Article 2
1. The intervention agency may conclude storage contracts only if the following conditions are satisfied: (a) the batch of cheeses to which a contract relates must comprise at least five tonnes; (b) the cheeses shall be indelibly marked with an indication (which may take the form of a number) of the undertaking in which they were manufactured and of the day and month of manufacture; (c) the cheeses must have been manufactured at least 10 days before the date specified in the contract as being the date of commencement of storage; (d) the cheeses must have undergone quality tests which establish that their classification after maturing could be expected to be: - 'Premier choix` in France, - 'Markenkäse` or 'Klasse fein` in Germany, - 'Special grade` in Ireland, - 'I luokkka` in Finland, - '1. Güteklasse Emmentaler / Bergkäse / Alpkäse` in Austria, - 'Västerbotten` in Sweden; (e) the storer shall undertake: - to keep the cheese during the entire period of storage in premises where the maximum temperature is as indicated under paragraph 2, - not, during the term of the contract, to alter the composition of the batch covered by the contract without authorization from the intervention agency. If the condition concerning the minimum quantity fixed for each batch continues to be met, the intervention agency may authorize an alteration which is limited to the removal or replacement of cheeses which are found to have deteriorated to such an extent that they can no longer be stored. In the event of release from store of certain quantities: (i) if the aforesaid quantities are replaced with the authorization of the intervention agency, the contract is deemed not to have undergone any alteration; (ii) if the aforesaid quantities are not replaced, the contract is deemed to have been concluded ab initio for the quantity permanently retained. Any costs of controls arising from an alteration shall be met by the storer, - to keep stock records and to inform the intervention agency each week of the cheeses put into storage during the previous week and of scheduled withdrawals. 2. The maximum temperature in the storage premises shall be +6 °C for Emmental and +10 °C for Gruyère. In the case of Emmental which has already been matured, Member States may permit a maximum temperature of +10 °C. 3. Storage contracts shall be concluded: (a) in writing, stating the date when storage covered by the contract begins; this date may not be earlier than the day following that on which the operations connected with putting the batch of cheese covered by the contract into storage are completed; (b) after completion of the operations connected with putting the batch of cheese covered by the contract into storage and at the latest 40 days after the date when storage by the contract begins.