Article 2

To be eligible under the quota provided for in Article 1, applicants must be natural or legal persons and must prove to the satisfaction of the competent authorities of the Member State concerned, at the time they submit their applications for import licences, that they have imported at least 100 animals covered by CN code 0102 90 during the year 2003.

Applicants must be listed in a national VAT register.

Operators in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia may apply for import licences on the basis of the imports referred to in paragraph 1 from countries which for them were third countries in the year 2003.

Proof of import shall be furnished exclusively by means of the customs document of release for free circulation, duly endorsed by the customs authorities and containing a reference to the applicant concerned as being the consignee.

Member States may accept copies of the documents referred to in the first subparagraph, duly certified by the competent authority. Where such copies are accepted, notification hereof shall be made in the communication from Member States referred to in Article 3(5) in respect of each applicant concerned.

Operators who at 1 January 2004 have ceased their activities in trade with third countries in the beef and veal sector shall not qualify for any application.

A company formed by the merger of companies each having reference imports complying with the minimum quantity referred to in paragraph 1 may use those reference imports as a basis for its application.