22.12.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 339/49 COMMISSION DECISION of 17 December 2009 on a Community financial contribution for 2009 to cover expenditure incurred by Germany, Spain, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal and Slovenia for the purpose of combating organisms harmful to plants or plant products (notified under document C(2009) 10050) (Only the Dutch, German, Italian, Maltese, Portuguese, Slovenian and Spanish texts are authentic) (2009/996/EV) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Council Directive 2000/29/EC of 8 May 2000 on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community (!), and in particular Article 23 thereof, Whereas: 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. Germany has introduced on 21 April 2009 two requests for financial contribution for the control of Diabrotica virgifera, respectively for Baden-Wiirttemberg and for Bayern, and relating to measures executed in 2008 to control outbreaks of the harmful organism detected in 2007 and 2008, the outbreaks in 2007 having already been the subject of co-financing in 2008. Italy has introduced four requests for financial contribution. The first one was introduced on 21 April 2009 and relates to the control measures of Anoplophora chinensis in Lombardy in the province of Brescia, () O] L 169, 10.7.2000, p. 1. commune of Gussago, for measures executed in 2008 and from 1 January until 30 April 2009 to control an outbreak detected in 2008. The assessment by the Commission of that request has not shown that this outbreak of the harmful organism is linked to the existing outbreaks in the province of Milan or Varese. The second request introduced on 16 April 2009 relates to the control measures of Anoplophora chinensis in Lazio in the commune of Rome for measures executed in 2008 and 2009 to control an outbreak detected in 2008. The third request introduced on 25 November 2008 relates to the control measures of Anoplophora glabripennis in Lombardy, in the commune of Corbetta, for measures executed in 2007, 2008 and from 1 January until 30 April 2009 to control an outbreak detected in 2007. The fourth request, relating to the control measures of Anoplophora chinensis in Lombardia in the province of Brescia, commune of Montichiari, was not eligible because the outbreak was only notified to the Commission more than eight months after its official detection and thus not in line with the requirements for immediate notification referred to in Article 16(1) of Directive 2000/29/EC. Malta has introduced a request for financial contribution on 29 April 2009 relating to the control measures of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus for measures executed in 2008 and 2009 to control outbreaks detected in 2008. The Netherlands has introduced four requests for financial contribution on 31 December 2008. The first request relates to the control measures of tobacco ring spot virus (TRSV) for measures executed in 2007 and 2008 to control an outbreak detected in 2006 and which was already the subject of co-financing in 2008. The second request relates to the control measures of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) for measures executed in 2007 and 2008 for outbreaks detected in 2007. The third request relates to the control measures of Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis for measures executed in 2007 and 2008 for an outbreak detected in 2007. The fourth request relates to the control measures of Anoplophora chinensis for measures executed in 2008 for an outbreak detected in 2007.