Commission Regulation (EC) No 796/2004 (repealed)Show full title

TITLE IIU.K.AID APPLICATIONS

CHAPTER IU.K.THE SINGLE APPLICATION

Article 11U.K.Date of submission of the single application

[F11. A farmer applying for aid under any of the area-related aid schemes may only submit one single application per year.

[F2A farmer who does not apply for aid under any of the area-related aid schemes but applies for aid under another aid scheme listed in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 or for support pursuant to Articles 11, 12 and 98 of Regulation (EC) No 479/2008 shall, if he has agricultural area as defined in Article 2(h) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 at his disposal, submit a single application form in which he shall list these areas in accordance with Article 14 of this Regulation.]

A farmer who is only subject to cross-compliance obligations in accordance with Articles 20 and 103 of Regulation (EC) No 479/2008 shall submit a single application form in each calendar year in which those obligations apply.

However, Member States may exempt farmers from the obligations provided for in the second and third subparagraphs where the information concerned is made available to the competent authorities in the framework of other administration and control systems that guarantee compatibility with the integrated system in accordance with Article 26 of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003.]

2.[F3The single application shall be submitted by a date to be fixed by the Member States which shall not be later than 15 May. However, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and Sweden may fix a later date which shall not be later than 15 June.]

In accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 144 (2) of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, it may be allowed to postpone the dates referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph in certain zones where exceptional climatic conditions render the normal dates inapplicable.

When fixing that date, Member States shall take into account the period required for all relevant data to be available for the proper administrative and financial management of the aid and shall ensure that effective controls may be scheduled, in particular considering the date to be fixed in accordance with Article 44 (3) of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003.

3.Where more than one Paying Agency is responsible with regard to the same farmer for the management of aid schemes subjected to the submission of a single application, the Member State concerned shall take the appropriate measures to ensure that the information requested in this Article is being made available to all Paying Agencies involved.

Article 12U.K.Contents of the single application

1.The single application shall contain all information necessary to establish eligibility for the aid, in particular:

(a)the identity of the farmer;

(b)the aid scheme or schemes concerned;

[F2(c) the identification of the payment entitlements in accordance with the identification and registration system provided for in Article 7 for the purposes of the single payment scheme;]

(d)particulars permitting identification of all agricultural parcels on the holding, their area expressed in hectares to two decimal places, their location and, where applicable, their use and whether the agricultural parcel is irrigated;

[F4(e) where appropriate, the olive area expressed in olive GIS-ha, in accordance with points 2 and 3 of Annex XXIV to Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004;

(f) a statement by the farmer that he is aware of the conditions pertaining to the aid schemes in question.]

[F22. For the purpose of the identification of the payment entitlements referred to in paragraph 1(c), the pre-established forms provided to the farmer in accordance with Article 19(2) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 shall mention the identification of the payment entitlements in accordance with the identification and registration system provided for in Article 7.]

[F43. [F2For the purpose of the identification of all agricultural parcels on the holding referred to in paragraph 1(d), the pre-established forms provided to the farmer in accordance with Article 19(2) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 shall mention the maximum eligible area per reference parcel for the purposes of the single payment scheme or the single area payment scheme.] Moreover, the graphical material supplied to the farmer in accordance with that provision shall indicate the boundaries of the reference parcels and their unique identification and the farmer shall indicate the location of each agricultural parcel.

[F5In the Member States which include the geographical information system for olive cultivation in the identification system for the agricultural parcels referred to in Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the graphic material supplied to the farmer as regards olive parcels shall include for each olive parcel the number of eligible olive trees and their positioning in the parcel as well as the olive area expressed in olive GIS-ha in accordance with point 3 of Annex XXIV of Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004.]

In the case of an application for aid for olive groves provided for in Chapter 10b of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the graphical material supplied to the farmer shall include for each olive parcel:

(a) the number of non eligible olive trees and their positioning in the parcel;

(b) the olive area expressed in olive GIS-ha, in accordance with point 2 of Annex XXIV to Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004;

(c) the category under which aid is claimed, as established in accordance with Article 110i(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003;

(d) where appropriate, an indication that the parcel is covered by a programme approved by the Commission as referred to in Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1638/98 (1) , and the number of olive trees concerned and their positioning in the parcel.

4. When submitting the application form, the farmer shall correct the pre-printed form referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 if any amendments, in particular transfers of payment entitlements in accordance with Article 46 of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, have occurred or if any of the information contained in the pre-printed forms is incorrect.

[F6If the correction relates to the reference parcel area, the farmer shall declare the up-to-date area of each agricultural parcel concerned and where necessary indicate the new boundaries of the reference parcel.] However, where the positioning of olive trees indicated in the graphical material is incorrect, the farmer shall not be obliged to indicate the resulting correct size of the area expressed in olive GIS-ha but shall only indicate the actual position of the trees.]

Article 13U.K.Specific requirements pertaining to the single application

[F71. In the case where a farmer intends to produce hemp in accordance with Article 52 of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 or hemp grown for fibre as referred to in Article 106 of that Regulation, the single application shall contain:

(a) all information required for the identification of the parcels sown in hemp, indicating the varieties of seed used;

(b) an indication as to the quantities of the seeds used (kg per hectare);

(c) the official labels used on the packaging of the seeds in accordance with Council Directive 2002/57/EC (2) , and in particular Article 12 thereof.

By way of derogation from point (c) of the first subparagraph, where sowing takes place after the deadline for submitting the single application, the labels shall be submitted by 30 June at the latest. Where the labels also have to be submitted to other national authorities, the Member States may provide for those labels to be returned to the farmer once they have been submitted in accordance with that point. The labels returned shall be marked as used for an application.

In the case where an application for aid for arable crops area payments in accordance with Chapter 10 of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 contains a declaration of cultivation of flax and hemp grown for fibre as referred to in Article 106 of that Regulation, the single application shall contain a copy of the contract or commitment referred to in that Article, unless the Member State has provided that that copy may be submitted by a later date, which shall not be later than 15 September.]

[F22. In the case of set-aside land used in accordance with the first indent of Article 107(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the single application shall contain the necessary proof required under the applicable sectoral rules.]

3.In the case of an application for aid for the specific quality premium for durum wheat provided for in Chapter I of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and for the durum wheat supplement and special aid provided for in Article 105 of that Regulation, the single application shall contain a proof, pursuant to the rules to be established by the Member State, that the minimum quantity of certified seeds for durum wheat has been used.

4.In the case of an application for the crop specific payment for rice provided for in Chapter 3 of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the single application shall contain a specification of the variety of rice sown and an identification of the respective parcels.

[F85. In the case of an application for an area payment for nuts as provided for in Chapter 4 of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the single application shall contain the number of nut trees by species.]

[F66. In the case of an application for energy crops provided for in Chapter 5 of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the single application shall contain a copy of the contract the applicant has concluded with a collector or a first processor pursuant to Article 25 of Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004 or, in case of application of Article 33(2) of that Regulation, a written declaration in accordance with that Article.]

7.In the case of an application for aid for starch potato provided for in Chapter 6 of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the single application shall contain a copy of the cultivation contract; however, Member States may provide that that copy may be submitted by a later date which shall not be later than 30 June.

8.In the case of an application for seed aid provided for in Chapter 9 of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the single application shall contain:

(a)a copy of the growing contract or growing declaration; however, Member States may provide that that copy may be submitted by a later date which shall not be later than 15 September;

(b)an indication of the species of seeds sown on each parcel;

(c)an indication of the quantity of certified seed produced, expressed in quintals to one decimal point; however, Member States may provide that that information may be submitted by a later date which shall not be later than 15 June of the year following the harvest;

(d)a copy of the supporting documents showing that the quantities of seed referred to have been officially certified; however, Member States may provide that that information may be submitted by a later date which shall not be later than [F315 June] of the year following the harvest.

[F99. In the case of an application for the additional hops aid provided for in Article 68a of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the single application shall contain an indication of the respective areas.]

[F1010. In the case of an application for the specific payment for cotton provided for in Chapter 10a of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the single application shall contain:

(a) the name of the variety of cotton seed used;

(b) where appropriate, the name and address of the approved inter-branch organisation of which the farmer is a member.

