L313/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 7.12.1999 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 17 November 1999 on the Community's financial contribution to a programme for the control of organisms harmful to plants and plant products in the French overseas departments for 1999 (notified under document number C(1999) 3772) (Only the French text is authentic) (1999/807 [EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 376391 of 16 December 1991 introducing specific measures in respect of certain agricultural products for the benefit of the French over- seas departments ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 (3), and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 11(3) thereof, Whereas Commission Decision 93/522EEC (*), as last amended by Decision 96/633/EC (*) defines the meas- ures eligible for Community financing under programmes for the control of organisms harmful to plants and plant products in the French overseas depart- ments, the Azores and Madeira; Whereas specific growing conditions in the French over- seas departments call for particular attention; whereas measures concerning crop production, in particular plant health measures, must be adopted or strengthened in those regions; Whereas the plant health measures to be adopted or strengthened are particularly costly; 356, 24.12.1991, p. 1. 160, 26.6.1999, p. 80. () O] L () O] L () O] L 251, 8.10.1993, p. 35. () O L 283, 5.11.1996, p. 58. (4) Whereas a programme of measures has been presented to the Commission by the competent French authorities; whereas this programme specifies the objectives to be achieved, the operations to be carried out, their duration and their cost with a view to a possible Community financial contribution; Whereas the Community's financial contribution may cover up to 60 % of eligible expenditure, protective measures for bananas being excluded; Whereas the plant protection operations in the French overseas departments provided for in the Single Programme Documents for the period 1994/1999 and financed from the Structural Funds cannot be the same as those contained in this programme; Whereas the operations provided for in the European Community framework programme for research and technological development cannot be the same as those contained in this programme; Whereas the technical information provided by France has enabled the Standing Committee on Plant Health to analyse the situation accurately and comprehensively; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plant Health,