Commission Decision of 24 July 2008 approving the emergency vaccination plans against bluetongue of certain Member States and fixing the level of the Community’s financial contribution for 2007 and 2008 (notified under document number C(2008) 3757) (Only the Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish texts are authentic) (2008/655/EC)

Article 1U.K.Approval of the emergency vaccination plans

[F1The vaccination plans, composed of technical and financial provisions, submitted by Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Sweden are hereby approved for the period from 1 November 2007 to 31 December 2008 .]

That vaccination of animals against bluetongue shall be carried out in accordance with Directive 2000/75/EC.

Textual Amendments

Article 2U.K.Granting of a specific financial contribution from the Community

1.[F1In the context of the emergency measures taken to combat bluetongue in 2007 and 2008 Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Sweden shall be entitled to a specific contribution from the Community for the bluetongue emergency vaccination plans referred to in Article 1 amounting to:]

(a)100 % of the cost (not including VAT) of supply of the vaccine;

(b)50 % of the costs of salaries and fees paid to personnel carrying out the vaccinations, and 50 % of the cost (not including VAT) of the expenditure directly associated with the vaccinations (including consumables and specific equipment).

2.The maximum amounts to be reimbursed to the Member States concerned for the costs referred to in paragraph 1 shall not exceed:

(a)for the purchase of inactivated vaccine, EUR 0,6 per dose;

(b)for the vaccination of bovine animals, EUR 2 per bovine animal vaccinated regardless the number and types of vaccine doses used;

(c)for the vaccination of ovine or caprine animals, EUR 0,75 per ovine or caprine vaccinated regardless the number and types of vaccine doses used.

Textual Amendments

Article 3U.K.Payment arrangements

1.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 shall be paid as follows:

(a)up to EUR 4 500 000 for Belgium;

(b)up to EUR 1 250 000 for the Czech Republic;

(c)up to EUR 800 000 for Denmark;

(d)up to EUR 17 000 000 for Germany;

(e)up to EUR 8 000 000 for Spain;

(f)up to EUR 27 000 000 for France;

(g)up to EUR 3 500 000 for Italy;

(h)up to EUR 200 000 for Luxembourg;

(i)up to EUR 3 500 000 for the Netherlands;

(j)up to EUR 1 700 000 for Portugal;

as part of the specific financial contribution from the Community provided for in Article 2.

That payment shall be made on the basis of an official request for reimbursement and supporting documents submitted by Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal.

2.The balance of the Community financial contribution mentioned in Article 2 shall be fixed in a subsequent decision to be adopted in accordance with the procedure established in Article 41 of Decision 90/424/EEC.

Article 4U.K.Payment conditions and supporting documents

1.The specific financial contribution from the Community as referred to in Article 2 shall be paid on the basis of:

(a)an intermediate technical report on the technical execution of the surveillance measures, including the results attained during the period from 1 November 2007 to 31 August 2008;

(b)an intermediate financial report, in computerised form in accordance with the Annex, on the costs paid by the Member State during the period from 1 November 2007 to 31 August 2008;

(c)a final technical report on the technical execution of the surveillance measures, including the results attained during the period from 1 November 2007 to 31 December 2008;

[F1(d) a final financial report, in computerized form in accordance with the Annex, on the costs incurred by the Member State during the period 1 November 2007 to 31 December 2008 and paid before the submission of the report;]

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

[F2However, paragraph 1(a) and (b) and paragraph 2 shall not apply to the plans submitted by Austria and Sweden.]

2.The intermediate technical report and the intermediate financial report referred to in paragraph 1(a) and (b) shall be submitted by 31 October 2008 at the latest. If that time limit is not observed, the specific 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) shall be submitted by 31 March 2009 at the latest. If that time limit is not observed, the specific financial contribution from the Community shall be reduced by 25 % for every calendar month of delay.

Textual Amendments

Article 5U.K.Addressees

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