2005/659/EC: Commission Decision of 15 September 2005 concerning a financial contribution by the Community in the context of the vaccination campaigns against bluetongue in France in 2004 and 2005 (notified under document number C(2005) 3445)
Date: 2005-09-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, France, sheep, vaccination

L 244/24

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Official Journal of the European Union

20.9.2005

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 15 September 2005

concerning a financial contribution by the Community in the context of the vaccination campaigns
against bluetongue in France in 2004 and 2005

(notified under document number C(2005) 3445)

(Only the French text is authentic)

(2005/659/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Directive 2000/75/EC of 20
November 2000 laying down specific provisions
the
control and eradication of bluetongue (1), and in particular
Article 9(2) thereof,

for

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June
1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (2), and in particular
Article 3(3), (4) and (5), second indent, thereof,

Whereas:

Outbreaks of bluetongue have occurred in France, and
more particularly in Corsica, since the year 2000.

On 13 September 2004 France declared new outbreaks
of bluetongue in Corsica. The presence of serotypes 2, 4
and 16 was confirmed.

Outbreaks of bluetongue represent a serious risk to the
Community’s livestock population.

(7)

Various decisions, notably the
latest one, Decision
2005/393/EC of 23 May 2005 on protection and
and
surveillance
through
conditions applying to movements from or

in relation to bluetongue

zones

(1) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 74.
(2) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. Decision as last amended by Directive
2003/99/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
(OJ
L 325, 12.12.2003, p. 31).

(5)

(6)

these zones (3), have been adopted by the Commission in
order to demarcate the protection and surveillance zones
and to set out the conditions governing movements of
animals from these zones.

a disease

is
transmitted exclusively by
Bluetongue
‘mosquitoes’,
therefore the only measures which are
apposite, of all those provided for in Article 3(2) of
aimed
Decision 90/424/EEC,
at
those
are
from the vectors
protecting animals against attacks
(treatment with insecticides,
animals
indoors at the times when the vectors are active) or at
preventing
through
of
movements of animals (Decision 2005/393/EC). The
slaughter of animals of susceptible species is not an
apposite measure except in the case of animals clinically
affected with bluetongue.

confining the

epidemic

spread

either

the

the

The virus continues to circulate and the protection
provided by the vaccine lasts
for only one year,
vaccination against bluetongue must be
therefore
repeated each year in order to block the progression of
the epidemic. Due to the evolution of the disease, it is
therefore advisable to implement a vaccination campaign
in the protection zones established around outbreaks of
bluetongue.

Vaccination is a measure which, employed in combi-
nation with the measures already adopted, makes it
possible to:

(a) reduce mortality in sheep;

(b) prevent viraemia in cattle and thus enable cattle to be

moved from restricted zones.

(3) OJ L 130, 24.5.2005, p. 22. Decision as last amended by Decision

2005/603/EC (OJ L 206, 9.8.2005, p. 11).

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 244/25

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

(12)

(13)

(14)

France has presented a vaccination plan which involves
the use of the new inactivated vaccine (serotype 2) now
available.

On 23 November 2004 France submitted a claim for
reimbursement of the expenditure incurred in connection
with the vaccination campaign. According to the infor-
mation available, approximately 300 000 doses of inac-
tivated vaccine (serotype 2) were purchased.

The financial contribution from the Community must be
100 % of the cost of supply of the vaccine and 50 % of
the costs
the vaccination.
Pending checks by the Commission, it is now necessary
to set the amount for payment of the first instalment of
the Community financial assistance.

incurred in carrying out

In accordance with Article 3(2) of Council Regulation
(EC) No 1258/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the financing
the common agricultural policy (1), veterinary and
of
plant health measures undertaken in accordance with
‘Guarantee’
Community rules
financed by the
the European Agricultural Guidance and
section of
Guarantee Fund. The auditing of these measures comes
under Articles 8 and 9 of the said Regulation.

are

The payment of
the financial contribution from the
Community must be subject to the condition that the
actions planned have actually been carried out and that
the authorities
the necessary information
within the time limits laid down.

supply all

The French authorities have fulfilled all their technical
and administrative obligations with regard to the
measures provided for
in Article 3 of Decision
90/424/EEC.

The measures provided for
accordance with
Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

in this Decision are in
Standing
the

opinion

the

of

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 2

Granting of a financial contribution from the Community
to France

For the purposes of combating bluetongue in 2004 and during
the first half of 2005, France is entitled, for the campaign of
vaccination against bluetongue in Corsica, to a financial contri-
bution from the Community amounting to:

— 100 % of

in
incurred (not
purchasing 300 000 doses of inactivated serotype 2 vaccine,

including VAT)

the costs

— 50 % of the costs of salaries and fees paid to personnel
the vaccinations, and
specifically employed to carry out
50 % of the cost (not including VAT) of the expenditure
directly associated with the vaccinations (consumables and
small items of equipment).

Article 3

Definition

The following definition applies to this Decision:

‘reasonable payments’ means payments for the purchase of
materials or services at proportionate prices compared to the
market prices before the vaccination campaign.

Article 4

Payment arrangements

Subject to the results of the inspections referred to in
1.
Article 7, an initial instalment of EUR 150 000 shall be paid,
as part of the Community financial contribution mentioned in
Article 2, on the basis of supporting documents submitted by
France relating to the vaccination of animals.

The balance of

2.
the Community financial contribution
mentioned in Article 2 shall be fixed in a subsequent decision
to be adopted in accordance with the procedure established in
Article 41 of Decision 90/424/EEC.

Article 1

Approval of the vaccination campaign

The bluetongue vaccination campaign implemented by France
in Corsica,
to Decision
in the zones
2005/393/EC, is approved.

listed in Annex I

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103.

Article 5

The eligible expenditure covered by the financial contri-
bution from the Community

The financial contribution from the Community as referred to
in Article 2 shall only be made in respect of
justified and
reasonable payments relating to the authorised expenditure
mentioned in Article 2.

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Official Journal of the European Union

20.9.2005

Article 6

Payment conditions and supporting documents

The

1.
referred to in Article 2 shall be paid on the basis of:

contribution from the Community as

financial

(a) an application submitted,

in accordance with the Annex,

within the time limit laid down in paragraph 2;

(b) the supporting documents referred to in Article 2, including
an epidemiological report on each holding where animals
have been vaccinated;

Annexes, within 60 calendar days of the date of notification of
this Decision. If this time limit is not observed, the financial
contribution from the Community shall be reduced by 25 % for
every month of delay.

Article 7

Commission in situ inspections

The Commission, in collaboration with the competent French
authorities, may conduct
in situ inspections relating to the
implementation of the measures referred to in Article 1 and
the associated costs.

Article 8

Recipients

(c)

the results of any in situ inspections carried out by the
Commission, as referred to in Article 7.

This Decision is addressed to the French Republic.

The documents referred to at (b) shall be made available for on-
the-spot audits by the Commission.

Done at Brussels, 15 September 2005.

2.
submitted in computerised form,

The application referred to in paragraph 1(a) must be
in accordance with the

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission

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Official Journal of the European Union

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ANNEX

Application for a contribution towards the eligible costs associated with the bluetongue vaccination campaign

Category of vaccines

Number of doses

Amount (not including VAT)

Costs incurred

Salaries and fees (personnel specifically recruited)

Consumables and vaccination-specific equipment

Total