Article 20 1.

Payments of financial allocations under this Article to the Member State shall be made upon achievement of the relevant agreed milestones and targets indicated in the Plan, as approved in accordance with Article 17, and subject to the availability of funding. Upon such achievement, the Member State shall submit to the Commission a duly reasoned payment request. The Member State shall submit such payment requests to the Commission once or twice a year, by 31 July or by 31 December.