The new Member States having decided to replace the direct payments, with the exception, for 2009, 2010 and 2011, of the transitional soft fruit payment established in Section 9 of Chapter 1 of Title IV of this Regulation, and, for 2009, of the energy crops payment referred to in Chapter 5 of Title IV of Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, with a single area payment scheme shall grant aid to farmers in accordance with this Article.

The single area payment shall be granted on an annual basis. It shall be calculated by dividing the annual financial envelope established in accordance with Article 123 by the agricultural area of each new Member State established in accordance with Article 124.

The single area payment scheme shall be available until 31 December 2013. The new Member States shall notify the Commission of their intention to terminate the application of the scheme by 1 August of the last year of application.

After the end of the period of application of the single area payment scheme, the direct payments shall be applied in accordance with the relevant Community rules and on the basis of the quantitative parameters, such as base area, premium ceilings and maximum guaranteed quantities, specified in the 2003 and 2005 Acts of Accession and subsequent Community legislation for each direct payment. The percentage rates set out in Article 121 of this Regulation for the relevant years shall subsequently apply.