Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/159 of 4 February 2016 laying down the procedures for the submission of applications for grants and requests for payment, and the information relating thereto, in respect of the emergency measures against plant pests referred to in Regulation (EU) No 652/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (notified under document C(2016) 524)

In order to be granted a financial contribution of the Union the Member States shall provide, within 2 months from the official confirmation of the presence of a pest referred to in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No 652/2014, preliminary information concerning the outbreak of the pest. The notifications to the Commission as described in Articles 1 and 2 of Implementing Decision 2014/917/EU are considered as such preliminary information. No later than 6 months after the official confirmation of the presence of the pest, Member States shall submit to the Commission an application for a grant pursuant to Article 16(1) of Regulation (EU) No 652/2014 by means of an electronic file, in accordance with the template set out in Annex I to this Decision. The application shall contain the following information: (a) the estimated operational costs as referred to in Article 18(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 652/2014; (b) the estimated costs of service contracts with third parties as referred to in Article 18(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 652/2014; (c) the estimated costs of compensation to owners and the operators as referred to in Article 18(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) No 652/2014; (d) where applicable, the estimated other costs essential for the eradication of the pest as referred to in Article 18(1)(e) of Regulation (EU) No 652/2014, together with an appropriate justification. Every 3 months after the submission of the information referred to in the second paragraph, Member States shall submit updated information on the costs referred to in that paragraph. Applications for a grant on the estimated cost essential for the eradication and/or containment of a pest for which an application was already sent in previous calendar years, should contain the updated version of Annex I to this decision.

Within 6 months of the end date fixed in the annual financing decision or the confirmation of the completion of the eradication and/or containment of the pest, whichever is earlier, Member States shall submit to the Commission: (a) the request for payment for the eligible costs incurred, using an electronic file in accordance with the template set out in Annex II to this Decision; (b) a technical report in accordance with Annex III to this Decision.

Where the amounts of the estimated costs or the expenditure incurred by a Member State are in a currency other than the euro, the Member State concerned shall convert them into euro by applying the most recent exchange rate set by the European Central Bank prior to the first day of the month in which the application for a grant is submitted by the Member State.

This Decision shall apply with respect to pest outbreaks notified to the Commission as of 1 January 2016.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.