L 6/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 12.1.1999 COMMISSION DECISION of 22 December 1998 on financial aid from the Community for the prevention and control of classical swine fever in Belgium (notified under document number C(1998) 4385) (Only the French and Dutch texts are authentic) (1999/20/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 Decision 94/370/EC (%), and in particular Article 6 thereof, Whereas in February 1997 the Netherlands notified outbreaks of classical swine fever in accordance with the provisions of Council Directive 82/894/EEC of 21 December 1982 on the notification of animal diseases within the Community (%), Whereas some outbreaks occurred in the Netherlands in an area located in the neighbourhood of Belgium; Whereas consignments of pigs had been introduced into Belgium from holdings located in the said area of the Netherlands immediately before that classical swine fever had been confirmed; Whereas the receiving holdings were immediately identi- fied by the Belgian authorities and registered as contact holdings; Whereas due to the direct threat of disease being spread into the territory of Belgium, the Belgian authorities immediately informed the Commission and the Member States at the Standing Veterinary Committee on the meas- ures that were being adopted to prevent the disease; Whereas these measures included the slaughter of pigs causing the threat of spreading disease and intensive examination of the said pigs to detect early the presence of classical swine fever virus; Whereas the appearance of this disease is a serious danger to the pig sector in the Community and, in order to help eradicate the disease as rapidly as possible, the Community has the possibility of compensating for the losses suffered; () OJ L 224, 18. 8. 1990, p. 19. @) O] L 168, 2. 7. 1994, p. 31. () OJ L 378, 31. 12. 1982, p. 58. Whereas, pending completion of checks by the Commis- sion that, on the one hand, the Community veterinary rules have been observed and, on the other, that the conditions for a Community financial contribution are met, a first tranche of ECU 650 000 shall be paid; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 For the purpose of this Decision a ‘contact holding’ means a holding which, based on: — the incubation period of classical swine fever, and — the results obtained by the epidemiological invest- igation carried out by the national veterinary author- ities, can be considered threatened by the occurrence of clas- sical swine fever. Article 2 1. A financial contribution may be granted to Belgium provided that the Commission is satisfied that the condi- tions laid down in Article 6 of Decision 90/424/EEC and Article 3 of this Decision are met. 2. On the basis of the information so far available Belgium may obtain a first advance of ECU 650 000 in Community financial assistance for the slaughter and destruction of pigs at contact holdings. Article 3 1. The first tranche of the Community financial contri- bution shall be paid after the supporting documents have been submitted.