8.7.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 169/67 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 3 July 2003 on a financial contribution from the Community towards the eradication of classical swine fever in Spain at the end of 2001 and in 2002 (Only the Spanish text is authentic) (2003/494/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (*), as last amended by Council Regulation No 806/2003 (3), and in particular Article 3(3) and Article 5(3) thereof, Whereas: (1) Outbreaks of classical swine fever occurred in Spain in 2001 and 2002. The emergence of this disease repre- sents a serious risk to the Community's livestock popula- tion. (2)  With a view to helping to eradicate the disease as rapidly as possible, the Community may contribute financially to eligible costs incurred by the Member State, as provided for in Decision 90/424/EEC. (3)  Pursuant to Article 3(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the financing of the common agricultural policy (°), veterinary and plant health measures undertaken in accordance with Commu- nity rules shall be financed under the ‘Guarantee’ section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. The auditing of these measures comes under Arti- cles 8 and 9 of the said Regulation. (4)  The payment of the Community financial contribution must be subject to the condition that the planned activ- ities were actually implemented and the authorities provide all the necessary information within certain deadlines. OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. () OJ L 122,16.5.2003, p. 1. 0J L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103. (5) On 7 October 2002, Spain submitted an official request for reimbursement for all the expenditure incurred on its territory. (6) It is now time to set the amount of an advance on the Community financial contribution, pending checks carried out by the Commission. This advance must be 50 % of the Community contribution calculated on the basis of the number of pigs culled (222 594) at a unit cost of EUR 100 and limiting, for the moment, the ‘other costs’ to 10 % of the amount of this reimburse- ment. (7)  The terms ‘swift and adequate compensation of the live- stock farmers’ used in Article 3 of Decision 90/424/EEC, ‘reasonable payments’ and §ustified payments’ and the categories of eligible expenditure under ‘other costs’ associated with the compulsory slaughter must all be defined. (8)  The measures provided for in this Decision are in accor- dance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Atrticle 1 Granting of a financial contribution from the Community to Spain In order to eradicate classical swine fever in 2002, Spain may benefit from a Community financial contribution of 50 % of the expenditure incurred for the: (a) swift and adequate compensation of farmers forced to cull their animals as part of the measures to eradicate the