1. In the event that the absolute value of the gap between the agricultural conversion rate fixed in advance for a certain currency, where necessary adjusted in accordance with Article 15(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 1068/93, and the conversion rate or the exchange rate in force at the time of the operative event referred to in Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 2799/98 exceeds four points, the agricultural conversion rate fixed in advance shall be adjusted to bring it closer to the rate in force until it reaches the level of a four-point gap with that rate.
The agricultural conversion rate fixed in advance during the last reference period of 1998 shall be the same as that resulting from the quotations of the representative rate for that period.
2. During the term of validity of advance fixing of the agricultural conversion rate, and in order to qualify for the rate fixed in advance, certificates must be used in the Member State specified by the applicant at the time the application for advance fixing of the agricultural conversion rate was submitted.
Where certificates are used in a Member State other than that specified on the certificate by the applicant, the agricultural conversion rate to be applied shall be:
- the lowest rate applied in the Member State of utilisation of the certificate from the date of advance fixing until the date of utilisation of the certificate, less 5 %, where an amount to be granted to the operator is concerned,
- the highest rate applied in the Member State of utilisation of the certificate from the date of advance fixing until the date of utilisation of the certificate, plus 5 %, where an amount to be paid by the operator is concerned.