(1)

Council Decision 90/424/EEC provides for a financial contribution from the Community for the undertaking of technical and scientific measures necessary for the development of Community veterinary legislation and for veterinary education or training.

(2)

Commission Decision 2004/111/EC (2) provides for the implementation in 2004 of surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds in the Member States, subject to the survey plans being approved by the Commission; these surveys should investigate the presence of infections in poultry, which could lead to a review of current legislation and contribute to the knowledge of the possible threats for animals and humans from the wildlife.

(3)

Programmes submitted by Member States have been examined by the Commission against the guidelines established by Decision 2004/615/EC amending Decision 2004/111/EC on the implementation of surveys for avian influenza in poultry and wild birds in the Member States to be carried out during 2004, and found to be consistent with those guidelines.

(4)

In view of difficulties experienced with the implementation of such programmes for the first time new Member States were granted an extended deadline for the submission of their programmes.

(5)

Member States’ programmes already submitted have been approved individually by Commission Decision 2004/630/EC (3) and granted a financial contribution.

(6)

Programmes now submitted by the New Member States have been examined, found to be consistent with the established guidelines and should therefore be approved.

(7)

Decision 2004/630/EC should therefore be amended in order to approve the individual programmes submitted by the New Member States; however in view of the experiences gained during recent major epidemics of avian influenza a re-allocation of the financial contribution by the Community should be made.

(8)

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