Article 3 Issue of licences

By 20 October 2006 at the latest, Member States shall notify the Commission by fax or electronic mail of the licence applications lodged under this Regulation, specifying the names of the applicants and the quantities applied for by each one.

The Commission shall decide within three working days following the date referred to in paragraph 1 to what extent licence applications may be accepted and shall inform the Member States of its decision. Where in total less than six valid applications have been lodged, no applications shall be accepted and Article 4 shall apply.

Where the total quantity covered by licence applications exceeds the quantity referred to in Article 1, the Commission shall apply an allocation coefficient to the quantities applied for. In that case, the part of the security corresponding to the quantities not allocated shall be released.

Licences shall only be issued to applicants whose licence applications have been notified under paragraph 1. The issue of such licences shall be made no more than two working days after the Member States have been informed of the decision referred to in paragraph 2.