WRITTEN QUESTION E-1498/03

by Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(5 May 2003)

Subject: 2003 financial package to tackle BSE and other animal diseases

What amount of financial aid was available to the UK Government under the 2003 EU financial package to tackle BSE and other animal diseases; further, which of the Member States applied for such assistance and what amounts have been awarded to each; and finally can the UK Government still make a claim for payment to be made?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(10 June 2003)

The budget available for the 2003 transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) Monitoring Programme was EUR 94,5 million. Of this, it is estimated that around EUR 4,2 million would have been available initially for the United Kingdom's eligible costs if their programme had been submitted on time, with a possible reallocation of the budget from the underspending Member States to the overspending Member States before the end of the year, as was done for the 2002 TSE Monitoring Programmes.

The other 14 Member States all submitted a programme for TSE Monitoring 2003.

The global amount committed for the 14 Member States was EUR 94 327 000, with the maximum amount for the eligible costs of each individual Member State set out in Commission Decision 2002/934/EC of 28 November 2002(1) as follows:

- Belgium: EUR 4 719 000;

- Denmark: EUR 2 977 000;

- Germany: EUR 20 723 000;

- Greece: EUR 975 000;

- Spain: EUR 5 984 000;

- France: EUR 30 554 000;

- Ireland: EUR 9 577 000;

- Italy: EUR 6 952 000;

- Luxembourg: EUR 198 000;

- The Netherlands: EUR 6 312 000;

- Austria: EUR 2 455 000;

- Portugal: EUR 1 059 000;

- Finland: EUR 1 402 000;

- Sweden: EUR 440 000.

The budget available for the 2003 Eradication Programme was EUR 41 million. Of this, at least EUR 765 000 (EUR 700 000 for Brucellosis and EUR 65 000 for Tuberculosis the same as for the year 2002) would have been available initially for the United Kingdom's eligible costs had they submitted their programmes on time, with a possible reallocation between the Member States before the end of the year, as was done for the 2002 Eradication Programmes.

The other 14 Member States submitted Eradication Programmes for 2003.

The global amount committed for the various programmes approved for the 14 Member States was EUR 37 850 000, with the maximum amount for the eligible costs of each individual Member State set in Commission Decision 2002/943/EC as follows:

- Belgium: EUR 650 000;

- Denmark: EUR 150 000;

- Germany: EUR 2 090 000;

- Greece: EUR 1 170 000;

- Spain: EUR 14 200 000;

- France: EUR 2 555 000;

- Ireland: EUR 6 855 000;

- Italy: EUR 4 925 000;

- Luxembourg: EUR 150 000;

- The Netherlands: EUR 900 000;

- Austria: EUR 215 000;

- Portugal: EUR 3 95;

- Finland: EUR 35 000;

- Sweden: EUR 5 000.

The United Kingdom Government cannot make a financial claim for its 2003 Eradication Programmes and TSE Monitoring Programmes. The United Kingdom's programmes were not approved for co-financing due to the fact that they were submitted after the 1 June deadline given in Article 24(3) of Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field(2). Therefore, any payment application submitted by the United Kingdom for 2003 eradication or monitoring programmes will not result in a financial contribution on the part of the Commission. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) was informed of this in a letter dated 11 November 2002.

(1) OJ L 324, 29.11.2002.

(2) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.