14.9.2007 _EN | Official Journal of the European Union L 24117 (Acts adopted under the EC Treaty/Euratom Treaty whose publication is not obligatory) DECISIONS COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 8 August 2007 laying down rules for the implementation of the provisions on transport in Council Decision 2007/162/EC, Euratom establishing a Civil Protection Financial Instrument (notified under document number C(2007) 3769) (Text with EEA relevance) (2007/606/EC, Euratom) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, Having regard to Council Decision 2007/162/EC, Euratom of 5 March 2007 establishing a Civil Protection Financial Instrument ('), and in particular Article 4(4) thereof, Whereas: (1) A Community Mechanism to facilitate reinforced coop- eration in civil protection assistance interventions, here- inafter ‘the Mechanism’, was established by Council Decision ~ 2001/792/EC,  Euratom (3. Commission Decision 2004/277[EC, Euratom (*) lays down rules for the implementation thereof. It is necessary to refer to that Decision for the definitions of participating States and third countries. Decision  2007/162[/EC, Euratom makes special provisions to fund certain transport resources in the event of a major emergency to facilitate a rapid and effective response thereto. L 71, 10.3.2007, p. 9. L 297, 15.11.2001, p. 7. L 87, 25.3.2004, p. 20. G) It is necessary to establish the rules and procedures concerning the requests made by the participating States to obtain financial support from the Community to transport their assistance to the affected country and the handling of those requests by the Commission. To that end, it is necessary to establish the rules and procedures to follow with regard to the pooling or iden- tifying of transport resources since one of the conditions for the provision of financial support is that all other possibilities for finding transport under the Mechanism have been exhausted. To ensure a rapid and effective response of the Community to major emergencies it is necessary to set a period on expiry of which requests for Community financing may become eligible. For reasons of transparency, coherence and effectiveness it is necessary to establish the information to be provided in the requests for transport support and related replies by the Participating States and the Commission. Where Community financial assistance may be provided in accordance with Decision 2007/162/EC, Euratom, participating States should have the choice to request either a grant or a transport service. It is necessary to define the information to be taken into account in order to determine whether the criteria set out in points (i) and (i) of Article 4(2)(c) of Decision 2007/162[EC, Euratom and the principles of economy, efficiency and effectiveness of the Financial Regulation are met.