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fed COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN CCMVÏUNITIES 
C0M(93) 470 final 
Brussels, 6 December 1993 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
amending Decision 90/424/EEC on 
expenditure In the veterinary field 
(presented by the Commission) 
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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
Experience shows that certain mechanisms of Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 
26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field*1) need to be improved. 
This proposal relates principally to the financial contribution of the 
Community to programmes for the eradication and monitoring of animal 
diseases. It provides for: 
- a timetable for the various operations; 
- submission by the Member States of annual programmes during the year 
preceding that of their implementation; 
- drawing up of a list of programmes selected for the following year; 
- approval of the individual programmes; 
- a progressive reduction in reimbursements where deadlines are not met. 
The same arrangements would apply to future programmes for the control of 
certain zoonoses and programmes for improving structures in connection with 
the internal market. 
As regards emergency measures, a minimum should be laid down below which the 
financial contribution will not be granted. Administrative costs must not 
exceed the reimbursement due. 
The draft does not as such affect the level of expenditure in the veterinary 
field. 
It constitutes a technical improvement to financial mechanisms in the 
veterinary field. 
(1) 0J N* L 224, 18.08.1990, p. 19. 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
amending Decision 90/424/EEC on 
expenditure In the veterinary field 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and 
in particular Article 43 thereof. 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,*1> 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par Iiament,<2) 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee,<3* 
Whereas, in the light of experience gained, certain mechanisms provided for 
by Council Decision 90/424/EEC on expenditure in the veterinary field,(*) as 
last amended by Decision 93/439/EEC,(5) should be improved; 
Whereas, in particular, for programmes for the eradication and monitoring of 
animal diseases, programmes for the control of certain zoonoses and 
programmes for improving the veterinary structures in connection with the 
internal market, a timetable should be laid down for the various operations, 
the Member States should, during the year preceding their implementation, 
submit annual programmes, a list of programmes selected for the following 
year should be drawn up, individual programmes should be approved, the rate 
of the Community's contribution and the maximum amount of that contribution 
should be determined, provision should be made for a progressive reduction in 
reimbursements where time limits are not observed and a minimum level for 
reimbursements relating to emergency measures should be specified, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
(1) OJ N" C 
(2) OJ N* C 
(3) OJ N* C 
(4) OJ N- L 224, 18.08.1990, p. 19. 
(5) OJ N* L 203, 13.08.1993, p. 34. 
>-
Article 1 
Decision 90/424/EEC is hereby amended as follows: 
1. The following Article 10a Is added: 
"Article 10a 
The financial contribution of the Community shall not be granted where 
the total amount of the measure will be less than ECU 10 000." 
2. In Article 24, paragraphs 3 to 9 are replaced by the following: 
"3. Each year, not later than 1 May, and for the first time not later 
than 1 May 1995, the Member States shall submit to the Commission the 
programmes they wish to receive a financial contribution from the 
Community. On that occasion, the Member States shall supply all the 
appropriate financial information and shall indicate in particular 
the estimated cost of each programme submitted. No programme 
submitted after 1 May may be considered for financing the following 
year. 
4. The Commission shall consider the programmes submitted from both the 
veterinary and the financial angle. The Member States shall 
communicate to the Commission any additional information it requires 
for its assessment of the programme. The period for considering 
programmes shall end on 1 September each year. 
5. Each year, before 15 October and in accordance with the procedure 
laid down in Article 42, the list of programmes qualifying for a 
financial contribution from the Community for the following year and 
the proposed rate and amount of the contribution for each programme 
shalI be drawn up. 
6. Each programme included in the list provided for in paragraph 5, 
where appropriate amended to take account of the examination referred 
to in paragraphs 4 and 5, shall be approved individually in 
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 42 before 1 
December. The level of the financial contribution of the Community, 
any conditions to which it may be subject and the upper limit of the 
contribution shall be laid down in accordance with the same 
procedure. 
7. All programmes shall be approved for a period of one year and shall 
be implemented on 1 January each year. For each programme in force, 
the Member States shall submit to the Commission, before 1 May, a 
preliminary technical and financial evaluation of the programme. This 
evaluation may be accompanied by a request for the continuation of 
the measure in accordance with paragraph 3. The Commission shall 
inform the Member States of the situation with regard to the adoption 
of the decision provided for in paragraph 5. 
8. Payment applications relating to expenditure incurred by a Member 
State in respect of a given programme shall be submitted to the 
Commission before 1 May of the year following that in which the 
programme ends. Where the time limit specified is not observed, the 
financial contribution of the Community shall be reduced by 20% on 
1 June, 40% on 1 July, 60% on 1 August, 80% on 1 September and 100% 
on 1 October. 
9. The Commission shall rule on the aid in principle before 1 October 
and shall in any case inform the Member States meeting within the 
Standing Veterinary Committee by 15 October. 
10. The Commission shall make regular on-the-spot checks, with the 
cooperation of the competent national authorities, on the application 
of programmes receiving a financial contribution from the Community. 
11. Detailed rules for the application of this Article, and in particular 
Article 8 thereof, shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure 
laid down in Article 41. 
12. The programmes already approved by the Commission shall continue to 
be governed by the provisions of Article 24 applicable before the 
amendment resulting from Council Decision 92/.../EEC of 
amending Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the 
veterinary field**). However, the above-mentioned programmes shall 
end not later than 31 December 1995." 
3. Article 25 is deleted. 
4. Article 26 is replaced by the following: 
"Article 26 
For the measures provided for in this Title, the amount of the 
appropriations required shall be fixed each year under the budget 
procedure." 
5. Articles 30 and 31 are deleted. 
6. Article 32 is replaced by the following: 
"Article 32 
For the purposes of this Chapter, paragraphs 3 to 11 of Article 24 shall 
apply." 
(*) OJ N* L 
7. In Article 38, paragraph 3 is replaced by the following: 
"3. For the purposes of this Article, paragraphs 3 to 11 of Article 24 
shalI apply." 
8. Article 40 shall be replaced by 
"Article 40 
Payments shall be made in ecus at the rates published in the Official Journal 
of the European Communities on the first working day of the month in which 
the application for payment was received." 
Article 2 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
Done at Brussels, For the Council 
The President 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(93) 470 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 03 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-93-708-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-62734-4 
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