11. In the case of an application for the aid for olive groves provided for in Chapter 10b of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the single application shall, for each olive parcel, contain the number and the positioning in the parcel:

(a) of the olive trees grubbed and replaced;

(b) of the olive trees grubbed and not replaced;

(c) of supplementary olive trees planted.

12. In the case of an application for the tobacco aid provided for in Chapter 10c of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, the single application shall contain:

(a) a copy of the cultivation contract referred to in Article 110k(c) of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 or a reference to its registration number;

(b) an indication of the tobacco variety grown on each agricultural parcel;

(c) a copy of the supporting control certificate issued by the competent authority indicating the quantity of dried tobacco leafs which has been delivered to the first processor, expressed in kilogram.

Member States may provide that the information referred to in point (c) may be submitted separately by a later date which shall not be later than 15 May of the year following the harvest.]

F1113.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F1213a. In case of application for transitional fruit and vegetables payments provided for in Chapter 10g of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 or application for transitional soft fruit payments provided for in Chapter 10h of that Title, the single application shall contain a copy of the contract for processing or the commitment to supply pursuant to Article 171db of Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004.

Member States may provide that the information in the first subparagraph may be submitted separately by a later date which shall not be later than 1 December the year of the application.]

[F1314. The information required in the supporting documents set out in this Article may, when possible, be requested directly from the source of the information by the competent authority.]

Article 14U.K.General rules pertaining to the single application and declarations in relation to particular uses of area

1.[F2Uses of area referred to in Articles 6(2) and 38 of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 and those listed in Annex VI to that Regulation, as well as areas used for the production of flax grown for fibre or areas declared for the specific support provided for under Article 68 of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, where those areas do not have to be declared in accordance with Article 13 of this Regulation, shall be declared under a separate heading in the single application form.]

[F9Moreover, in the case where a Member State makes use of the option under Article 68a of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 to make a payment to recognised producer groups referred to in the second paragraph of that Article the farmer shall declare his agricultural parcels used for the cultivation of hops also under a separate heading in the single application form. In that case the farmer shall also indicate in the single application form his membership in the producer group concerned.]

[F14Uses of area neither for the purposes of the aid schemes provided for in Titles III, IV and IVa of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 nor listed in Annex V to that Regulation shall be declared under one or more ‘ other uses ’ headings.]

Member States may provide that the first and second subparagraphs shall not apply where the information concerned is made available to the competent authorities in the framework of other administration and control systems that guarantee compatibility with the integrated system in accordance with Article 26 of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003.

[F91a. If, for a given year, a farmer does not declare all the areas referred to in paragraph 1 and the difference between the overall area declared in the single application on the one hand and the area declared plus the overall area of the parcels not declared, on the other, is more than 3 % of the area declared, the overall amount of direct payments payable to that farmer for that year shall be reduced by up to 3 % depending on the severity of the omission.

[F15The first subparagraph shall also, where the farmer is subject to cross-compliance obligations in accordance with Articles 20 and 103 of Regulation (EC) No 479/2008, apply to payments provided for under Articles 11, 12 and 98 of that Regulation. The percentage of the reduction shall apply to the total amount to be paid divided by the number of years referred to in Articles 20 and 103 of the same Regulation.] ]

2.For the first year of application of the single payment scheme the Member States may derogate from the provisions of Articles 12 and 13 if the payment entitlements are not yet definitively established at the latest date fixed for the submission of the single application.

[F14Member States may, under the same conditions, also allow changes regarding the use or aid scheme in respect of individual agricultural parcels already declared in the single application.

The derogations provided for in the first and second subparagraphs shall also apply with regard to the first year when new sectors are introduced into the single payment scheme and the payment entitlements are not yet definitively established for the farmers concerned by this introduction.]

3.Member States may decide that all applications for aid under Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 shall be covered by the single application. In that case, Chapters II and III of this Title shall apply mutatis mutandis in respect of the particular requirements established in view of the application for aid under those schemes.

4.Each Member State shall determine the minimum size of agricultural parcels in respect of which an application may be made. However, the minimum size may not exceed 0,3 ha.

