(1)

Pursuant to Directive 2000/29/EC, a financial contribution from the Community may be granted to Member States to cover expenditure relating directly to the necessary measures which have been taken or are planned to be taken for the purpose of combating harmful organisms introduced from third countries or from other areas in the Community, in order to eradicate or, if that is not possible, to contain them.

(2)

Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Finland have each established a programme of actions to eradicate organisms harmful to plants introduced in their territories. These programmes specify the objectives to be achieved, the measures carried out, their duration and their cost. Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Finland have applied for the allocation of a Community financial contribution to these programmes within the time limit set out in Directive 2000/29/EC and in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 1040/2002 of 14 June 2002 establishing detailed rules for the implementation of the provisions relating to the allocation of a financial contribution from the Community for plant-health control and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2051/97 (2).

(3)

The technical information provided by Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Finland has enabled the Commission to analyse the situation accurately and comprehensively and to conclude that the conditions for the granting of a Community financial contribution, as laid down in particular in Article 23 of Directive 2000/29/EC, have been met. Accordingly, it is appropriate to provide a Community financial contribution to cover the expenditure on these programmes.

(4)

The Community financial contribution may cover up to 50 % of eligible expenditure. However, in accordance with Article 23(5) third paragraph of the Directive, the rate of the Community financial contribution for the programme presented by Germany and a part of the programme of the Netherlands should be reduced as the programmes notified by these Member States have already been the subject of Community funding respectively under Commission Decision 2006/885/EC (3) for Germany and Decision 2005/789/EC (4) for the Netherlands.

(5)

In accordance with Article 24 of Directive 2000/29/EC the Commission shall ascertain whether the introduction of the relevant harmful organism has been caused by inadequate examinations or inspections and adopt the measures required by the findings from its verification.

(6)

In accordance with Article 3(2)(a) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 of 21 June 2005 (5) on the financing of the common agricultural policy, plant-health measures are to be financed from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund. For the purpose of financial control of these measures Articles 9, 36 and 37 of the above Regulation shall apply.

(7)

The measures provided in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health,

(a)

evidence of the measures taken has been given in accordance with the provisions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1040/2002;

(b)

a request for payment has been submitted by the Member State concerned to the Commission, in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1040/2002.