8.9.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L 228/25 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1900/2000 of 7 September 2000 amending Regulation (EC) No 2342/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of premium schemes in the beef and veal sector THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 12541999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal (1), and in particular Article 11(5), Article 13(5), Article 20 and the second indent of Article 50 thereof, Whereas: 1) Slelrlslewe Leeeeee For the purpose of the extensification payment provided for in Article 32 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2342[1999 of 28 October 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 on the common organisation of the market in beef and veal as regards premium schemes (?), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1042/2000 (), a holding's stocking density is to be determined on the basis of the number of male bovines, cows and heifers present on the holding during the calendar year concerned. In the event of an epizootic, no animal may leave a production unit if the competent veterinary authorities decide to prohibit any movement from the production unit, except for the purpose of slaughter. Such animals are taken into account for the purpose of determining the holding's stocking density and the producer could therefore be excluded from eligibility for the extensification payment. So as not to penalise a diligent producer for circumstances beyond his control, a flat-rate correcting coefficient should be applied, from the time of the introduction of the new premium schemes, to the number of livestock units recorded on the holding during the period in question, increased by a certain number of days to permit disposal of the animals, with a view to determining the stocking density, on condition that the producer fulfils certain obligations and without otherwise affecting the principle of extensification. Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 of 28 December 1992 establishing an additional levy in the milk and milk products sector (), as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 749/2000 (°), and Article 16(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products (), as amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1670/2000 (7), mention the word ‘available’ when referring to the individual reference quantity of milk. In contrast, Article 32(8)(a) of Regula- tion (EC) No 2342/1999 uses the word ‘allocated’ in 160, 26.6.1999, p. 21. 281, 4.11.1999, p. 30. 118, 19.5.2000, p. 4. 405, 31.12.1992, p. 1. 90, 12.4.2000, p. 4. 160, 26.6.1999, p. 48. 193, 29.7.2000, p. 10. | ol onill anll anll el ol ol referring to the same criterion. For the purposes of legal clarity the same word should always be used when referring to the same criterion. That matter of wording should therefore be settled, to apply from the time of the introduction of the new premium schemes. Under the slaughter premium, the maximum time limit of six months for submission of the fivestock’ aid application provided for in Article 35(1) of Regulation (EC) No 2342/1999 has proved inadequate because of problems in managing the measure in its first year of application linked to the operation of the computerised database. Consequently, for animals slaughtered or exported during the first few months of 2000, Member States should be granted the possibility of extending that time limit, from the time of the introduction of the new premium schemes, and to set a final date for that exten- sion. For the special, suckler cow and slaughter premiums, Article 41 of Regulation (EC) No 23421999 provides for the possibility of paying producers an advance of a certain percentage of the aid amount. That possibility is not available for the additional payments referred to in Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999. To facili- tate correct administration of the payment of those amounts Member States should be allowed to pay a maximum advance on the additional payments. Article 43 of Regulation (EC) No 2342/1999 lays down the rule applicable to conversion into national currency of the amounts of premiums and of the extensification payment. For reasons of clarity and consistency in the booking of the additional payments to the budget, that rule should also be applied to them. The number of dairy cows eligible for the extensification payment in favour of producers whose holdings are located in mountain areas as provided for in Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 is fixed by Article 32(8) of Regulation (EC) No 2342/1999. Pursuant to that Article, that number is equivalent to the number of dairy cows needed to produce the individual milk reference quantity allocated to the producer on 31 March preceding the beginning of the 12-month period of application of the additional levy scheme beginning in the calendar year concerned. Producers located in moun- tain areas who have both dairy cows eligible for the extensification payment and animals eligible for other direct payments may be forced to refer to two different dates for determination of their individual milk reference quantities. In that case, special measures should be laid