2008/655/EC: Commission Decision of 24 July 2008 approving the emergency vaccination plans against bluetongue of certain Member States and fixing the level of the Community’s financial contribution for 2007 and 2008 (notified under document number C(2008) 3757)
Date: 2008-07-24
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, EU aid, EU financing, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, animal disease, financial aid, sheep, vaccination

L 214/66

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

9.8.2008

COMMISSION DECISION

of 24 July 2008

approving the emergency vaccination plans against bluetongue of certain Member States and fixing
the level of the Community’s financial contribution for 2007 and 2008
(notified under document number C(2008) 3757)

(Only the Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish texts are authentic)

(2008/655/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

and surveillance zones, and set out
governing movements of animals from these zones.

the conditions

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

to

regard

Council Directive

Having
of
20 November 2000 laying down specific provisions for the
control and eradication of bluetongue (1), and in particular
Article 9(2) thereof,

2000/75/EC

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 the second indent of (5) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

In 2007 outbreaks of bluetongue have occurred in
several Member States, and more particularly bluetongue
serotype 8 in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark,
Germany, Spain, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands
and bluetongue
serotype 1 in France, Spain and
Portugal. In 2008 outbreaks of bluetongue serotype 8
occurred for the first time in Italy.

Bluetongue is a vector-borne disease, for which slaughter
of animals of susceptible species is not in general an
in the case of animals
appropriate measure except
clinically affected with bluetongue. The emergence of
this disease may represent
risk to the
Community’s livestock population.

serious

a

(EC) No

1266/2007

Commission Regulation
of
26 October 2007 on implementing rules for Council
Directive 2000/75/EC as regards the control, monitoring,
surveillance and restrictions on movements of certain
animals of
in relation to blue­
tongue (3) was adopted by the Commission in order to
demarcate the restricted zones, including the protection

susceptible species

(1) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 74. Directive as last amended by
Commission Decision 2007/729/EC (OJ L 294, 13.11.2007, p. 26).
(2) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. Decision as last amended by Decision

2006/965/EC (OJ L 397, 30.12.2006, p. 22).

(3) OJ L 283, 27.10.2007, p. 37. Regulation as last amended by Regu­

lation (EC) No 708/2008 (OJ L 197, 25.7.2008, p. 18).

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

reducing

Vaccination is the most efficient veterinary measure that
may be used to fight bluetongue, and a mass emergency
vaccination campaign is the best option to achieve the
objectives of
and losses,
containing the spread of the disease, protecting free terri­
tories in the Member States and facilitating safe trade in
live animals. The vaccination of animals against blue­
tongue
should
therefore be approved in accordance with Article 9(2)
of Directive 2000/75/EC.

in the Member

clinical disease

concerned

States

Vaccination against a particular bluetongue serotype has
to be considered an emergency measure when it is im­
plemented for the first
time in a territory after the
incursion of a new serotype. However, subsequent vacci­
nation campaigns against the same serotype in the same
territories
considered as
emergency measures but should be considered in the
context of eradication programmes.

anymore

are not

to be

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 Member States
the emergency measures
concerned in the context of
in
as provided for
taken to combat
Decision 90/424/EEC. Since the Community is not in a
position to supply the vaccines,
the
vaccine doses should be considered eligible expenditure.

the purchase of

the disease,

concerned have

informed the
The Member States
Commission and the other Member States of
the
measures applied in accordance with the Community
legislation to combat the recent outbreaks of bluetongue.
Those Member States have presented their plans for
emergency
approximate
number of vaccine doses to be used in 2007 and
2008 and the estimated costs of carrying out those vacci­
nations. The Commission has assessed these plans from
both the veterinary and the financial point of view and
the plans were
found to comply with relevant
Community veterinary legislation.

vaccination

indicating

the

9.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 214/67

(8)

(9)

the costs incurred in carrying out

Article 3(5) of Decision 90/424/EEC provides that the
financial contribution from the Community must be
100 % of the cost of supply of the vaccine and 50 %
of
the vaccination
However, given the need to avoid excessive expenditure
for the Community budget, maximum amounts must be
established which reflect the reasonable payment for cost
of supply of the vaccine and costs incurred in carrying
out the vaccination. A reasonable payment is a payment
for a material or a service at a proportionate price
compared to the market price. Pending the results of
any on-the-spot checks carried out by the Commission,
it is now necessary to approve specific financial contri­
bution from the Community to the Member States
concerned and fix the amount for payment of the first
instalment of the Community financial contribution.

for

request

the official

The Community financial contribution is to be paid on
the basis of
reimbursement
submitted by Member States and supporting documents
referred to in Article 7 of Commission Regulation (EC)
No 349/2005 of 28 February 2005 laying down rules on
the Community financing of emergency measures and of
the campaign to combat certain animal diseases under
Council Decision 90/424/EEC (1).

