Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 90/424/EEC on expenditure in the veterinary field COM(2006) 273 final — 2006/0098 (CNS)
Date: 2006-10-26
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: EU financing, animal disease, decontamination, disease prevention, protection of animals, veterinary inspection

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Proposal for a Council Decision
amending Decision 90/424/EEC on expenditure in the veterinary field

COM(2006) 273 final — 2006/0098 (CNS)

(2006/C 324/09)

On 22 June 2006, the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under
Article 37 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the abovementioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing
the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 8 September 2006 The rapporteur was
Mr Leif E. Nielsen.

In view of the renewal of the Committee's term of office, the Plenary Assembly has decided to vote on this
opinion at its October plenary session and has adopted Mr Nielsen as rapporteur-general under Rule 20 of
the Rules of Procedure.

At its 430th plenary session, held on 26 October 2006, the European Economic and Social Committee
adopted the following opinion unanimously:

1. Conclusions and recommendations

1.1
The EU co-financing mechanism for veterinary preven-
tion and control measures has developed gradually over time
and been adapted to reflect experience gained in the field to
date. However, this mechanism should now be subject to a
more fundamental rethink to take account of prospective devel-
opments, not least increased trade. The EESC will be monitoring
the way forward in this regard and wants to play a constructive
role in giving the process form and practical substance.

1.2
The EESC endorses the Commission's proposal, which,
for the time being, involves only limited changes and adapta-
tions. These tie in with the proposals set out in the preliminary
evaluation of overall policy in this area, and simplified adminis-
trative arrangements and scope for multi-annual planning are, at
any event, desirable objectives. The EESC likewise backs the
proposal to provide for financial assistance for the computerisa-
tion of trade and import procedures and integrated compu-
terised veterinary systems. The proposed list of diseases and
zoonoses, and the simplified procedure for modifying that list,
also appear expedient.

2. Background

2.1
The Commission has launched an evaluation of the EU's
overall animal health policy. This includes a cost-effectiveness
assessment of
that are
designed to cover the surveillance, control and eradication of
animal disease and zoonoses. Consideration is also being given
to the most effective ways of inducing producers to take the

the current

instruments

financial

requisite preventive measures. Based on the outcome of this
evaluation, alternatives to the current way in which Community
financial support is granted to the Member States might be
proposed (1). For the time being, the Commission has opted to
propose only a few, limited adjustments involving no change of
policy on the eradication, control and monitoring of animal
diseases and zoonoses. The proposal merely seeks to make
directly applicable and obviously necessary changes that have
been shown to be useful as part of the ongoing evaluation.

2.2
The Commission proposal simplifies the approval and
financing procedures for national programmes for the eradica-
tion, monitoring and control of animal diseases and zoonoses.
Under the proposal, programmes may be approved and financed
for up to six years at a time. Up to now, although the Member
States have been entitled to submit multi-annual programmes,
the Commission has been unable to approve the financing of
such programmes for more than one year at a time. There is
also a proposal to broaden the scope of the financial provisions
to improve information policy on animal health and food safety
in products of animal origin and the use of integrated compu-
terised veterinary systems (2).

Under the existing rules,

2.3
financial assistance may be
provided to cover expenditure incurred by the Member States
for the financing of national programmes for the eradication,
control and monitoring of 23 endemic animal diseases and 8
zoonoses or epizootics (3). The list may be added to or modified

(1) As a basis for this evaluation, a wide-ranging report has been drawn
up by outside experts (Evaluation of
the Community Animal Health
Policy (CAHP) 1995 — 2004 and alternatives for the future, 25 July
2006,
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/strategy/final_report_en.htm).
(2) Article 37a of Decision 90/424/EEC provides for Community financial
assistance for computerisation of veterinary import procedures. This
so-called Shift project and the corresponding computerised instrument
linking veterinary authorities (Animo) have been replaced by the inte-
grated system Traces, which has been mandatory for all Member States
since 1 January 2005.

(3) The contribution to national control measures and programmes
usually covers 50 % of expenditure, or 60 % for foot and mouth
disease.

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by the Council acting by a qualified majority on a proposal
from the Commission. With a view to securing sharper prioriti-
sation, the Commission is proposing a shorter list of diseases
eligible for co-financing. The Commission explains that the list
has been drawn up to a greater extent on the basis of the
impact of the diseases both on public health and on interna-
tional and intra-Community trade. It is also proposed to merge
the lists of diseases and of zoonoses and to subject them to the
same procedure for the granting of any financial contribu-
tion (4). As the Commission says, this is designed so as to make
better use of resources and to ensure that Member State priori-
ties tie in with those of the EU and are consistent with other
national programmes. It is also proposed that any future modifi-
cations to the list be adopted under a regulatory committee
procedure. The Commission feels that this is particularly rele-
vant in respect of emerging diseases that pose a risk for both
animal and public health.

designed to cover animal disease surveillance, control and eradi-
cation, and of the prevention measures required in herds. The
EESC wants to play an active part in framing the requisite co-
financing models in respect of national programmes, not least
to provide a more coherent and effective framework for food
safety policy ensuring a higher level of transparency.

