24. 12. 97 Official Journal of the European Communities L 353/29 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of § December 1997 on the Community financial contribution to a programme for the control of organisms harmful to plants and plant products in the French overseas departments for 1997 (Only the French text is authentic) (97/867/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regafd to the Treaty establishing the European Community, . Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3763/91 of 16 December 1991 introducing specific measures in respect of certain agricultural products for the benefit of the French overseas departments ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2598/95 (3, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 11 (3) thereof, Whereas Commission Decision 93/522/EEC (%), as last amended by Decision 96/633/EC (%), defines the measures eligible for Community financing under programmes for the control of organisms harmful to plants and plant products in the French overseas departments, the Azores and Madeira; Whereas specific growing conditions in the French over- seas departments call for particular attention; whereas measures concerning crop production, in particular plant health measures, must be adopted or strengthened in those regions; OJ L 356, 24. 12. 1991, p. 1. O] L 267, 9. 11. 1995, p. 1. O] L 251, 8. 10. 1993, p. 35. OJ L 283, 5. 11. 1996, p. S8. Whereas the plant health measures to be adopted or strengthened are particularly costly; Whereas a programme of measures has been presented to the Commission by the competent French authorities; whereas the programme specifies the objectives to be achieved, the operations to be carried out, their duration and their cost with a view to a possible Community finan- cial contribution; Whereas the Community’s financial contribution may cover up to 60 % of eligible expenditure, protective measures for bananas being excluded, Whereas the plant protection operations in the French overseas departments provided for in the single program- ming documents for the period 1994 to 1999 and financed from the Structural Funds cannot be the same as those contained in this programme; Whereas the operations provided for in the European Community Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development cannot be the same as those contained in this programme; Whereas the technical information provided by France has enabled the Standing Committee on Plant Health to analyse the situation accurately and comprehensively; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health,