1999/606/EC: Commission Decision of 27 August 1999 concerning a special Community financial contribution towards the eradication of bluetongue in Bulgaria by means of vaccination in the infected regions (notified under document number C(1999) 2835)
Date: 1999-08-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Bulgaria, EU financing, animal disease, sheep, vaccination, veterinary legislation

L 237/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 9. 1999

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 27 August 1999

concerning a special Community financial contribution towards the eradication of bluetongue in
Bulgaria by means of vaccination in the infected regions

(notified under document number C(1999) 2835)

(1999/606/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 8 thereof,

(6) Whereas Bulgaria has

requested help from the
Community with the acquisition of 100 000 doses of
vaccines;

(7) Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are
in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veter-
inary Committee,

in the

(1) Whereas outbreaks of bluetongue have occurred in
Bulgaria
and
Hasskovo; whereas protective measures were adopted by
Commission Decision 1999/542/EC (3) with regard to
imports of certain animals from Bulgaria due to an
outbreak of bluetongue;

regions of Bourgas,

Jambol

(2) Whereas the epidemic has continued to spread since the
first outbreaks and the available epidemiological data do
not give any reason to hope for a change in this situa-
tion;

(3) Whereas the spread of this disease in this part of Eastern
Europe represents a threat to the Community and must
be stopped;

(4) Whereas vaccination is the only means of combating the
the epidemic; whereas it also helps limit

spread of
mortality in flocks in the affected areas;

(5) Whereas, therefore, Bulgaria's efforts to eradicate the
disease should be supported in accordance with Article
8 of Decision 90/424/EEC;

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19.
(2) OJ L 168, 2.7.1994, p. 31.
(3) OJ L 207, 6.8.1999, p. 33.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Bulgaria may obtain a financial
contribution from the
Community for the acquisition of 100 000 doses of blue-
tongue vaccine for an emergency vaccination campaign in the
provinces of Bourgas, Jambol and Hasskovo.

Article 2

The financial contribution referred to in Article 1 shall be
granted on condition that the Bulgarian authorities undertake
to implement the following measures in the provinces referred
to in Article 1:

— legal provisions making vaccination compulsory within the
infected zone and surrounding areas. The extent of the
vaccination zone shall be determined on the basis of
geographic and environmental data,

— registration of owners of herds or flocks of sensitive species

(animals of bovine, ovine and caprine species),

— marking of vaccinated animals (ovine animals) so as to

allow easy identification subsequently,

— an information campaign aimed at stock keepers and veter-

inarians.

8. 9. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 237/9

The Community financial contribution shall be 100 % of expenditure on the acquisition of the vaccine and
its transport to Bulgaria, up to maximum of EUR 10 000.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 4

Done at Brussels, 27 August 1999.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission