19. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 187/29 COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 2048/90 of 18 July 1990 laying down detailed rules for the application of the system of aid in favour of small cotton producers THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic ‘Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1152/90 of 27 April 1990 instituting a system of aid in favour of small cotton producers ('),-and in particular Articles 3 (2) and 7 (1) thereof, Whereas -Article 3 (2) of Regulation (EEC) No 1152/90 provides for the Community maximum guaranteed area to be determined for the three marketing years concerned by that Regulation ; whereas that area is equal to the average area given over to cotton by small producers in 1987 and 1988 ; whereas, in view of the information received from the Member States, the area in question should be determined; Whereas Article 3 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 1152/90 provides for the aid to be granted in respect of areas sown and harvested ; whereas, to ensure that the scheme func- tions correctly, some form of check on areas eligible for aid is required; whereas provision should be made for each small producer to -submit an application for aid containing the information needed for verification that the areas in-respect of which an application has been lodged have actually been harvested; whereas the check should take the form of random, on-the-spot inspections covering a sufficiently representative number of aid appli- cations; whereas, however, in the case of applications lodged .in respect of the 1989/90 marketing year, instead of making on-the-spot inspections, Member States should- verify the extent to which the areas in respect of which applications have been lodged tally with the quantities-of unginned cotton placed under supervised storage in ginning plants; Whereas in order to ensure that the. system of aid is applied correctly, it is necessary to provide for.a penalty in cases where applications. for aid are submitted by producers who are not eligible because the area they have given over to cotton exceeds the 2,5 hectare limit; Whereas under Article 7 (2) of Regulation (EEC) No 1152/90 the Commission must record any overrun in the - maximum guaranteed area and determine the resulting reduction in the aid ; whereas, to facilitate such recording and determination, Member States should notify to the Commission after the check has been made the areas in respect of which aid is to be granted; () OJ No L 116, 8. 5. 1990, p. 1. Whereas, to reduce the disadvantages to interested parties of late payment of the aid, time limits should be laid down for the recording of -overruns in the maximum guaranteed area, the determination of any reduction in the aid and payment of the aid; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Flax and Hemp, HAS ADOPTED :THIS REGULATION : Article 1 The Community maximum guaranteed area under cotton referred to in Article 3 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 1152/90 shall-be 73 093 hectares. Article 2: 1. The aid shall be granted only in respect.of areas which : (a) have-been fully sown and-harvested and tended in the normal - way ; (b) are the: subject"'of — a declaration of areas sown in accordance with Article 8 (1) of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1201/89 (3), — an application for aid in accordance with Article 3 of this Regulation. 2.  Member States shall grant aid only in respect of harvested. areas in their territory. Article 3 1. Small producers within the meaning of Article-4 of - Regulation (EEC) No 1152/90 shall lodge an aid applica- tion each year after harvest but not later than 15 days after their entire crop is placed under supervised storage as referred to-in Article 9 (1) of Regulation (EEC) No 1201/89. However, all applications must be lodged not later than 30 April of the marketing year in question. () OJ No L 123, 4. 5. 1989, p. 23.