
Article 1 
The following paragraph 5 is added to Article 50 of Regulation (EC) No 1291/2000:
'
5. The customs office accepting the declaration of release for free circulation shall keep a copy of the licence or extract presented giving entitlement to a preferential arrangement. On the basis of a risk analysis, copies of at least 1 % of licences presented, and at least two licences per year and per customs office, shall be sent to the issuing bodies indicated on the licences so that their authenticity can be verified. This subparagraph shall not apply to electronic licences or licences for which another means of verification is laid down by Community rules.'
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 7 October 2004.
For the Commission
Franz FISCHLER
Member of the Commission