Brussels, 30/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Spanish, Luxembourg and Dutch agriculture ministers called, on Monday 29 September in Brussels, for a large-scale European vaccination programme to be set in place against bluetongue. These countries request that the programme be financed under the same conditions as in 2008, namely with full reimbursement from the Community budget. Their call was relayed by the German, Austrian, Bulgarian, Czech, Finnish, Irish, Italian, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian and Slovakian delegations.
According to Community legislation, Community financial participation is, in the case of emergency, 100% of supplies of vaccine and 50% of costs involved for carrying out vaccination. Androulla Vassiliou, Health Commissioner, confirmed that, as of 2009, these vaccination programmes will no longer be considered emergency intervention. Community co-funding will be limited to 50% of vaccine supplies. She recalled that Community participation rose to €136 million in 2008. (L.C./transl.jl)