31.5.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 133/29 COUNCIL DECISION of 24 May 1979 on financial aid from the Community for the eradication of African swine fever in Malta (79/510/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commis- sion (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment (?), Whereas the Community should take all appropnate measures to protect itself against the appearance of African swine fever on its territory ; Whereas to this end the Community has undertaken and continues to undertake action designed to contain outbreaks of this type of disease far from its frontiers by helping countries affected to reinforce their preven- tive measures ; Whereas certain measures have been undertaken by the Maltese authorities, in particular the slaughter of all pigs remaining on their territory and the destruc- tion of all meat from that slaughter; Whereas, however, in the opinion of the Maltese authorities themselves, the measures hitherto used must be reinforced in order to attain the basic objec- tive of eradicating the disease throughout the country by slaughtering all pigs there and of preventing rein- fection by restocking pig farms wusing modern husbandry techniques; Whereas the Maltese authorities have asked the Community to contribute to the cost of an effective crash programme for the eradiction of African swine fever and for restocking pig farms; Whereas a favourable response should be given to this request and aid granted in view of the undertaking given by the Maltese authorities to protect the Community against African swine fever, to eliminate the disease completely and to prevent its recurrence by means of a crash programme to be completed within three years ; ) OJ No C 61, 6. 3. 1979, p. S. 2) OJ No C 127, 21. 5. 1979, p. 88. Whereas this eradication programme must include certain measures which guarantee the effectiveness of the action taken; whereas these measures must be capable of adaptation to developments in the situation by means of a procedure in which the Member States and the Commission will be closely associated ; Whereas it is necessary to keep Member States informed on the progress of the programme, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS : Article 1 The Community shall make a financial contribution to the eradication of African swine fever in Malta. ~ Article 2 The contribution shall be paid on condition that the Maltese authorities establish a crash programme for the eradication of African swine fever and the restocking of pig farms. This plan, which must be completed within a maximum period of three years, must satisfy the condi- tions laid down in Article 3, and be approved in accor- dance with Article 4. Article 3 The programme specified in Article 2 must provide for : 1. Rigorous eradication measures including the following : (a) the slaughter of all pigs on the territory of Malta ; (b) the destruction or consumption of all pigmeat on Maltese territory and of all pigmeat-based products with the exception of preserves in sterilized tins ; (c) the cleaning, disinfection, disinsectization and deratization of farms and all places likely to have been contaminated by pigs, pigmeat or pigmeat-based products ;