COMMISSION DECISION of 19 May 1998 amending for the second time Decisions 96/534/EC and 96/535/EC on financial assistance from the Community for storage of antigen for production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine in Italy and the United Kingdom (notified under document number C(1998) 1358) (Only the English and Italian texts are authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (98/389/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1), as last amended by Decision 94/370/EC (2), and in particular Article 14 thereof,

Whereas by virtue of Council Decision 91/666/EEC of 11 December 1991 establishing Community reserves of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines (3), establishment of antigen banks is part of the Community's action to create Community reserves of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine;

Whereas Article 3 of that Decision designates the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Brescia in Italy and the Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright, United Kingdom as antigen banks holding Community reserves;

Whereas the functions and duties of these antigen banks are specified in Article 4 of that Decision; whereas Community assistance must be conditional on accomplishment of these;

Whereas Community financial assistance should be granted to these banks to enable them to carry out the said functions and duties;

Whereas by Commission Decision 96/534/EC of 4 September 1996 on financial assistance from the Community for storage in Italy of antigen for production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine (4) the Community provided financial assistance to Italy for the stocking of antigen for production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine for the period 1 August 1996 to 31 July 1997;

Whereas by Commission Decision 96/535/EC of 4 September 1996 on financial assistance from the Community for storage in the United Kingdom of antigen for production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine (5) the Community provided financial assistance to the United Kingdom for the stocking of antigen for the production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine for the period 1 August 1996 to 31 July 1997;

Whereas by Commission Decision 97/592/EC (6) amendments were made to Commission Decisions 96/534/EC and 96/535/EC whereby financial assistance could be provided for the storage of antigen in Italy and in the United Kingdom until 31 December 1997;

Whereas the payment of financial assistance is related to presentation of supporting documents;

Whereas a request has been made for an extended period for the submission of supporting documents;

Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

In Article 4 of Decisions 96/534/EC and 96/535/EC the date '1 October 1997` is replaced by '1 July 1998`.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Italian Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Done at Brussels, 19 May 1998.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 224, 18. 8. 1990, p. 19.

(2) OJ L 168, 2. 7. 1994, p. 31.

(3) OJ L 368, 31. 12. 1991, p. 21.

(4) OJ L 229, 10. 9. 1996, p. 14.

(5) OJ L 229, 10. 9. 1996, p. 16.

(6) OJ L 239, 30. 8. 1997, p. 50.