Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease in wild and domestic cloven-hoofed animals with a severe impact on the profitability of livestock farming causing disturbance to trade within the Union and export to third countries.

In the event of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, there is a risk that the disease agent spreads to other holdings keeping animals of susceptible species within the affected Member State, but also to other Member States and to third countries through movements of live susceptible animals or their products.

Decision 2009/470/EC lays down the procedures governing the financial contribution from the Union towards specific veterinary measures, including emergency measures. Pursuant to Article 14(2) of that Decision, Member States shall obtain a financial contribution towards the costs of certain measures to eradicate foot-and-mouth disease.

Outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease occurred in Bulgaria in 2011 and cases of this disease were detected in susceptible wild animals. The authorities of Bulgaria were able to demonstrate through regular reporting of information on the development of the disease situation to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health and continuous submission of reports to the Commission and the Member States that they have efficiently implemented the control measures in the framework of Directive 2003/85/EC.

In accordance with Article 85(3) of Directive 2003/85/EC, as soon as the competent authority of Bulgaria had a confirmation of the primary case of foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals, it applied the measures provided for in Part A of Annex XVIII to the Directive in order to reduce the spread of disease.

Due to the occurrence of foot-and-mouth disease in areas shared between wild animals and susceptible domestic cloven-hoofed animals, for the first time a Member State drew up a plan for the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals in the area defined as infected and specified the measures applied on the holdings in that area in accordance with Part B of Annex XVIII to Directive 2003/85/EC.

On 4 April 2011, within 90 days following the confirmation of foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals, Bulgaria submitted a plan for the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals in parts of the regions of Burgas, Yambol and Haskovo.

It is necessary to establish the level of Union’s financial contribution to the costs incurred by Bulgaria for the implementation of certain elements of the approved eradication plan for foot-and-mouth disease in wild animals in Bulgaria, taking also into account the particular epidemiological situation as regards foot-and-mouth disease at the South-East Balkans.

Urgently needed surveillance activities, including improvements of the National Reference Laboratory, one of the very few laboratories in the entire region with sufficient experience in diagnosing foot-and-mouth disease, and the veterinary information system to integrate surveillance data with movement controls, cleansing and disinfection measures and information campaigns to the public should be financed at an established rate under the present Decision. These actions will increase the knowledge of the Union for managing such cases in the future.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,