Commission Decision of 22 December 2006 concerning a financial contribution by the Community for the implementation of an epidemiological survey and bluetongue surveillance measures in the context of the emergency measures taken to combat this disease in Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in 2006 and 2007 (notified under document number C(2006) 6968)
Date: 2006-12-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, animal disease, disease prevention, epidemiology, financial aid, sheep

12.1.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 7/41

COMMISSION DECISION

of 22 December 2006

concerning a
an
epidemiological survey and bluetongue surveillance measures in the context of the emergency
this disease in Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the
measures taken to combat

contribution by the Community for

implementation of

financial

the

Netherlands in 2006 and 2007

(notified under document number C(2006) 6968)

(Only the Dutch, French and German text is authentic)

(2007/20/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June
1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1), and in particular
Article 3(2a) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

In the third and fourth weeks of August 2006, outbreaks
of bluetongue appeared in the Netherlands, Belgium,
Germany and France,
in areas where outbreaks have
not been noted before. The emergence of this disease
risk to the Community's
may represent a serious
livestock population.

from these

The Commission has adopted various decisions in order
to demarcate the protection and surveillance zones and
to set down the conditions governing movements of
animals
amending Decision
zones
2005/393/EC (2) on protection and surveillance zones
in relation to bluetongue and conditions applying to
movements from or through these zones. That decision
has been amended by for the last time by Commission
Decision 2006/761/EC (3) to take account of the recent
outbreaks referred to in recital (1).

In order to prevent the spread of the disease as rapidly as
possible, the Community should contribute financially to
the eligible expenditure incurred by the Netherlands
Belgium, Germany and France in the context of
the
emergency measures,
in Decision
90/424/EEC.

as provided for

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. Decision as last amended by Decision

2006/53/EC (OJ L 29, 2.2.2006, p. 37).

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

2006/761/EC (OJ L 311, 10.11.2006, p. 51).

(3) OJ L 311, 10.11.2006, p. 51.

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

is

appropriate

to urgently establish harmonised
It
surveillance activities for bluetongue in the Netherlands
Belgium, Germany and France.

and

enhanced

emergency

Harmonised
surveillance
measures were put in place in close collaboration by
Belgium, Germany,
the
the epidemic by carrying out
Netherlands to control
epidemiological
surveillance
measures,
including laboratory tests for serological and
virological surveillance and entomological surveillance.

Luxembourg

surveys

France,

disease

and

and

The authorities of the affected Member States (Belgium,
Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) have
provided evidence of strengthened cooperation to avoid
the spread of the disease by carrying out bluetongue
surveillance measures.

Under Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 of 21
June 2005 on the financing of the common agricultural
policy (4), veterinary emergency measures undertaken in
accordance with Community rules are to be financed
under the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund. For
financial control purposes, Articles 9, 36 and 37 of
that Regulation are to apply.

The payment of
the financial contribution from the
Community should 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

In the first week of November 2006, Belgium, Germany,
France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands submitted an
initial estimation of the costs to be incurred for the
implementation of an epidemiological survey and blue-
tongue surveillance measures in the context of the other
emergency measures taken to combat the disease. This
estimation of
surveillance measures
amounts to EUR 12 533 634.

epidemiological

(4) OJ L 209, 11.8.2005, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regu-

lation (EC) No 320/2006 (OJ L 58, 28.2.2006, p. 42).

L 7/42

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

12.1.2007

(10)

(11)

(12)

by

out

carried

the first

on-the-spot

instalment of

the
checks
Pending
Commission, it is now necessary to fix the amount for
payment of
the Community
financial contribution. That first instalment should be
equal to 50 % of the Community contribution, estab-
lished on the basis of the estimated eligible expenditure
of the epidemiological surveillance measures. It is also
appropriate to fix the maximum amounts to be reim-
bursed for
the costs of certain tests used in the
framework of these measures.

of

authorities

Belgium, Germany,

The
France,
Luxembourg and the Netherlands 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

(b) EUR 2 200 000 to Germany;

(c) EUR 100 000 to France;

(d) EUR 25 000 to Luxembourg;

(e) EUR 165 000 to the Netherlands.

submitted

That payment shall be made on the basis of supporting
documents
France,
Luxembourg and the Netherlands relating to the laboratory
tests for serological, virological and entomological surveillance
and for the purchase of traps, referred in Article 1(1).

Belgium, Germany,

by

Article 3

Payment conditions and supporting documents

The

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

contribution from the Community as

financial

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Granting of a financial contribution from the Community
to Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the
Netherlands

In the context of

1.
the emergency measures taken to
combat bluetongue in 2006 and 2007, Belgium, Germany,
France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands shall be entitled to a
financial contribution from the Community amounting to 50 %
of the expenditure incurred for the costs of the laboratory tests
for serological and virological surveillance and for the costs of
entomological surveillance, including the purchase of traps.

2.
The maximum amounts of the costs to be reimbursed to
Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands for
surveillance referred to in
an ELISA test
paragraph 1 shall not exceed EUR 2,5 per test carried out.

serological

for

(a)

forwarding an intermediate technical report on the technical
execution of the surveillance measures including the results
attained during the period from 15 August 2006 to 31
March 2007;

(b) forwarding an intermediate financial report, in computerised
form in accordance with the Annex, on the costs paid by
the Member State during the period from 15 August 2006
to 31 March 2007;

(c)

technical

final
the

technical
forwarding a
execution of
including the
results attained during the period from 15 August 2006
to 31 December 2007;

surveillance measures

report on the

(d) forwarding a final financial report, in computerised form in
accordance with the Annex, on the costs paid by the
Member State during the period from 15 August 2006 to
31 December 2007;

(e)

the results of any on-the-spot checks carried out
accordance with Article 9(1) of Decision 90/424/EEC.

in

The financial contribution from the Community shall

3.
exclude value added tax.

The documents referred in points (a)
to (d) shall be made
available for on-the-spot checks referred in point (e) carried
out by the Commission.

Article 2

Payment arrangements

Subject to the results of any on-the-spot checks carried out in
accordance with Article 9(1) of Decision 90/424/EEC, a first
tranche payment as part of the Community financial contri-
bution provided for Article 1 shall be paid as follows:

(a) EUR 300 000 to Belgium;

2.
The intermediate technical report and the intermediate
financial report referred to in paragraph 1 (a) and (b) shall be
submitted by 31 May 2007 at the latest. If that time limit is not
observed, the financial contribution from the Community shall
be reduced by 25 % for every calendar month of delay.

3.
The final technical report and the final financial report
referred to in paragraph 1 (c) and (d) must be submitted by
31 May 2008 at the latest. If that time limit is not observed, the
financial contribution from the Community shall be reduced by
25 % for every calendar month of delay.

12.1.2007

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 7/43

Article 4

Addressees

This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, the French
Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Done at Brussels, 22 December 2006.

For the Commission

Markos KYPRIANOU
Member of the Commission

ANNEX

Data referred to in Article 3(1)(b) and (d)

Costs incurred

Number

Amount (not including VAT)

Total

Nature of action

ELISA Tests

PCR Tests

Other virological tests

Entomological tests

Traps