2004/417/EC:Commission Decision of 29 April 2004 concerning the financial contribution by the Community towards the OIE Conference on rabies in Europe and Central Asia in 2004
Date: 2004-04-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Central Asia, World Organisation for Animal Health, co-financing, conference proceedings, rabies, the EU's international role

30.4.2004 

EN 

Official Journal of the European Union 

L 151/81

COMMISSION DECISION 

of 29 April 2004 

concerning the financial contribution by the Community towards the OIE Conference on 
rabies in Europe and Central Asia in 2004 

(notified under document number C(2004) 1619) 

(2004/417/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 
field1, and in particular Article 20 thereof, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

1  

Under Decision 90/424/EEC the Community is to undertake or assist the Member States 
in  undertaking  the  technical  and  scientific  measures  necessary  for  the  development  of 
Community  veterinary  legislation  and  for  the  development  of  veterinary  education  or 
training. 

The  Office  International  des  Epizooties  (OIE)  with  the  two  European  OIE  reference 
laboratories  FCRV-Wusterhausen  and  AFSSA-Nancy  have  taken  the 
initiative  of 
organising a large scale Conference on rabies in Europe and Central Asia. This Conference 
is to focus on new scientific developments in the field of rabies diagnostic, epidemiology 
and vaccine and practical aspects of the control of the disease. 

The  Community  has  for  almost  ten  years  made  financial  contributions  towards 
programmes  for  the  eradication  of  rabies  in  infected  Member  States  under  Decision 
90/424/EEC.  As  a  result  of  that  measure  the  disease  has  been  almost  eradicated 
throughout the territory of the Community. Nevertheless programmes are still maintained 
in regions bordering certain Acceding States and third countries. 

It  was  decided  in  2003  to  co-finance,  within  the  PHARE  programme,  rabies  control 
programmes  in  Estonia,  Hungary,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Poland  and  Slovenia.  Those 
campaigns are to start in 2004 and will continue until 2006. 

OJ  L  224,  18.8.1990,  p.  19.  Decision  as  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  806/2003  (OJ  L  122, 
16.5.2003, p. 1). 

 
 
 
                                                 
L 151/82 

EN 

Official Journal of the European Union 

30.4.2004 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

(11) 

Programmes  for  the  eradication  of  rabies  in  the  Czech  Republic  and  in  Slovakia  for  the 
year 2004 have been approved and granted financial contributions from the Community 
under Commission Decision 2003/849/EC2. 

Any  action  which  could  facilitate  policy  decisions  in  favour  of  a  promotion  of  rabies 
control in countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia should be encouraged. 

A  Conference  on  rabies  control  which  could  result  in  improvements  in  the  strategies  in 
force and in better information for competent authorities in Eastern Europe and Central 
Asia should make a useful contribution and the Community should consequently support 
the organisation of that conference. 

The publication and dissemination by the Community of technical and scientific materials 
related to the OIE conference on rabies in Europe and Central Asia in December 2004 will 
contribute to the further development of Community veterinary legislation and veterinary 
education or training. 

The financial resources necessary for the Community contribution to the OIE Conference 
on rabies in December 2004 should therefore be engaged. 

This  financial  contribution  from  the  Community  should  be  granted  subject  to  the 
conference actually being carried out as planned. 

The  measures  provided  for  in  this  Decision  are  in  accordance  with  the  opinion  of  the 
Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health. 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

  Sole Article 

The  action  to  publish  and  disseminate  the  technical  and  scientific  materials  related  to  the  OIE 
conference on rabies in Europe and Central Asia in December 2004, to be financed from budget 
line 17.04.02 of the budget of the European Union for 2004 to a maximum amount of EUR 50 
000 is hereby approved. 

Done at Brussels, 29 April 2004 

For the Commission 
David BYRNE 
Member of the Commission 

_________ 

2 

OJ L 322, 9.12.2003, 16.