Article 15U.K.Amendments to the single applications

1.After the expiry of the time limit for the submission of the single application, individual agricultural parcels, as the case may be, accompanied by the corresponding payment entitlements, not yet declared in the single application for the purposes of any of the area-related aid schemes, may be added in the single application provided that the requirements under the aid schemes concerned are respected.

[F14Changes regarding the use or aid scheme in respect of individual agricultural parcels or in respect of payment entitlements already declared in the single application may be made under the same conditions.

[F6Where the amendments referred to in the first and second subparagraphs have a bearing on any supporting documents or contracts to be submitted, the related amendments to such documents or contracts shall also be allowed.] ]

[F32. Without prejudice to the dates fixed by Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland or Sweden for the submission of the single application in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 11(2), amendments made in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article shall be notified to the competent authority in writing by 31 May of the calendar year concerned at the latest, except in the case of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and Sweden where they shall be notified by 15 June of the calendar year concerned at the latest.]

[ F16. . . . .]

3.Where the competent authority has already informed the farmer of irregularities in the single application or where it has given notice to the farmer of its intention to carry out an on-the-spot check and where that on-the-spot check reveals irregularities, [X1amendments in accordance with paragraph 1 shall not be authorised] in respect of the agricultural parcels affected by the irregularities.

[F9CHAPTER Ia U.K. AID APPLICATIONS FOR HOPS PAYMENTS BY RECOGNISED PRODUCER GROUPS

Article 15a U.K. Aid application

An aid application of producer groups applying for aid in accordance with Article 171 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004 (3) shall contain all information necessary to establish eligibility for the aid, and in particular:

The producer group may only declare agricultural parcels used for the cultivation of hops and which were declared, in the same calendar year, by the members of the producer group in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 14(1) of this Regulation.

The Member States may simplify the application procedure by sending to the producer group a pre-printed application form listing all the parcels declared for that purpose by their respective members in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 14(1) of this Regulation.]

CHAPTER IIU.K.LIVESTOCK AID APPLICATIONS

Article 16U.K.Requirements pertaining to livestock aid applications

1.A livestock aid application shall contain all information necessary to establish eligibility for the aid, and in particular:

(a)the identity of the farmer;

(b)a reference to the single application if it has already been submitted;

(c)the number of animals of each type in respect of which any aid is applied for and, for bovines, the identification code of the animals;

(d)where applicable, an undertaking by the farmer to keep the animals referred to in point (c) on his holding during the retention period and information on the location or locations where the animals will be held including the period or periods concerned;

(e)where applicable, the individual limit or individual ceiling for the animals concerned;

[F14(f) where applicable, the individual milk reference quantity available to the farmer on 31 March or, if the Member State concerned decides to make use of the derogation provided for in Article 130 of Regulation (EC) No 1973/2004, on 1 April of the calendar year concerned; where this quantity is unknown on the date on which the application is submitted, it shall be notified to the competent authority at the earliest opportunity;]

(g)a statement by the farmer that he is aware of the conditions pertaining to the aid in question.

If the animal is moved to another location during the retention period the farmer shall inform the competent authority in writing in advance.

2.Member States shall guarantee every animal keeper the right to obtain from the competent authority without constraint, at reasonable intervals and without excessive delay, information on the data relating to him and his animals kept in the computerised database for bovine animals. When submitting his aid application, the farmer shall declare that that data is correct and complete or he shall rectify incorrect data or add missing data.

3.Member States may decide that some of the information referred to in paragraph 1 need not be included in the aid application, where it has already been communicated to the competent authority.

Member States may in particular introduce procedures by which data contained in the computerised database for bovine animals may be used for the purposes of the aid application, provided that the computerised database for bovine animals offers the level of assurance and implementation necessary for the proper management of the aid schemes involved. Such procedures may consist of a system according to which a farmer may apply for aid in respect of all animals which, at a date to be determined by the Member State, qualify for aid on the basis of the data contained in the computerised database for bovine animals. In that case, Member States shall take the necessary measures to guarantee that:

(a)in accordance with the provisions applicable to the aid scheme in question, the starting and end dates of the relevant retention periods are clearly identified and known to the farmer;

(b)the farmer is aware that any animals found not to be correctly identified or registered in the system for the identification and registration for bovine animals shall count as animals found with irregularities as referred to in Article 59.

