Regulations 17 and 18 apply where an applicant uses areas covered by the aid provided for in Article 88 of Council Regulation 1782/2003 for the growing of agricultural raw materials under Article 24 of Commission Regulation 1973/2004 and references to raw materials shall be construed accordingly.

Subject to paragraph (3), the Scottish Ministers are the competent authority for the purposes of Chapter 8 of Commission Regulation 1973/2004 (Aid for energy crops).

In the case of an applicant, the competent authority shall be the relevant competent authority responsible for determining the particular single application in question.

In this regulation, “applicant” has the meaning given to it in Article 23 of Commission Regulation 1973/2004.