(10) Under Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 of
21 June 2005 on the financing of the common agri­
cultural policy (2), programmes for 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.

(11)

(12)

(13)

The financial contribution from the Community should
be subject to the condition that the actions planned are
efficiently carried out and that the competent authorities
supply all
the necessary information within the time
limits laid down in this Decision.

For reasons of administrative efficiency, all expenditure
submitted for a financial contribution by the Community
should be expressed in euros. In accordance with Regu­
lation (EC) No 1290/2005,
the conversion rate for
expenditure in a currency other than the euro should
be the most recent exchange rate set by the European
Central Bank prior to the first day of the month in which
the application is
submitted by the Member State
concerned.

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 1

Approval of the emergency vaccination plans

technical and financial
The vaccination plans, composed of
provisions,
the Czech Republic,
submitted by Belgium,
Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Ne­
therlands and Portugal are hereby approved for the period from
1 November 2007 to 31 December 2008.

That vaccination of animals against bluetongue shall be carried
out in accordance with Directive 2000/75/EC.

Article 2

Granting of a specific financial contribution from the
Community

In the context of

the emergency measures taken to
1.
combat bluetongue in 2007 and 2008 Belgium,
the Czech
Republic, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg,
the Netherlands and Portugal shall be entitled to a specific
the bluetongue
contribution from the Community
emergency
to in Article 1
amounting to:

vaccination plans

referred

for

(a) 100 % of the cost (not including VAT) of supply of the

vaccine;

(b) 50 % of the costs of salaries and fees paid to personnel
carrying out the vaccinations, and 50 % of the cost (not
including VAT) of the expenditure directly associated with
the
and specific
equipment).

consumables

vaccinations

(including

2.
The maximum amounts to be reimbursed to the Member
States concerned for the costs referred to in paragraph 1 shall
not exceed:

(a)

for the purchase of inactivated vaccine, EUR 0,6 per dose;

(b) for the vaccination of bovine animals, EUR 2 per bovine
animal vaccinated regardless the number and types of
vaccine doses used;

(c)

for the vaccination of ovine or caprine animals, EUR 0,75
per ovine or caprine vaccinated regardless the number and
types of vaccine doses used.

Article 3

Payment arrangements

1.
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 shall be paid as follows:

(1) OJ L 55, 1.3.2005, p. 12.
(2) OJ L 209, 11.8.2005, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regu­

lation (EC) No 479/2008 (OJ L 148, 6.6.2008, p. 1).

(a) up to EUR 4 500 000 for Belgium;

(b) up to EUR 1 250 000 for the Czech Republic;

L 214/68

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

9.8.2008

(c) up to EUR 800 000 for Denmark;

(d) up to EUR 17 000 000 for Germany;

(e) up to EUR 8 000 000 for Spain;

(f) up to EUR 27 000 000 for France;

(g) up to EUR 3 500 000 for Italy;

(h) up to EUR 200 000 for Luxembourg;

(i) up to EUR 3 500 000 for the Netherlands;

(j) up to EUR 1 700 000 for Portugal;

as part of
Community provided for in Article 2.

financial

specific

the

contribution from the

That payment shall be made on the basis of an official request
for reimbursement and supporting documents submitted by
Belgium,
the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Spain,
France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal.

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 4

Payment conditions and supporting documents

The specific financial contribution from the Community

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

(a) an intermediate technical report on the technical execution
of the surveillance measures, including the results attained
during the period from 1 November 2007 to 31 August
2008;

(b) an intermediate financial report,

in computerised form in
accordance with the Annex, on the costs paid by the
Member State during the period from 1 November 2007
to 31 August 2008;

(c) a final technical report on the technical execution of the
surveillance measures, including the results attained during
the period from 1 November 2007 to 31 December 2008;

(d) a final financial report, in computerised form in accordance
with the Annex, on the costs paid by the Member State
during
to
period
the
31 December 2008;

from 1 November

2007

(e)

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

in

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

2.
The intermediate technical report and the intermediate
financial report referred to in paragraph 1(a) and (b) shall be
submitted by 31 October 2008 at the latest. If that time limit is
not observed,
the specific 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) shall be submitted by
is not
31 March 2009 at
observed,
from the
financial
Community shall be reduced by 25 % for every calendar
month of delay.

that
contribution

time limit

the latest.

specific

the

If

Article 5

Addressees

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

the Kingdom of Denmark,
the Kingdom of Spain,

Done at Brussels, 24 July 2008.

For the Commission

Androulla VASSILIOU
Member of the Commission

9.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 214/69

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