Article 4Applications for aid

1.

An operator seeking aid shall lodge an application with the competent authorities of the Member States where the products are stored.

2.

Operators applying for aid shall be established and registered for VAT purposes in the Union.

3.

Applications for aid may be lodged as from the date of entry into force of this Regulation. The last date for the submission of applications shall be 15 January 2016.

4.

Applications for aid shall relate to products which have been fully placed in storage.

5.

Applications shall be lodged using the method made available to the operators by the Member State concerned.

The competent authorities of the Member States may require that electronic applications be accompanied by an advance electronic signature within the meaning of point 2 of Article 2 of Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council4 or by an electronic signature offering equivalent assurances with regard to the functionalities attributed to a signature by applying the same rules and conditions as those defined in the Commission's provisions on electronic and digitised documents, set out in Commission Decision 2004/563/EC, Euratom5, and in its implementing rules.

6.

Application shall only be admissible if the following conditions are met:

(a)

it indicates a reference to this Regulation;

(b)

it indicates the identification data of the applicants name, address and the VAT registration number;

(c)

it indicates the product with its relevant 6-digit CN code;

(d)

it indicates the quantity of products at the time of the application;

(e)

it indicates the name and address of the storage place, the storage lot number and the approval number identifying the factory;

(f)

it does not include any additional conditions introduced by the applicant other than those laid down in this Regulation;

(g)

it is presented in the official language, or one of the official languages of the Member State in which the application is lodged;

(h)

the applicant has lodged a security amounting 20 EUR per tonne in favour of the relevant paying agency in accordance with Section 2 of Chapter IV of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 907/20146.

7.

The content of the applications shall not be amended after their submission.