Commission supports Member States’ bluetongue fight with additional €100 million
This article was originally published in SRA
The European Commission has announced a proposal to allocate in 2009 additional funding of approximately €100m to support EU Member States in their fight against bluetongue. The money will be spent on co-financing the administration of vaccines against the disease, covering up to 50% of Member States’ related costs.
Bluetongue is an insect-transmitted, viral disease that affected thousands of animals across 11 Member States in 2007. Vaccination is perceived as one of the most effective ways of controlling or even eradicating the disease and has proven successful in a number of European countries affected, including Italy, Spain, France and Portugal.
The Commission announced its commitment to increase the funding in an amending letter to the 2009 budget. Subject to an assessment of the Member States’ actual needs and absorption capacity, the additional resources will increase the total amount likely to be allocated to assist the 2009 bluetongue vaccination upwards to €160 million. Earlier this year, the Commission proposed in the 2009 preliminary draft budget to allocate €60 million to co-finance the purchase of vaccines and surveillance of the insects that carry the bluetongue virus.
The total financial resources allocated by the Commission to fight bluetongue in 2008 and 2009 will now exceed €300m. Commenting on the Commission proposal to increase funding, European Commissioner for Health Androulla Vassiliou said: “Bluetongue has been causing serious concern to farmers and Member State authorities. It now affects large parts of the EU. Extensive vaccination will contain the disease and reduce its prevalence and its effects…The total funding which is expected to exceed € 300 million indicates the Commission’s strong determination to decisively support Member States’ efforts to combat bluetongue”.
The amending letter to the 2009 budget will now be forwarded to the European Parliament and the Council, the agreement of which will be required in order to release the additional funds.