Article 2

The competent authority shall acknowledge receipt of the request and verify compliance with the conditions laid down in Article 1 of Regulation (EEC) No 2055/93.

The criteria to be taken into account when establishing a producer's ability to increase output on his holding up to the amount of the special reference quantity applied for shall include, in particular:

• the quantity of milk marketed before 1 April 1993 in excess of the reference quantity allocated to the producer,

• the number and breed of female domestic bovine animals at least six months old, suitable for producing milk for marketing, kept by the producer on the holding at the time of the request,

• the holding's area under forage within the meaning of Article 1 (1) (d) of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1391/78^f1,

• the investment carried out with a view to increasing milk production on the holding.

Before 1 March 1994 the competent authority shall notify the producer of the special reference quantity allocated to him, calculated in accordance with Article 1 (2) of Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) No 2055/93, as appropriate.