As regards the suckler cow premium in accordance with Article 125 of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, irregularities found with regard to the system for the identification and registration of bovine animals shall be allocated proportionately between the number of animals needed to receive the premium and the animals needed for the supply of milk or milk products pursuant to Article 125(2)(b) of that Regulation. However, such irregularities shall first be allocated to the number of animals not needed within the individual limits or ceilings referred to in Article 125(2)(b) and Article 126.

4.Member States may provide that some of the information referred to in paragraph 1 can or shall be forwarded via a body or bodies approved by them. However, the farmer shall remain responsible for the data transmitted.

CHAPTER IIIU.K.AID APPLICATION FOR THE DAIRY PREMIUM AND THE ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS

Article 17U.K.Requirements pertaining to aid applications for the dairy premium and additional payments

Each milk producer applying for the dairy premium and additional payments provided for in Chapter 7 of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 shall submit an aid application containing all information necessary to establish eligibility for the aid, and in particular:

The aid application shall be submitted by a date to be determined by the Member States which shall not be later than 15 May and, in the case of Finland and Sweden, 15 June.

[F7CHAPTER IIIa U.K. [F17AID FOR SUGAR BEET AND CANE PRODUCERS, SEPARATE SUGAR PAYMENT AND SEPARATE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES PAYMENT]

Article 17a U.K. [F17Requirements pertaining to aid applications for the aid for sugar beet and cane producers, the separate sugar payment and the separate fruit and vegetables payment]

1. [F17Farmers applying for the aid for sugar beet and cane producers provided for in Chapter 10f of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, farmers applying for the separate sugar payment provided for in Article 143ba of that Regulation and farmers applying for the separate fruit and vegetables payment provided for in Article 143bb of that Regulation shall submit an aid application containing all information necessary to establish eligibility for the aid, and in particular:]

(a) the identity of the farmer;

(b) a statement by the farmer that he is aware of the conditions pertaining to the aid in question.

The application for the aid to sugar beet and cane producers shall also contain a copy of the delivery contract referred to in Article 110r of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003.

[F172. The aid application for the aid for sugar beet and cane producers, the separate sugar payment or the separate fruit and vegetables payment respectively shall be submitted by a date to be determined by the Member States which shall not be later than 15 May and, in the case of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, not later than 15 June.

[F18Member States may provide that the copy of the delivery contract referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 1 may be submitted separately by a later date which shall not be later than 1 December of the year of the application.] ] ]

CHAPTER IVU.K.COMMON PROVISIONS

Article 18U.K.Simplification of procedures

1.Without prejudice to any specific provisions of this Regulation and of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, Member States may permit or require that any kind of communications under this Regulation both from the farmer to the authorities and vice versa be made by electronic means. In that case, appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure in particular that:

(a)the farmer is unambiguously identified;

(b)the farmer complies with all requirements under the aid scheme concerned;

(c)the transmitted data is reliable in view of the proper management of the aid scheme concerned; where use is made of the data contained in the computerised database for bovine animals, that database shall offer the level of assurance and implementation necessary for the proper management of the aid schemes involved;

(d)where accompanying documents cannot be transmitted electronically, such documents are received by the competent authorities within the same time limits as in the case of transmission by non-electronic means;

(e)there is no discrimination between farmers using non-electronic means of submission and those opting for electronic transmission.

2.With regard to the submission of aid applications, Member States may, under the conditions provided in paragraph 1(a) to (e), provide for simplified procedures where data is already available to the authorities, in particular where the situation has not changed since the latest submission of an aid application under the aid scheme concerned.

Article 19U.K.Adjustments of obvious errors

Without prejudice to Articles 11 to 18, an aid application may be adjusted at any time after its submission, in cases of obvious errors recognised by the competent authority.

