Decision 2009/470/EC provides that where a Member State is directly threatened by the occurrence or the development, in the territory of a third country or Member State, of one of the diseases listed in Annex I to that Decision, it may be decided to adopt measures appropriate to the situation and to grant a Union financial contribution towards the measures deemed particularly necessary for the success of the actions undertaken.

Rabies is an animal disease that mainly affects wild and domestic carnivores and has serious public health implications. It is one of the diseases listed in Annex I to Decision 2009/470/EC.

No case of rabies has been detected in Greece since 1987. However, following recent detection of that disease in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, it is necessary that rabies surveillance in northern Greece is urgently reinforced in order to define whether that disease is spreading to the territory of that Member State and to which extent there is a need for oral immunisation of wild carnivores in order to stop the spread and eradicate that disease.

On 27 January 2012, Greece submitted to the Commission an emergency plan for the reinforced surveillance of rabies (‘the plan’). The Commission has assessed the plan and found it to be acceptable. It is therefore appropriate that certain measures under that plan receive a Union financial contribution.

Greece has informed the Commission of the lack of personnel in its national reference laboratory for rabies in order to carry out the increased number of tests required to implement the plan. Given the current unfavourable financial situation and the urgency to set up and implement the plan, it is appropriate that the cost for laboratory staff specifically hired for carrying laboratory tests under the plan should be included in the costs eligible for a Union financial contribution.

Taking into account the urgency to implement the plan, it is justified that the Union financial contribution is made available for measures taken from 27 January 2012 when the plan was submitted to the Commission for financing.

This Decision constitutes a financing Decision within the meaning of Article 75 of the Financial Regulation.

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