1.10.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 249/45 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 24 September 2003 on an additional financial contribution from the Community towards the costs of the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2001 (notified under document number C(2003) 3325) (Only the English text is authentic) (2003/676[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 Regulation (EC) No 806/2003 (3, and in particular Article 3(3) and Article 11 thereof, Whereas: 1 As soon as the presence of foot-and-mouth disease was officially confirmed in 2001, the United Kingdom reported that it had immediately implemented control measures to be applied in the event of an outbreak of that disease as provided for in Directive 85/511/EEC of 18 November 1985 introducing Community measures for the control of foot-and-month disease (*), as last amended by Commission Decision 2003/11/EC (%), as required in order to obtain a financial contribution from the Community for the eradication of the disease in accordance with Decision 90/424/EEC. Foot-and-month disease represents a serious danger to Community stocks. Accordingly, in order to prevent the spread of that disease and contribute to its eradication, the Community should contribute to eligible expendi- tures incurred by the United Kingdom. Accordingly, it is appropriate that a financial contribution from the Community should be granted to the United Kingdom 224, 18.8.1990, p. 19. 122,16.5.2003, p. 1. () oL () OJL () OJ L 315, 26.11.1985, p. 11. () OJL 7,11.1.2003, p. 82. (4) 0) () 0 0J ) 0J under the provisions of Decision 90/424/EEC in order to cover the costs related to the outbreak of foot-and- month disease in 2001. Under Commission Decisions 2001/654/EC () and 2003/23[EC (*), a Community financial contribution was granted towards the compensation of owners for value of animals compulsorily slaughtered under eradication measures relating to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001. A financial contribution from the Community should also be granted towards the opera- tional costs associated with the slaughter of those animals and toward other costs directly linked to other eradication measures. Pursuant to Article 3(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1258/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the financing of the common agriculture policy (), veterinary and plant health measures undertaken in accordance with Commu- nity rules are to be financed under the Guarantee Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund; Articles 8 and 9 of that Regulation are to apply for financial control purposes. The United Kingdom introduced on 27 February 2003 a claim for the reimbursement of other costs related to the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001. It was provided in computerised form in line with the format already established by Decision 2003/182/EC of 14 March 2003, on a financial contribution from the Community towards the operational costs of the eradica- tion of foot-and-mouth disease in the Netherlands in L 230, 28.8.2001, p. 16. L 8, 14.1.2003, p. 41. L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103.