For avian influenza, the Union grants financial assistance to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), New Haw, Weybridge, United Kingdom, to carry out the functions and duties set out in Annex VII to Directive 2005/94/EC.The Union’s financial assistance shall be at the rate of 100 % of the eligible costs as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1754/2006 to be incurred by that laboratory for the work programme and shall amount to a maximum of EUR 380000 for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2010.