2009/125/EC: Commission Decision of 12 February 2009 concerning a financial contribution by the Community towards controlling sheep and goat plague in Morocco
Date: 2009-02-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, animal plague, calf, cattle, epidemiology, vaccination

L 42/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

13.2.2009

COMMISSION DECISION

of 12 February 2009

concerning a financial contribution by the Community towards controlling sheep and goat plague in
Morocco

(2009/125/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 8 thereof,

Whereas:

Pursuant to Decision 90/424/EEC, the Community may
give its support to control measures against a disease by
a third country, if the occurrence or the development of
such a disease in the third country concerned may
constitute a danger to the Community.

Sheep and goat plague (known also by the French name
Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR)) is a highly infectious
and contagious disease of small ruminants very similar to
Cattle Plague (Rinderpest). In the last decade this disease
has shown a very clear tendency to spread, both in Africa
and Asia.

Morocco has informed the Commission that sheep and
goat plague has been detected on its territory and has
spread in a very short time extensively. The strain of the
virus detected recently in Morocco is of a type that was
not found hitherto in Africa.

Sheep and goat plague can be controlled through vacci­
nation, and a vaccine is available that will protect against
all serotypes and which gives a long lasting protection
against the disease.

disease in the Community would have very serious
consequences and therefore needs to be averted. For
this reason it is appropriate to support Morocco in its
efforts to control the disease, to prevent it becoming
endemic
vaccines
country,
in this
the vaccination campaign
available to Morocco for
against Sheep and goat plague. The maximum amount
of that contribution should be specified.

and to make

Because of the urgency of the situation, the measures
provided for
in this Decision should preferably be
completed by 31 May 2009 at the latest.

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

in this Decision are in
Standing
the

opinion

the

of

(7)

(8)

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Commission shall provide to the Moroccan au­
for use in
that

1.
thorities vaccines against sheep and goat plague,
the ongoing vaccination campaign in Morocco against
disease.

The measures mentioned in paragraph 1 shall be carried
2.
out by the Commission in cooperation with the authorities in
Morocco. The vaccines to be provided to the Moroccan au­
thorities shall be used for the vaccination strategy against
sheep and goat plague to be undertaken in 2009 in Morocco.

The authorities in Morocco have prepared a vaccination
strategy. They have sent the strategy to the Commission
and have asked for Community financial support.

The Commission shall bear the full cost of the measures
1.
referred to in Article 1(1) which shall not exceed a maximum
amount of EUR 1 500 000.

Article 2

The spread to the Community of sheep and goat plague
cannot always be prevented by the measures put in place
at the Community borders, while an outbreak of such a

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19.

2.
The Commission shall conclude a procurement contract
(supply contract) on the measures provided for in paragraph 1
via the appropriate call for tender procedure, for which the
procedure shall be launched by 31 May 2009.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

13.2.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 42/21

The Director-General of

3.
authorised to sign the contract provided for in paragraph 2 on behalf of the Commission.

the Directorate-General

for Health and Consumer Protection is hereby

The financial contributions provided for in Articles 1 and 2 shall be financed through the budget line
17 04 02 01 of the budget of the European Communities for 2009.

Article 3

Done at Brussels, 12 February 2009.

For the Commission

Androulla VASSILIOU
Member of the Commission