Article 4

For the purposes of application of Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1301/2006, applicants for import rights shall demonstrate that a quantity of beef falling under CN codes 0201, 0202, 0206 10 95 or 0206 29 91 has been imported by them or on their behalf under the relevant customs provisions, between 1 May 2006 and 30 April 2007 (hereinafter ‘reference quantity’).

A company formed by the merger of companies each having imported reference quantities may use those reference quantities as basis for its application.

In case where the reference quantity relates to imports into Bulgaria and Romania before 31 December 2006 the applicants for import rights shall demonstrate that the imports originated from establishments and third countries or parts of third countries referred to in Article 9 of Decision 79/542/EEC, in Article 8(1) of Directive 2002/99/EC and in Articles 11 and 12 of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004.

The competent national authorities shall decide what is acceptable documentary evidence of compliance with the condition provided for in the first subparagraph.