STATEMENT BY THE COMMISSION
on the procedures for the approval of veterinary and phytosanitary programmes
In order to better inform the Member States, the Commission will arrange an annual meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed which shall focus on the outcome of the evaluation procedure of programmes. That meeting will take place no later than 30 November of the year preceding the implementation of the programmes.
In connection with that meeting, the Commission will present the list of the programmes technically approved and proposed for co-financing. Both financial and technical details will be discussed with the national delegations, and their comments will be considered.
In addition, before taking its final decision thereon, the Commission will, during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed in January, communicate to the Member States the final list of programmes selected for co-financing and the final amount allocated to each programme.
Preparatory work for the design of the work programme for the implementation of the measures referred to in Articles 9, 19 and 25 will be carried out with experts of Member States in early February of each year in order to give Member States the relevant information to establish the eradication and surveillance programmes.