Community policy on animal health: multi-annual eradication, control and monitoring programmes for animal diseases and zoonoses, integrated computerized veterinary system TRACES and ANIMO, information policy for food safety (amend. Decision 90/424/EEC)

PURPOSE: to update some of the instruments that accompany Community policy on animal health.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2006/965/EC amending Decision 90/424/EEC on expenditure in the veterinary field.

CONTENT: this proposal does not aim to change the policy on eradication, control and monitoring of animal diseases and zoonoses. On the other hand, it does update some of the instruments that accompany Community policy on animal health by:

- amending current procedures governing Community’s contribution to the financing of national programmes for the eradication monitoring and control of animal diseases as foreseen in Article 24 of Council Decision 90/424/EEC on expenditure in the veterinary field;

- introducing the possibility for the Community to approve and finance multi-annual eradication, control and monitoring programmes for animal diseases and zoonoses;

- updating the scope of the existing financial measures aimed at improving information policy on animal health and food safety in products of animal origin and the use of integrated computerized veterinary systems (TRACES).

In order to allow the Commission to monitor the implementation of the programmes, Member States should report regularly to the Commission on the activities carried out, on the results achieved and the expenditure incurred.

Every four years, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and to the Council a report on the animal health situation and cost-effectiveness of the implementation of programmes in the various Member States, including details of the criteria adopted.