30.3.2004 Official Journal of the European Union L91/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 583/2004 of 22 March 2004 amending Regulations (EC) No 1782/2003 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and establishing certain support schemes for farmers, (EC) No 1786/2003 on the common organisation of the market in dried fodder and (EC) No 1257/1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) by reason of the accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia to the European Union THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to the Treaty concerning the accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia to the European Union (Y), signed in Athens on 16 April 2003, and in particular Article 2(3) thereof, Having regard to the Act concerning the conditions of acces- sion of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the European Union is founded (hereinafter ‘the Act of Acces- sion’) (%), and in particular Article 57(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas: (1) Council Regulation (EC) No 17822003 of 29 September 2003 () introduced common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy and established certain support schemes for farmers. (2)  The said common rules and support schemes should be amended to allow their implementation in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia (hereinafter ‘the new Member States’). (3)  With a view to the introduction of modulation in the new Member States, the Commission should establish national ceilings for the additional amount of aid for the new Member States. 0J L 236, 23.9.2003, p. 17. () OJ L 236, 23.9.2003, p. 33. 0J L 270, 21.10.2003, p. 1. (4) The farmers in the new Member States will receive direct payments, following a phasing-in mechanism. In order to achieve the proper balance between policy tools designed to promote sustainable agriculture and those designed to promote rural development, the system of modulation should not be applied in the new Member States until the level of direct payments applicable in the new Member States is at least equal to the level applic- able in the Community as constituted on 30 April 2004. Taking into account the levels of direct payments for farmers in the new Member States as a result of phasing- in, it should be foreseen that in the framework of the application of the schedule of increments provided for in Article 143a to all direct payments granted in the new Member States, the instrument of financial discipline should not apply in the new Member States until the level of direct payments applicable in the new Member States is at least equal to the level applicable in the Com- munity as constituted on 30 April 2004. Direct payments under the single payment scheme are based on reference amounts of direct payments that were received in the past or on regionalised per hectare payments. Farmers in the new Member States did not receive Community direct payments and have no histor- ical references for the calendar years 2000, 2001 and 2002. Therefore, the single payment scheme in the new Member States should be based on regionalised per hectare payments, subdivided between regions according to objective criteria and divided by the farmers whose holdings are located in the region concerned and that meet the eligibility criteria. The amount of direct payments, described in national ceilings, under the single payment scheme for the new Member States should be based on the quota, ceilings and quantities that were agreed in the accession negotia- tions multiplied by the relevant aid amounts per hectare, head or tonne.