20.2.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 46/9 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 315/2003 of 19 February 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 1227/2000 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine, as regards production potential THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine (*), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2585/2001 (3), and in particular Articles 10 and 15 thereof, Whereas: 1 () O] () O] () O] () O] () O In order to enable Member States to continue paying aid up to the end of a financial year, it is necessary to amend the rules on expenditure for the period from 1 July to 15 October, which are laid down by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1227/2000 (’), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2191/2002 (4. In particular, account should be taken of the concept of the validation of expenditure, as defined in Article 79 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (). The provisions on implementing the mechanism for making financial allocations during the financial year should therefore be adapted. The fixed format for the data and information which Member States must send to the Commission should also be adapted. Account should also be taken of the particular constraints connected with the rate of implementation of the restructuring and conversion plans, and applica- tion of the rules on areas should be adapted accordingly. Regulation (EC) No 1227/2000 should be amended accordingly. The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Wine, L 179, 14.7.1999, p. 1. L 345, 29.12.2001, p. 10. L 143, 16.6.2000, p. 1. L 334,11.12.2002, p. 16. L 248,16.9.2002, p. 1. HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Atrticle 1 Regulation (EC) No 1227/2000 is hereby amended as follows: 1. the first subparagraph of Article 15(2) is replaced by the following: 2. As an exception to paragraph 1, the Member States may provide for support for a given measure to be advanced to producers before that measure has been implemented, provided that implementation has begun and the beneficiary has lodged a security equal to 120 % of the support. For the purposes of Regulation (EEC) No 2220/85, the obligation shall be to implement the measure concerned by the end of the second wine year following payment of the advance.’; . the first subparagraph of Article 15a(2) is replaced by the following: 2. As an exception to paragraph 1, the Member States may provide for support for all the measures covered by the support application to be advanced to producers before those measures have been implemented, provided that implementation has begun and the beneficiary has lodged a security equal to 120 % of the support. For the purposes of Regulation (EEC) No 2220/85, the obligation shall be to implement all the measures by the end of the second wine year following payment of the advance.’; . Article 16(1) is replaced by the following: ‘1. The Member States shall forward to the Commission, not later than 30 June of each year in respect of the restruc- turing and conversion system: (@) a statement of expenditure actually incurred in the current financial year, as well as the total area involved; (b) a statement of expenditure validated in the current financial year, as well as the total area involved; (c) any requests for the subsequent financing of expenditure in the current financial year in excess of the financial allocations made pursuant to Article 14(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, and the total area concerned in each case; (d) amended expenditure forecasts, and the total areas concerned, for subsequent financial years until the end of the period provided for implementing the restruc- turing and conversion plans, in accordance with the allocation for each Member State.’;