In this connection, the EESC laments the opaqueness and
3.3
complexity of the existing rules and will thus, as part of the
upcoming revision, be calling for a more readily understandable
and cohesive system and a better classification of the co-finan-
cing rules. There is a need, therefore, to identify and facilitate
the use of the relevant legislation throughout the EU in the wide
field of animal health and food safety. This will also support the
activity of the Commission and the Member States in the inter-
national framework by improving the understanding and trans-
parency of EU legislation vis-à-vis the EU's trade partners and
neighbours. Information gathering and dissemination will also
help secure more effective implementation of the rules.

3. General comments

Community co-financing of measures

to eradicate,
3.1
control and monitor infectious animal diseases and zoonoses
has always attracted considerable interest, given the complex
nature and impact of the diseases involved and the substantial
costs that such activities incur. To control serious infectious
animal diseases, however, clear financial procedures need to be
in place and assurances must be given from the outset and in all
cases that full compensation will be paid in cases where, for
instance, animals have to be slaughtered or products destroyed.
Otherwise there is a risk that, at the start of any outbreak or
suspected outbreak of a serious infectious animal disease, the
action taken will be too ineffectual, thus making the impact
more far-reaching than need be the case. This applies in particu-
lar to the national policy-making process. Also, any outbreak of
a serious infectious animal disease often attracts a great deal of
public attention, provoking major consumer reaction even in
the absence of any direct and incontrovertible link to food
safety issues.

Greater market access and trade, longer transport times
3.2
livestock in various different ways
and the concentration of
increase the risk of diseases spreading and raise the economic
impact involved in prevention and control. For that reason too,
there is a need for an overall evaluation of Community animal
health policy, including a more detailed assessment of the cost-
that are
effectiveness of

the current

instruments

financial

4. Specific comments

4.1
The EESC feels that the proposal giving scope to approve
and finance national programmes for a number of years at a
time will clearly make for administrative simplification and help
ensure the more effective achievement of the programme objec-
tives. It will also help make for a better and more transparent
administration, thus securing better use of Community funds.

4.2
The collection and dissemination of current information
relating to animal health and food safety is needed for the better
development and implementation of legislation in this field. In
future, it will be particularly important to put in place more
transparent Community legislation and to communicate that
legislation to the
and consumers
concerned.

authorities, producers

4.3
The EESC thus backs the proposal that the EU make a
financial contribution to the establishment of an information
policy in the field of animal health, animal welfare and food
safety in products of animal origin including the installation and
development of
for instance, an
information tools, such as,
appropriate database for gathering and storing information
relating to Community legislation.

(4) The existing list covers the following production-related diseases: IBR/
IPV, enzootic bovine leukosis, Aujeszky's disease, salmonella pullorum,
salmonella gallinarum, Maedi/Visna and CAEV, Johne's disease (paratu-
berculosis), mycoplasma gallisepticum and certain diseases transmitted
by vector insects in the French overseas departments.

4.4
nical developments achieved in the computerisation of

Likewise, it is appropriate to take into account the tech-
the

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veterinary procedures and to provide for the resources needed
for the hosting, management and maintenance of the integrated
computerised veterinary systems.

to co-financing should,

The list of animal diseases and zoonoses that may give
4.5
it goes without saying,
entitlement
reflect the priorities set in line with the potential impact of such
diseases and zoonoses both on public health and on interna-
tional and intra-Community trade in animals and products of
animal origin. The EESC agrees that, as proposed, the focus
should be placed more on zoonoses and public health rather
than on more production-related animal diseases, and endorses
the proposal to merge the lists of diseases and of zoonoses and

to provide for the same procedure for the granting of any Com-
munity financial contribution.

4.6
Naturally, the technical and information requirements for
the eradication, control and monitoring programmes for which
Community financing is sought should be updated and adjusted
in a regular and timely fashion in order to match technical and
scientific progress and feedback from experience in the imple-
mentation of the programmes. It is therefore appropriate, in line
with the proposal, to enable the Commission to adopt those
technical criteria — and update them as necessary — using a
regulatory committee procedure.

Brussels, 26 October 2006.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Dimitris DIMITRIADIS