2007/208/EC: Commission Decision of 30 March 2007 concerning a Community financial contribution towards a baseline survey on the prevalence of Salmonella in turkeys to be carried out in Bulgaria and in Romania (notified under document number C(2007) 1401)

3.4.2007 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 92/18
COMMISSION DECISION
of 30 March 2007
concerning a Community financial contribution towards a baseline survey on the prevalence of Salmonella in turkeys to be carried out in Bulgaria and in Romania
(notified under document number C(2007) 1401)
(Only the Bulgarian and Romanian texts are authentic)
(2007/208/EC)
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), and in particular Article 20 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Decision 90/424/EEC provides for Community financial contributions towards specific veterinary measures. It also provides for the Community to undertake or assist the Member States in undertaking the technical and scientific measures necessary for the development of veterinary legislation and for the development of veterinary education or training.
(2) Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 November 2003 on the control of Salmonella and other specified food-borne zoonotic agents (2), provides that a Community target is to be established for reducing the prevalence of Salmonella in populations of flocks of turkeys by the end of 2007.
(3) In order to set the Community target, comparable data on the prevalence of Salmonella in populations of turkeys in Bulgaria and in Romania need to be available. Such information is presently not available and a special survey should therefore be carried out to monitor the prevalence of Salmonella in turkeys over a suitable period in those Member States.
(4) A baseline study on Salmonella in turkey is to be carried out by the other Member States between October 2006 and September 2007 in accordance with Commission Decision 2006/662/EC of 29 September 2006 concerning a financial contribution from the Community towards a baseline survey on the prevalence of Salmonella in turkeys to be carried out in the Member States (3). The same procedures should be used in the baseline studies in Bulgaria and in Romania. However, the period of the survey should be shortened in order to enable the analysis of the data of all Member States at the same time.
(5) The survey is to provide the technical information necessary for the development of Community veterinary legislation. Given the importance of collecting comparable data on the prevalence of Salmonella in turkeys in Bulgaria and in Romania, those Member States should be granted a Community financial contribution for implementing the specific requirements of the survey. It is therefore appropriate to reimburse 100 % of the costs incurred in the laboratory testing, subject to a ceiling. All other costs, such as those relating to sampling, travel and administration should not be eligible for any Community financial contribution.
(6) The financial contribution from the Community should be granted provided that the survey is carried out in accordance with Community law and subject to compliance with certain other specified conditions. The financial contribution should be granted in so far as the actions provided for are effectively carried out and provided that the authorities furnish all the necessary information within the time limits provided for.
(7) It is necessary to clarify the rate to be used for the conversion of payment applications submitted in national currencies as defined in Article 1(d) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2799/98 of 15 December 1998 establishing agrimonetary arrangements for the euro (4).
(8) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,