Article 4
Establishment of the number of hectares and/or premium rights 1. Where a farmer has received area aids, the competent authority shall inform him of the number of hectares, to two decimal places, corresponding to each different type of area aid included in the amount to be granted under the simplified scheme. In the case of arable crops payments, the number of hectares shall be calculated separately for each crop for which a base area is established by Member States according to Articles 3 and/or 5 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999(10). 2. Where a farmer has received extensification payment, the competent authority shall inform him of the number of hectares, to two decimal places, corresponding to the extensification payment part of the notified amount to be granted under the simplified scheme and the number of animals as established in accordance with Article 12(3) of this Regulation. 3. Where a farmer has received livestock premiums, the competent authority shall inform him of the number of premium rights, corresponding to the livestock premium part of the amount to be granted under the simplified scheme. For bovine animals, this number shall be to one decimal place. For sheep and goats, Article 14 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3567/92(11) shall apply. 4. The number of hectares and livestock premium rights referred to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this Article shall be calculated on the basis of: (a) the average number of hectares and/or livestock premium rights for which aid was granted during the three calendar years preceding the year of application, where point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 2a(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1259/1999 applies, (b) the number of hectares and/or livestock premium rights for which aid was granted in the calendar year preceding the year of application, where point (b) of the first subparagraph of Article 2a(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1259/1999 applies. 5. A farmer who does not have at his disposal parcels and/or the number of premium rights corresponding to the number of hectares or livestock premium rights calculated in accordance with paragraph 4 may be authorised by the Member State concerned to declare an area corresponding to the parcels at his disposal and/or declare the number of premium rights at his disposal. In this case, the amount to be granted under the simplified scheme shall be calculated on the basis of the area and/or livestock premium rights referred to in the first subparagraph. In no case may this amount exceed the amount calculated according to Article 3. 6. If the second subparagraph of Article 2a(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1259/1999 applies, the number of hectares and/or livestock premium rights established in accordance with paragraph 4 of this Article shall be reduced pro rata in order to correspond to the maximum amount of EUR 1250. The reduction shall, at the farmer's choice, be applied first to the area aid part and then to the livestock premium part of the amount to be granted under the simplified scheme, or first to the livestock premium part and then to the area aid part.