CELEX: 32012D0362
Language: en
Date: 2012-07-04 00:00:00
Title: 2012/362/EU: Commission Implementing Decision of 4 July 2012 concerning a financial contribution by the Union to certain Member States to support voluntary surveillance studies on honeybee colony losses (notified under document C(2012) 4396)

6.7.2012   
            
            
               EN
            
            
               Official Journal of the European Union
            
            
               L 176/65
            
         COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION
   of 4 July 2012
   concerning a financial contribution by the Union to certain Member States to support voluntary surveillance studies on honeybee colony losses
   (notified under document C(2012) 4396)
   (Only the Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Spanish and Swedish texts are authentic)
   (2012/362/EU)
   THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
   Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
   Having regard to Council Decision 2009/470/EC of 25 May 2009 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1), and in particular Article 23 thereof,
   Whereas:
   
               (1)
            
            
               The Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on honeybee health (2) gives an overview of the Commission’s actions already undertaken and ongoing as regards honeybee health in the EU. The main subject issue of the Communication is the increased mortality of bees observed worldwide.
            
         
               (2)
            
            
               In 2009 the EFSA project ‘Bee mortality and bee surveillance in Europe’ concluded that the surveillance systems in the EU are, in general, weak and that there is a lack of data at Member States level and a lack of comparable data at EU level.
            
         
               (3)
            
            
               In order to improve the availability of data on bee mortality it is appropriate to assist and support certain surveillance studies in Member States on honeybee losses.
            
         
               (4)
            
            
               Commission Implementing Decision 2011/881/EU of 21 December 2011 concerning the adoption of a financing decision to support voluntary surveillance studies on honeybee colony losses (3) set aside EUR 3 750 000 as contribution of the European Union for the implementation of the surveillance studies on honeybee colony losses.
            
         
               (5)
            
            
               The EU reference laboratory (EURL) for bee health presented the document ‘Basis for a pilot surveillance project on honey bee colony losses’ (available at http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/bees/bee_health_en.htm) providing guidance to Member States to elaborate their surveillance studies.
            
         
               (6)
            
            
               Member States were invited to send to the Commission their programmes for surveillance studies based on the technical document of the EURL for bee health. Twenty Member States have sent their proposals for the surveillance studies. These proposals have been technically and financially evaluated to assess their conformity with the technical document ‘Basis for a pilot surveillance project on honey bee colony losses’.
            
         
               (7)
            
            
               Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom have drawn up surveillance study programmes on honeybee colony losses in line with the technical document ‘Basis for a pilot surveillance project on honey bee colony losses’ and have requested EU financial support.
            
         
               (8)
            
            
               A financial contribution should be granted as from 1 April 2012 to the voluntary surveillance study programmes on honeybee colony losses implemented by Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
            
         
               (9)
            
            
               Under Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 of 21 June 2005 on the financing of the common agricultural policy (4), veterinary measures 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.
            
         
               (10)
            
            
               The payment of the financial contribution should be subject to the condition that the surveillance study programmes planned have actually been carried out and that the authorities supply all the necessary information to the Commission and to the EU reference laboratory for bee health.
            
         
               (11)
            
            
               The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
            
         HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
   Article 1
   1.   The Union shall grant Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom financial assistance for their surveillance study programmes on honeybee colony losses.
   2.   The financial contribution by the Union:
   
               (a)
            
            
               shall be at the rate of 70 % of the eligible costs to be incurred by each Member State referred to in paragraph 1 for the surveillance study programmes on honeybee colony losses and specified in Annex I for the period from 1 April 2012 to 30 June 2013;
            
         
               (b)
            
            
               shall not exceed the following:
               
                           1.
                        
                        
                           EUR 62 876 for Belgium;
                        
                     
                           2.
                        
                        
                           EUR 192 688 for Denmark;
                        
                     
                           3.
                        
                        
                           EUR 294 230 for Germany;
                        
                     
                           4.
                        
                        
                           EUR 66 637 for Estonia;
                        
                     
                           5.
                        
                        
                           EUR 109 931 for Greece;
                        
                     
                           6.
                        
                        
                           EUR 205 050 for Spain;
                        
                     
                           7.
                        
                        
                           EUR 529 615 for France;
                        
                     
                           8.
                        
                        
                           EUR 521 590 for Italy;
                        
                     
                           9.
                        
                        
                           EUR 147 375 for Latvia;
                        
                     
                           10.
                        
                        
                           EUR 92 123 for Lithuania;
                        
                     
                           11.
                        
                        
                           EUR 98 893 for Hungary;
                        
                     
                           12.
                        
                        
                           EUR 254 108 for Poland;
                        
                     
                           13.
                        
                        
                           EUR 28 020 for Portugal;
                        
                     
                           14.
                        
