(1)

During the outbreaks, in the Netherlands, of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 and bovine spongiform encephalopathy in 2000 to 2003, bovine animals were sent for slaughter in the slaughterhouse.

(2)

Payment of the slaughter premium as provided for in Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 and the related additional payments as provided for in Article 14 of that Regulation for livestock slaughtered in a slaughterhouse was suspended by the Dutch authorities. However, producers of those animals could have received those direct payments provided that the eligibility requirements for the animals concerned were met.

(3)

In order to satisfy the legitimate expectations of producers, the slaughter premium and the additional payments should be allowed to be paid up to 15 October 2006 for livestock slaughtered in a slaughterhouse during 2001 in the course of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak under Council Directive 85/511/EEC of 18 November 1985 introducing Community measures for the control of foot-and-mouth disease (2).

(4)

For the same reason, this possibility should also be provided for in the case of livestock slaughtered in a slaughterhouse during 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 as part of the measures to control bovine spongiform encephalopathy adopted under Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market (3) and Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (4).

(5)

The provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 governing direct payments were repealed by Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 (5) with effect from 1 January 2005. As a result, the measures provided for in this Regulation may no longer be authorised on the basis of those provisions, which raises a specific practical problem.

(6)

Payments made under this Regulation should be granted up to maximum ceilings and global amounts.

(7)

The amounts of the slaughter premium and the additional payments may have been included in the value of the animals selected for setting the compensation granted under Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (6) and Commission Decision 2001/652/EC of 16 August 2001 concerning a financial contribution towards the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in the Netherlands in 2001 (7). In that case payment of the slaughter premium and the additional payments would lead to overcompensation of the beneficiaries. Provision should be made for the competent authorities of the Netherlands to ensure that this is not the case before granting the slaughter premium and the additional payments.

(8)

In view of the fact that this Regulation is intended to settle the situation relating to the years 2000 to 2003, provision should be made for it to enter into force immediately.

(9)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Beef and Veal,