Article 4
1. As soon as possible and no later than ten weeks after the first damage caused by the disaster, a State may submit an application for assistance from the Fund to the Commission providing all available information on, among other factors: (a) the total damage caused by the disaster and its impact on the population and the economy concerned; (b) the estimated cost of the operations referred to in Article 3; (c) any other sources of Community funding; (d) any other sources of national or international funding, including public and private insurance coverage which might contribute to the costs of repairing the damage. 2. On the basis of this information, and any clarifications to be provided by the State concerned, the Commission shall assess if the conditions for mobilising the Fund are met and shall determine the proposed amount of any possible grant as quickly as possible within the limits of the financial resources available. On 1 October each year, at least one-quarter of the annual amount should remain available in order to cover needs arising until the end of the year. The Commission ensures an equitable treatment of requests presented by the States. 3. The Commission shall submit to the budgetary authority the proposals needed to authorise the corresponding appropriations. These proposals shall include all available information referred to in paragraph 1 and all other relevant information in the possession of the Commission, a demonstration that the conditions of Article 2 are met and a justification of the amounts proposed. 4. Once the appropriations are made available by the budgetary authority, the Commission shall adopt a grant decision and shall pay that grant immediately and in a single instalment to the beneficiary State upon signature of the agreement referred to in Article 5. 5. The eligibility of expenditure shall begin on the date referred to in paragraph 1.