1.8.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 201/65 COMMISSION DECISION of 31 July 2009 amending Decision 2008/965/EC on financial aid from the Community for the year 2009 for certain Community reference laboratories in the field of animal health and live animals (Notified under document C(2009) 5947) (Only the English text is authentic) (2009/585/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Decision 2009/470/EC of 25 May 2009 on expenditure in the veterinary field (!), and in particular Article 31(2) thereof, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules (%), and in particular Article 32(7) thereof, Whereas: (1)  Pursuant to Article 31(1) of Decision 2009/470/EC Community reference laboratories in the field of animal health and live animals may be granted Community aid. (2)  Commission  Decision  2008/965/EC ()  granted Community financial assistance up to a maximum of EUR 400 000 at the rate of 100 % of the eligible costs as defined in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1754/2006 of 28 November 2006 laying down detailed rules for the granting of Community financial assistance to Community reference laboratories for feed and food and the animal health sector (*) to be incurred by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), New Haw, Weybridge, United Kingdom, the Community Reference Laboratory (CRL) for avian influenza, for the work programme to be implemented in the period from 1 January to 31 December 2009. (3)  The approved work programme of the CRL for avian influenza foresees that, in the light of the occurrence of influenza in birds and other animals, it is necessary to keep under review the possible zoonotic impact arising from the risk of these influenza viruses. () O] L 155, 18.6.2009, p. 30. () O] L 165, 30.4.2004, p. 1. () O] L 344, 20.12.2008, p. 112. (4 O] L 331, 29.11.2006, p. 8. S The novel A/HIN1 influenza virus recently reported in humans in Mexico, USA and then elsewhere in the world contains genetic material of pig, bird and human influenza viruses but it appears to be distinct from other HIN1 viruses known to occur in pigs. The finding of the novel A/HIN1 influenza virus in a swine herd in Canada is the first reported possible case of human-to-animal transmission of this particular new virus subtype. However, the importance of these findings is still to be fully understood and assessed by the scientific community once sufficient scientific data are made available. The investigation of infection dynamics, pathogenesis, host susceptibility and transmissibility of the current novel A/HIN1 influenza virus in different animal species, and in particular in pigs is essential for providing the necessary scientific evidence for a veterinary risk assessment. A key output from the study will be the development of a ‘toolkit’ of reagents and materials for laboratory diagnosis. These investigations should be incorporated into the 2009 annual work programme of the CRL for avian influenza which has already developed models for studying infection parameters and performed some testing with influenza viruses from a variety of sources. Complementary investigations will utilise pigs, and, through a combination of multi-factorial measurements will aim at providing evidence for susceptibility and potential consequences of infection of pigs with the novel A/HINI influenza virus. All experiments (both on animals and in laboratory) will be carried under strict respect of biosafety and biocontainment conditions already applied at the CRL for avian influenza. Regulation (EC) No 1754/2006 provides that the financial assistance from the Community is to be granted if the approved work programmes are efficiently carried out and the beneficiaries supply all the necessary information within certain time limits. The Commission has assessed the amended comple- mentary work programme and corresponding amended budget estimates submitted by the CRL for avian influenza.