Article 8
1. The applications referred to in Article 7 shall be lodged, with the competent authorities in the Member State in which the applicant is registered, only during the first 10 days of each year of import. If an applicant lodges more than one application, none of the applications shall be considered. 2. Member States shall notify the Commission on the 10th working day following the end of the period for the lodging of applications of the total quantity covered by applications. That notification shall cover the list of applicants and the countries of origin indicated. All notifications, including nil returns, shall be made before 4 p.m. on the stipulated day. 3. The Commission shall decide as rapidly as possible to what extent applications may be accepted. If the quantities for which licences are applied for exceed the quantities available, the Commission shall fix a single percentage reduction to be applied to the quantities applied for. 4. Following the Commission's decision on acceptance of applications, licences shall be issued as rapidly as possible.