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            COMMISSION DECISION         

of 15 September 2005         

concerning a financial contribution by the Community in the context of the vaccination campaigns against bluetongue in France in 2004 and 2005

(notified under document number C(2005) 3445)

(Only the French text is authentic)

(2005/659/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 2000/75/EC of 20 November 2000 laying down specific provisions for the control and eradication of bluetongue (1), and in particular Article 9(2) thereof,

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (2), and in particular Article 3(3), (4) and (5), second indent, thereof,

Whereas:

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Approval of the vaccination campaign

The bluetongue vaccination campaign implemented by France in Corsica, in the zones listed in Annex I to Decision 2005/393/EC, is approved.

Article 2

Granting of a financial contribution from the Community to France

For the purposes of combating bluetongue in 2004 and during the first half of 2005, France is entitled, for the campaign of vaccination against bluetongue in Corsica, to a financial contribution from the Community amounting to:

Article 3

Definition

The following definition applies to this Decision:

               ‘reasonable payments’ means payments for the purchase of materials or services at proportionate prices compared to the market prices before the vaccination campaign.

Article 4

Payment arrangements

1.   Subject to the results of the inspections referred to in Article 7, an initial instalment of EUR 150 000 shall be paid, as part of the Community financial contribution mentioned in Article 2, on the basis of supporting documents submitted by France relating to the vaccination of animals.

2.   The balance of the Community financial contribution mentioned in Article 2 shall be fixed in a subsequent decision to be adopted in accordance with the procedure established in Article 41 of Decision 90/424/EEC.

Article 5

The eligible expenditure covered by the financial contribution from the Community

The financial contribution from the Community as referred to in Article 2 shall only be made in respect of justified and reasonable payments relating to the authorised expenditure mentioned in Article 2.

Article 6

Payment conditions and supporting documents

1.   The financial contribution from the Community as referred to in Article 2 shall be paid on the basis of:

The documents referred to at (b) shall be made available for on-the-spot audits by the Commission.

2.   The application referred to in paragraph 1(a) must be submitted in computerised form, in accordance with the Annexes, within 60 calendar days of the date of notification of this Decision. If this time limit is not observed, the financial contribution from the Community shall be reduced by 25 % for every month of delay.

Article 7

Commission in situ inspections

The Commission, in collaboration with the competent French authorities, may conduct in situ inspections relating to the implementation of the measures referred to in Article 1 and the associated costs.

Article 8

Recipients

This Decision is addressed to the French Republic.

Done at Brussels, 15 September 2005.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU            

Member of the Commission

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(1)OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 74.

(2)OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. Decision as last amended by Directive 2003/99/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 325, 12.12.2003, p. 31).

(3)OJ L 130, 24.5.2005, p. 22. Decision as last amended by Decision 2005/603/EC (OJ L 206, 9.8.2005, p. 11).

(4)OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103.

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ANNEX

Application for a contribution towards the eligible costs associated with the bluetongue vaccination campaign

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