Requirements for application and payment
Article 6
1. Member States shall for each measure contained in their restructuring programme and listed in Article 7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 637/2008: (a) determine the elements to be contained in an application for support; (b) set the start date and end date of the period for lodging an application; (c) approve valid and complete applications on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria, taking into account the financial resources available within the annual ceilings provided for in Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) No 637/2008; (d) pay the eligible support, or the remaining eligible support in case an advance has been paid, after completion of the measure and execution of controls as referred to in Article 7 of this Regulation. 2. For the measures referred to in Article 7(1), points (a), (b), (d), and (e) of Regulation (EC) No 637/2008, Member States may pay the beneficiary one or more advances. The combined level of all advances shall not be higher than 75 % of the eligible expenditure. The payment of an advance shall be subject to the lodging of a security of an amount equal to 120 % of the amount of the advance concerned. The securities shall be released provided that the measures have been completed and the controls, as referred to in Article 7, have been carried out. 3. All payments referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 that relate to a particular application shall be made at the latest by 30 June of the fourth year following the year of the deadline for submission of the draft restructuring programmes as laid down in Article 4(1) of Regulation (EC) No 637/2008. Payments in the first year of the first programming period shall be made from 16 October 2009. 4. Member States shall lay down specific rules for the implementation of this Article.