European Union reference laboratory.

For the six EU reference laboratories designated within the Joint Research Centre, the relationship is laid down in an annual administrative arrangement supported by a work programme and its budget as the Joint Research Centre and the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers are both services of the Commission.

In accordance with Article 3(2)(a) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 of 21 June 2005 on the financing of the common agricultural policy^f5, animal disease eradication and control programmes (veterinary measures) shall be financed from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF). Second paragraph of Article 13 of that Regulation provides that in duly justified exceptional cases, for measures and programmes covered by Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field^f6, expenditure relating to administrative and personnel costs incurred by Member States and beneficiaries of aid from the EAGF are to be borne by that Fund. For financial control purposes, Articles 9, 36 and 37 of Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 are to apply.

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: