Commission Decision of 22 December 2006 concerning a financial contribution by the Community for the implementation of an epidemiological survey and bluetongue surveillance measures in the context of the emergency measures taken to combat this disease in Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in 2006 and 2007 (notified under document number C(2006) 6968) (Only the Dutch, French and German text is authentic) (2007/20/EC)

Article 1 Granting of a financial contribution from the Community to Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands

1. In the context of the emergency measures taken to combat bluetongue in 2006 and 2007, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands shall be entitled to a financial contribution from the Community amounting to 50 % of the expenditure incurred for the costs of the laboratory tests for serological and virological surveillance and for the costs of entomological surveillance, including the purchase of traps.

2. The maximum amounts of the costs to be reimbursed to Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands for an ELISA test for serological surveillance referred to in paragraph 1 shall not exceed EUR 2,5 per test carried out.

3. The financial contribution from the Community shall exclude value added tax.

Article 2 Payment arrangements

Subject to the results of any on-the-spot checks carried out in accordance with Article 9(1) of Decision 90/424/EEC, a first tranche payment as part of the Community financial contribution provided for Article 1 shall be paid as follows:

(a)

EUR 300 000 to Belgium;

(b)

EUR 2 200 000 to Germany;

(c)

EUR 100 000 to France;

(d)

EUR 25 000 to Luxembourg;

(e)

EUR 165 000 to the Netherlands.

That payment shall be made on the basis of supporting documents submitted by Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands relating to the laboratory tests for serological, virological and entomological surveillance and for the purchase of traps, referred in Article 1(1).

Article 3 Payment conditions and supporting documents

1. The financial contribution from the Community as referred to in Article 1 shall be paid on the basis of:

(a) forwarding an intermediate technical report on the technical execution of the surveillance measures including the results attained during the period from 15 August 2006 to 31 March 2007;

(b) forwarding an intermediate financial report, in computerised form in accordance with the Annex, on the costs paid by the Member State during the period from 15 August 2006 to 31 March 2007;

(c) forwarding a final technical report on the technical execution of the surveillance measures including the results attained during the period from 15 August 2006 to 31 December 2007;

(d) forwarding a final financial report, in computerised form in accordance with the Annex, on the costs paid by the Member State during the period from 15 August 2006 to 31 December 2007;

(e) the results of any on-the-spot checks carried out in accordance with Article 9(1) of Decision 90/424/EEC.

The documents referred in points (a) to (d) shall be made available for on-the-spot checks referred in point (e) carried out by the Commission.

2. The intermediate technical report and the intermediate financial report referred to in paragraph 1 (a) and (b) shall be submitted by 31 May 2007 at the latest. If that time limit is not observed, the financial contribution from the Community shall be reduced by 25 % for every calendar month of delay.

3. The final technical report and the final financial report referred to in paragraph 1 (c) and (d) must be submitted by 31 May 2008 at the latest. If that time limit is not observed, the financial contribution from the Community shall be reduced by 25 % for every calendar month of delay.

Article 4 Addressees

This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Done at Brussels, 22 December 2006.

For the Commission

Markos Kyprianou

Member of the Commission