In conclusions adopted on 26 June on EU co-financing of phytosanitary and veterinary programmes and emergency measures, the Council of the European Union invites the European Commission to consider, while respecting the ceilings of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework, a level and method of funding for phytosanitary and veterinary programmes and emergency measures that meet certain conditions.
This funding should be “commensurate” with the resources needed to achieve the objectives of the plant and animal health regime, offer sufficient flexibility to take account of crisis situations resulting from sudden outbreaks of plant pests and animal diseases, and take account of the significant increase in staff costs and laboratory analysis costs that have been reported.
The Commission is also asked to study ways of improving the management of phytosanitary and veterinary programmes and emergency measures co-financed by the EU, and to reduce the administrative burden.
The Union’s annual co-financing rate for phytosanitary and veterinary programmes and emergency measures has been reduced by 60% for the period 2023-2027 due to the reallocation of the budget previously allocated to these programmes in order to tackle unforeseen health crises.
The Council considers that the reduction in the scope (eligible pests/diseases) and in the rate of co-financing by the Union, combined with the increase in costs, has “affected the capacity of phytosanitary and veterinary services to implement effective surveillance to achieve the objectives of prevention and early detection”.
Link to the conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/cy7 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)