29.4.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 116/61
COMMISSION DECISION
of 16 March 2006
approving the Member States’ survey programmes for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds during 2006
(notified under document number C(2006) 780)
(2006/314/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) Council Decision 90/424/EEC provides for a Community financial contribution for the undertaking of technical and scientific measures necessary for the development of Community veterinary legislation and for veterinary education or training.
(2) Commission Decision 2006/101/EC on the implementation of survey programmes for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds to be carried out in the Member States in 2006 (2) provides for the implementation in the period from February to December 2006 of such surveys subject to those survey programmes being approved by the Commission. Those surveys are to investigate the presence of infections in poultry, which could lead to a review of current Community legislation and contribute to the knowledge of the possible threats for animals and humans from the wildlife.
(3) The survey programmes submitted by Member States have been examined by the Commission in accordance with that Decision.
(4) The Commission has found that the survey programmes submitted by the Member States comply with Decision 2006/101/EC. Those survey programmes should therefore be approved.
(5) In the light of the importance of those survey programmes for the achievement of Community objectives in the field of animal and public health, it is appropriate to fix the Community financial contribution at 50 % of the costs to be incurred by the Member States concerned for the measures referred to in this Decision up to a maximum amount for each survey programme.
(6) Expenditures in relation to the survey programmes approved by this Decision that have been incurred since 1 February 2006 should also be considered eligible for co-financing by the Community.
(7) Furthermore, it is appropriate to lay down rules for reporting the results of the surveys and for the eligibility of the costs contained in the financial claim for a Community financial contribution for the costs incurred by Member States for the implementation of the survey programmes.
(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,
The Member States’ programmes for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds listed in Annex I are approved for the period set out in that Annex (‘the programmes’).
The Member States shall carry out surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds in accordance with the programmes.
The Community financial contribution to the costs for analysing samples shall be granted to each Member State at the rate of 50 % of the costs incurred and up to the maximum amount for co-financing set out in Annex I.
That Community financial contribution shall be granted provided that the Member State concerned complies with the following:
(a) brings into force the laws, regulations or administrative provisions necessary for implementing its programme;
(b) submits a final report to the Commission and to the Community Reference Laboratory for avian influenza as referred to in Article 51(1) of Council Directive 2005/94/EC (3) by 31 March 2007 at the latest, on the technical execution of the programme and the results attained, in accordance with the reporting models set out in Annexes II to V to this Decision;
(c) submits appropriate evidence to the Commission as to the costs incurred for analysing samples during the period for which the programme is approved;
(d) implements the programme efficiently, in particular the competent authority must ensure that appropriate sampling is performed.
The maximum amounts of the costs to be reimbursed to the Member States for the tests covered by the programmes shall not exceed the following:
(a) : ELISA test : EUR 1 per test;
(b) : agar gel immune diffusion test : EUR 1,2 per test;
(c) : HI test for H5/H7 : EUR 12 per test;
(d) : virus isolation test : EUR 30 per test;
(e) : PCR test : EUR 15 per test.
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.