Article 2

Without prejudice to the obligation laid down in Article 8 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 of the Council^f1 for Member States to prevent and prosecute any irregularity, Regulation (EC) No 1469/95 shall apply only to cases of irregularity which concern or would concern, alone or in combination with other irregularities committed by the same operator over a period of one year, an amount exceeding ECU 100 000.

The period of one year referred to in paragraph 1 shall start to run on the date on which the first irregularity was committed.