Decision 2003/126/EC, is amended as follows:
1. Article 4(2) is replaced by:
"2. The financial assistance is hereby set at a maximum of EUR 77000 for the period 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003."
2. Article 6(2) is replaced by:
"2. The financial assistance is hereby set at a maximum of EUR 556500 for the period 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003.
Within the maximum referred to in the first subparagraph and without prejudice to the time limits laid down in Article 2 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 324/2003, an amount of EUR 170000 shall be reserved for the project to the development of guidelines for evaluation of BSE status of countries using surveillance data in conjunction with exposure risk assessment and shall be granted to the Community reference laboratory for TSEs subject to:
(a) forwarding monthly intermediate reports on the progress of the project;
(b) forwarding a final report by 30 September 2003 at the latest;
(c) forwarding a final summary report, including the software for conducting evaluations accompanied by justifying evidence as to the costs incurred, by 31 December 2003.
Within the maximum referred to in the first subparagraph and without prejudice to the time limits laid down in Article 2 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 324/2003, an amount of EUR 26500 shall be reserved to conduct a comparative testing of the three rapid tests approved in 1999 and shall be granted to the Community reference laboratory for TSEs subject to forwarding a summary report accompanied by justifying evidence as to the costs incurred."