Commission Regulation (EC) No 324/2003 of 20 February 2003 establishing the eligibility criteria for the expenditure of the Community reference laboratories receiving financial assistance under Article 28 of Decision 90/424/EEC and establishing the procedures for the submission of expenditure and the conduct of audits

Commission Regulation (EC) No 324/2003
of 20 February 2003
establishing the eligibility criteria for the expenditure of the Community reference laboratories receiving financial assistance under Article 28 of Decision 90/424/EEC and establishing the procedures for the submission of expenditure and the conduct of audits
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field(1), as last amended by Decision 2001/572/EC(2), and in particular Article 28(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Community financial aid should be granted to the Community reference laboratories designated by the Community to assist them in carrying out the functions and duties laid down in:
- Council Directive 92/35/EEC of 29 April 1992 laying down control rules and measures to combat African horse sickness(3), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland,
- Council Directive 92/46/EEC of 16 June 1992 laying down the health rules for the production and placing on the market of raw milk, heat-treated milk and milk-based products(4), as last amended by Directive 96/23/EC(5),
- Council Directive 92/66/EEC of 14 July 1992 introducing Community measures for the control of Newcastle disease(6), as last amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland,
- Council Directive 92/117/EEC of 17 December 1992 concerning measures for protection against certain zoonoses and specified zoonotic agents in animals and products of animal origin in order to prevent outbreaks of food-borne infections and intoxications(7), as last amended by Directive 1999/72/EC(8),
- Council Directive 92/119/EEC of 17 December 1992 introducing general Community measures for the control of certain animal diseases and specific measures relating to swine vesicular disease(9), as last amended by Decision 95/1/EC, Euratom, ECSC(10),
- Council Decision 93/383/EEC of 14 June 1993 on reference laboratories for the monitoring of marine biotoxins(11), as last amended by Decision 1999/312/EC(12),
- Council Directive 93/53/EEC of 24 June 1993 introducing minimum Community measures for the control of certain fish diseases(13),
- Council Directive 95/70/EC of 22 December 1995 introducing minimum Community measures for the control of certain diseases affecting bivalve molluscs(14),
- Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29 April 1996 on measures to monitor certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products(15),
- Council Decision 96/463/EC of 23 July 1996 designating the reference body responsible for collaborating in rendering uniform the testing methods and the assessment of the results for pure-bred breeding animals of the bovine species(16),
- Council Decision 1999/313/EC of 29 April 1999 on reference laboratories for monitoring bacteriological and viral contamination of bivalve molluscs(17),
- Council Decision 2000/258/EC of 20 March 2000 designating a specific institute responsible for elaborating criteria for standardising serological tests to control the efficiency of rabies vaccines(18),
- Council Directive 2000/75/EC of 20 November 2000 laying down specific provisions for the control and eradication of bluetongue(19),
- Council Directive 2001/89/EC of 23 October 2001 on Community measures for the control of classical swine fever(20),
- Council Directive 2002/60/EC laying down specific provisions for the control of African swine fever and amending Directive 92/119/EEC as regards Teschen disease and African swine fever(21),
- Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies(22), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1326/2001(23).
(2) Financial assistance for the organisation of yearly workshops in the area of responsibility of the Community reference laboratories should also be included.
(3) The level of financial assistance for the operation of certain Community reference laboratories is fixed on an annual basis by specific decisions in the field of veterinary public health, animal health and residues.
(4) The Community reference laboratories designated are under the supervision of the Member States' competent authorities.
(5) The aim of this Regulation is to:
- define within the limits of this financial assistance, the type of expenditure which is eligible for the Community financing of the laboratory (staff, capital equipment, consumables, comparative tests, overheads) and for the organisation of workshops (travel and daily allowances),
- establish the procedures for the submission of expenditure and for the conduct of audits.
(6) A sound financial management justifies the application of these criteria from the beginning of 2003 for the establishment of the eligible expenditures incurred during the same year.
(7) For financial control purposes, Articles 8 and 9 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the financing of the common agricultural policy(24) are applicable.
(8) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,