[F2Article 20 U.K. Derogation from the final date for the submission of aid applications, supporting documents, contracts and declarations and the latest date for amendments to the single application

By way of derogation from Article 5(1) of Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 1182/71 (4) , where the latest date for the submission of an aid application or any supporting documents, contracts or declarations under this Title, or the latest date for amendments to the single application, is a public holiday, a Saturday or a Sunday, it shall be deemed to fall on the first following working day.

The first paragraph shall also apply with regard to applications by farmers to the single payment scheme in accordance with Article 56 of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009.]

Article 21U.K.Late submission

1.Except in cases of force majeure and exceptional circumstances as referred to in Article 72, the submission of an aid application pursuant to this Regulation after the relevant time limit shall lead to a 1 % reduction per working day in the amounts to which the farmer would have been entitled if the application had been lodged within the time limit.

Without prejudice to any particular measures to be taken by the Member States with regard to the need for the submission of any supporting documents in due time to allow effective controls to be scheduled and carried out, the first subparagraph shall also apply with regard to documents, contracts or declarations to be submitted to the competent authority in accordance with Articles 12 and 13 where such documents, contracts or declarations are constitutive for the eligibility for the aid in question. In that case, the reduction shall be applied on the amount payable for the aid concerned.

If the delay amounts to more than 25 calendar days the application shall be considered inadmissible.

2.The submission of an amendment to a single application after the latest date as provided for in Article 15(2) shall lead to a 1 % reduction per working day in the amounts relating to the actual use of the agricultural parcels concerned.

Amendments to a single application shall only be admissible until the latest date for a late submission of a single application as specified in the third subparagraph of paragraph 1. However, where that date is earlier than, or the same as, the latest date provided for in Article 15(2), amendments to a single application shall be considered inadmissible after the date provided for in [F3Article 15(2)].

F193.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F9Article 21a U.K. Late submission of an application to the single payment scheme

1. [F2Without prejudice to cases of force majeure and exceptional circumstances referred to in Article 56(2) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 and by way of derogation from Article 21 of this Regulation, in the first year of the application of the single payment scheme in accordance with Chapter 3 of Title III of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, where, in the Member State concerned, an application for the allocation of entitlements in accordance with Article 56(1) of that Regulation and the single application for that year have to be submitted together by the farmer and where the farmer submits those applications after the relevant time limit, a 4 % reduction per working day shall be applied to the amounts to be paid in that year in respect of the payment entitlements to be allocated to the farmer.]

If such delay exceeds 25 calendar days, the application shall be considered inadmissible and no payment entitlements shall be allocated to the farmer.

2. Where, in the Member State concerned, the application to the single payment scheme and the single application have to be submitted independently from each other, Article 21 shall apply with regard to the submission of the single application.

[F2In that case, without prejudice to cases of force majeure and exceptional circumstances referred to in Article 56(2) of Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, the submission of an application to the single payment scheme in accordance with that Article after the relevant time limit shall lead to a 3 % reduction per working day in the amounts to be paid in the first year of the application of the single payment scheme in respect of the payment entitlements to be allocated to the farmer.]

If the delay exceeds 25 calendar days, the application shall be considered inadmissible and no payment entitlements shall be allocated to the farmer.

[F203. Paragraphs 1 and 2 shall also apply in the first year of the inclusion of new sectors into the single payment scheme in respect of applications of farmers concerning their participation in such sectors.

[F18The application for participation referred to in the first subparagraph shall be submitted by a date to be fixed by the Member State which shall not be later than 15 May of the year in question.] ] ]

Article 22U.K.Withdrawal of aid applications

1.An aid application may be totally or partially withdrawn at any time in writing.

In the case where a Member State makes use of the possibilities provided for in the second subparagraph of Article 16(3), that Member State may provide that the notifications to the computerised database for bovine animals of an animal that has left the holding may substitute a withdrawal in writing.

However, where the competent authority has already informed the farmer of irregularities in the aid application or where the competent authority has given notice to the farmer of its intention to carry out an on-the-spot check and where that on-the-spot check reveals irregularities, withdrawals shall not be authorised in respect of the parts of the aid application affected by the irregularities.

2.Withdrawals in accordance with paragraph 1 shall put the claimant into the position he was in before he submitted the aid application or part of the aid application in question.