                        
                           EUR 183 337 for Slovakia;
                        
                     
                           15.
                        
                        
                           EUR 213 986 for Finland;
                        
                     
                           16.
                        
                        
                           EUR 39 862 for Sweden;
                        
                     
                           17.
                        
                        
                           EUR 267 482 for the United Kingdom.
                        
                     
         
               (c)
            
            
               shall not exceed EUR 595 per visit of an apiary.
            
         Article 2
   1.   The maximum overall contribution authorised by this Decision for the costs incurred for the programmes referred to in Article 1 is set at EUR 3 307 803 to be financed from the general budget of the European Union.
   2.   Expenditure relating to staff costs for performing laboratory tests, sampling, monitoring, consumables and overheads dedicated to the surveillance studies shall be eligible in accordance with the rules set out in Annex III.
   3.   The Union’s financial assistance shall be paid following presentation and approval of the reports and supporting documents referred to Article 3(2) and (3).
   Article 3
   1.   The programmes shall be carried out in accordance with the technical document ‘Basis for a pilot surveillance project on honey bee colony losses’ (available at http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/bees/bee_health_en.htm) and in accordance with the surveillance study programmes on honeybee colony losses presented by the Member States.
   2.   Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom shall submit to the Commission:
   
               —
            
            
               no later than 1 March 2013 an intermediate technical report on the first visit provided for in the surveillance study programme, and
            
         
               —
            
            
               no later than 31 October 2013 a final technical report on the second and third visits provided for in the surveillance study programme,
            
         
               —
            
            
               the technical report should be in conformity to a model to be established by the Commission in cooperation with the EU reference laboratory for bee health.
            
         3.   Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom shall submit to the Commission:
   
               —
            
            
               no later than 31 December 2013 a paper version and an electronic version of their financial report drawn up in accordance with Annex II. The supporting documents, evidencing all the expenditure referred to in the application for reimbursement, shall be sent to the Commission on request.
            
         4.   The outcome of the studies shall be made available to the Commission and the EU reference laboratory for bee health.
   Article 4
   This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, Hungary, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Finland, the Kingdom of Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
   
      Done at Brussels, 4 July 2012.
      
         
            For the Commission
         
         John DALLI
         
            Member of the Commission
         
      
   
   
      (1)  OJ L 155, 18.6.2009, p. 30.
   
      (2)  COM(2010) 714 final.
   
      (3)  OJ L 343, 23.12.2011, p. 119.
   
      (4)  OJ L 209, 11.8.2005, p. 1.
   
      ANNEX I
      
                  Member State
               
               
                  Number of apiaries
               
               
                  Number of visits per apiary foreseen in the surveillance study
               
               
                  Total direct costs
                  (Laboratory tests + visits for sampling and monitoring)
               
               
                  Overheads
                  (7 %)
               
               
                  Total cost
               
               
                  EU contribution
                  (70 %)
               
            
                  BE
               
               
                  150
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  83 946
               
               
                  5 876
               
               
                  89 822
               
               
                  62 876
               
            
                  DK
               
               
                  194
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  257 260
               
               
                  18 008
               
               
                  275 268
               
               
                  192 688
               
            
                  DE
               
               
                  220
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  392 831
               
               
                  27 498
               
               
                  420 329
               
               
                  294 230
               
            
                  EE
               
               
                  196
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  88 968
               
               
                  6 228
               
               
                  95 196
               
               
                  66 637
               
            
                  EL
               
               
                  200
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  146 770
               
               
                  10 274
               
               
                  157 044
               
               
                  109 931
               
            
                  ES
               
               
                  200
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  273 765
               
               
                  19 164
               
               
                  292 929
               
               
                  205 050
               
            
                  FR
               
               
                  396
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  707 096
               
               
                  49 497
               
               
                  756 593
               
               
                  529 615
               
            
                  IT
               
               
                  390
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  696 382
               
               
                  48 747
               
               
                  745 129
               
               
                  521 590
               
            
                  LV
               
               
                  193
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  196 762
               
               
                  13 773
               
               
                  210 535
               
               
                  147 375
               
            
                  LT
               
               
                  193
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  122 994
               
               
                  8 610
               
               
                  131 604
               
               
                  92 123
               
            
                  HU
               
               
                  196
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  132 034
               
               
                  9 242
               
               
                  141 276
               
               
                  98 893
               
            
                  PL
               
               
                  190
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  339 263
               
               
                  23 749
               
               
                  363 012
               
               
                  254 108
               
            
                  PT
               
               
                  145
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  37 410
               
               
                  2 619
               
               
                  40 029
               
               
                  28 020
               
            
                  SK
               
               
                  198
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  244 776
               
               
                  17 134
               
               
                  261 910
               
               
                  183 337
               
            
                  FI
               
               
                  160
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  285 695
               
               
                  19 999
               
               
                  305 694
               
               
                  213 986
               
            
                  SE
               
               
                  150
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  53 220
               
               
                  3 725
               
               
                  56 945
               
               
                  39 862
               
            
                  UK
               
               
                  200
               
               
                  3
               
               
                  357 119
               
               
                  24 998
               
               
                  382 117
               
               
                  267 482
               
            
                  Total
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                  4 416 293
               
