30. 7. 98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 212/23 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1678/98 of 29 July 1998 amending Regulation (EEC) No 3887/92 laying down detailed rules for applying the integrated administration and control system for certain Community aid schemes THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 of 27 November 1992 establishing an integrated adminis- tration and control system for certain Community aid schemes ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 820/97 (%), and in particular Article 12 thereof, Whereas it should be laid down that areas are to be declared in hectares to two decimal places; Whereas, in order to guarantee that direct per-hectare aid is not paid for parcels without justification, parcels subject to certain other arrangements not covered by the integ- rated administration and control system established by Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 (hereinafter ‘the integrated system’) should be declared separately; Whereas, in view of the requirement to use a minimum quantity of certified seed in the case of declared and sown durum wheat, deterrent penalties should be provided for; whereas similar penalties should be laid down for in- fringements of the provisions on varieties; Whereas, by analogy with agricultural rules in other sectors, farmers should be given the opportunity, under certain conditions, of correcting information in their applications which could lead to the imposition of penal- ties; Whereas rules for the charging of interest, irrespective of the method of recovery chosen, should be laid down; Whereas, in order to ensure uniform application throughout the Community of the principle of legitimate expectation where amounts unduly paid are recovered, the conditions under which that principle may be invoked should be laid down without prejudice to the treatment of irregular expenditure as provided for, in particular, in Articles 5 and 8 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 of 21 April 1970 on the financing of the common agri- cultural policy (%), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1287/95 (*; 355, 5. 12. 1992, p. 1. 117, 7. 5. 1997, p. 1. 94, 28. 4. 1970, p. 13. 125, 8. 6. 1995, p. 1. [snll enli el onl Whereas, in the light of experience, the amount below which the competent authorities may decide not to demand repayment of amounts paid in error should be increased; Whereas Regulation (EC) No 820/97 establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products stipulates that the system for identification and registration of bovine animals is to include eartags to identify animals individually, computerised databases, animal passports and individual registers kept on each holding; Whereas effective control of bovine animals requires that animals be identified and recorded; whereas, to this end, Regulation (EC) No 820/97 lays down specific provisions; Whereas to ensure the effective functioning of the rules for Community aid for eligible animals and the general veterinary rules laid down for the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 820/97 by Commission Regulations (EC) No 2630/97 (°) and (EC) No 494/98 (°) checks and sanctions pursuant to the integrated system and checks and sanctions for veterinary purposes should be con- sidered separately; whereas an exchange of data and common controls are not excluded; Whereas Article 5 of Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 stipu- lates that the system for identification and registration of animals to be taken into account for the granting of aid is to be set up in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 820/97; Whereas experience has shown that implementation of Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 in respect of bovine animals has not been entirely satisfactory and needs improvement; whereas, the entry into force of Regulation (EC) No 820/97 provides the opportunity to integrate certain elements of common control practice in the Member States, and also to clarify, harmonise and simplify control procedures and practice; whereas, to this end, the minimum content of checks and reporting of controls should be specified; () OJ L 354, 30. 12. 1997, p. 23. () OJ L 60, 28. 2. 1998, p. 78.