9.11.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L 308/11 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1999/2002 of 8 November 2002 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 2019/93 as regards the specific aid arrangements for the smaller Aegean Islands in respect of vineyards THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93 of 19 July 1993 introducing specific measures for the smaller Aegean islands concerning certain agricultural products (), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 442/2002 (3, and in particular Article 9 thereof, Whereas: (1)  Article 9 of Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93 provides for a flat-rate aid per hectare for the continued cultivation of vines for the production of quality wines psr in tradi- tional production areas in the smaller Aegean islands. (2)  To be granted the flat-rate aid per hectare, the interested party (either a wine producer group or organisation) must first submit a wine improvement measure, based on a programme approved by the competent authorities. (3)  Article 1(8) of Regulation (EC) No 2019/93 abolishes aid for ageing quality liqueur wines, since it was deemed unsuitable to the situation in the Aegean Islands, due to the short storage period. (40 The detailed rules to administer this scheme and to monitor the conditions adopted by the Council should be laid down. (5)  To avoid any legal ambiguity, Regulation (EEC) No 3112/93 () should be repealed. (6)  The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Wine, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 This Regulation lays down the detailed rules for applying Article 9 of Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93, as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 442/2002. () OJ L 184, 27.7.1993, p. 1. () OJ L 68, 12.3.2002, p. 4. () OJL278,11.11.1993, p. 52. Atticle 2 1. The flat-rate aid per hectare for continuing to cultivate vines for the production of quality wines psr provided for in Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 2019/93 shall be granted at the request of wine producer groups or organisations for areas planted with vine varieties suitable for the production of quality wines psr. 2. The producer organisations shall be those referred to in Article 39 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999. The Greek autho- rities shall lay down the criteria that the producer groups must satisfy to qualify for the aid in question, and notify them to the Commission. Atticle 3 1. Applications for the per-hectare aid shall be lodged by interested parties with the competent Greek authorities during the period fixed by them and by 1 May of each year, at the latest, for the following wine year. However, for the 2002/03 wine year, applications shall be lodged no later than 31 December 2002. 2. The aid application must include the following: (a) the address of the producer group or organisation; (b) the area cultivated for the production of quality wines psr, in hectares and ares, together with the land register refer- ence or indication recognised as equivalent by the agency responsible for verifying the areas; (c) the grape varieties used; (d) an estimate of the potential crop. Atrticle 4 Having checked that the wine producer group or organisation has carried out the wine improvement measure in accordance with the approved programme, the competent Greek authority shall pay the aid before 1 April of the wine year for which it is granted. Atrticle 5 The competent Greek authority shall notify the Commission by 30 April of the areas for which aid applications have been made and in respect of which aid has actually been paid.