               
                  309 141
               
               
                  4 725 433
               
               
                  3 307 803
               
            
   
      ANNEX II
      
         MODEL FOR A FINANCIAL REPORT ON VOLUNTARY SURVEILLANCE STUDIES ON HONEYBEE COLONY LOSSES
      
      
                  Total expenditure for the project (real costs, VAT excl.)
               
            
                  Member State:
               
               
                   
               
               
                  Number of apiaries visited:
               
            
         
      
                  Laboratory costs
               
            
                  Staff category
               
               
                  Number of working days
               
               
                  Daily rate
               
               
                  Total
               
            
                  …
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
            
                  …
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
            
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
            
                  Consumables (description)
               
               
                  Quantity
               
               
                  Unit cost
               
               
                  Total
               
            
                  …
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
            
                  …
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
            
         
      
                  Sampling and monitoring costs (apiary visits)
               
            
                  Staff category
               
               
                  Number of working days
               
               
                  Daily rate
               
               
                  Total
               
            
                  …
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
            
                  …
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
            
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
            
                  Consumables (description)
               
               
                  Quantity
               
               
                  Unit cost
               
               
                  Total
               
            
                  …
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
            
                  …
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
            Certification by the beneficiary
      We certify that:
      
                  —
               
               
                  the expenditure listed above was incurred in the performance of tasks described in the technical document ‘Basis for a pilot surveillance project on honey bee colony losses’ (1) and directly related to the implementation of the surveillance study programme for which financial support was granted according to Commission Implementing Decision 2012/362/EU,
               
            
                  —
               
               
                  the expenditure was actually incurred, accurately accounted for and eligible under the provisions of Implementing Decision 2012/362/EU,
               
            
                  —
               
               
                  all supporting documents relating to the expenditure are available for auditing,
               
            
                  —
               
               
                  no other Union contribution was requested for the projects listed in this Decision.
               
            Date:
      Name and signature of the financial officer responsible:
      
         (1)  Available at http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/bees/bee_health_en.htm
   
   
      ANNEX III
      
         ELIGIBILITY RULES
      
      1.   Laboratory costs
      
                  —
               
               
                  Staff costs shall be limited to actual attributable labour costs (remuneration, wages, social charges and retirement costs) accrued in implementation of the study and performing laboratory tests. To this end monthly timesheets have to be maintained.
               
            
                  —
               
               
                  Daily rate will be calculated on a 220 working days/year.
               
            
                  —
               
               
                  Reimbursement of consumables shall be based on actual costs incurred by Member States to perform the tests at the laboratory.
               
            
                  —
               
               
                  Test kits, reagents and all consumables shall only be reimbursed if used specifically in the performance of the following tests:
                  
                              —
                           
                           
                              varroa count (washing),
                           
                        
                              —
                           
                           
                              detection and characterisation of deformed wing virus (DWV), the acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) and the tropilaelaps mite),
                           
                        
                              —
                           
                           
                              clinical observation (including symptom observation foulbrood, nosema, viruses) microsporidian parasite (Nosema spp.) spore counts, cultures, microscopic examination and biochemical tests to identify the causal agent European foulbrood (Melissococcus plutonius) and American foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae),
                           
                        
                              —
                           
                           
                              American foulbrood — confirmation of the identity of the causal agent American foulbrood and European foulbrood via polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
                           
                        
            2.   Sampling and monitoring costs
      
                  —
               
               
                  Costs for sampling and monitoring can only be claimed it they are directly linked to visits of apiaries.
               
            
                  —
               
               
                  Staff costs shall be limited to actual attributable labour costs (remuneration, wages, social charges and retirement costs) accrued in implementation of the study. To this end monthly timesheets have to be maintained.
               
            
                  —
               
               
                  Daily rate will be calculated on a 220 working days/year.
               
            
                  —
               
               
                  Reimbursement of consumables shall be based on actual costs incurred by Member States and shall only be reimbursed if used specifically during visits to the apiaries.
               
            3.   Overheads
      A flat rate contribution of 7 % calculated on the basis of all direct eligible costs may be claimed.
      4.   The expenditure submitted by the Member States for a financial contribution by the Union shall be expressed in euro and shall exclude value added tax (VAT) and all other taxes.