09/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has increased the advance payment decided in September 2003 to eradicate avian flu in the Netherlands from EUR 10 million to EUR 40 million. Advances of EUR 1.25 million decided the following month in favour of Belgium were increased to 3 million. The Commission points out that the additional advance will better cover the EU contribution to the compensation of the owners of the culled animals and the destroyed eggs due to avian influenza outbreaks in the first half of 2003. It stresses that it is today possible to estimate with a greater degree of certainty how much compensation will be payable. This was not the case when the first advance was decided. The Commission, moreover, will pay an advance of EUR 135,000 in favour of Germany to reimburse compensation paid to farmers for slaughtering animals and destroying eggs after the single outbreak of avian influenz in May 2003. The final and total amount of the EU contribution (50% of the total) to the three Member States will only be fixed after they have introduced their official and final claims and after the Commission has carried out financial and veterinary inspections.