Assessment by the Commission
Article 7
1. By 1 November of each year, the Commission shall assess any application submitted in accordance with Article 6 and received no later than 1 September of the same year to determine whether the conditions set out in Chapter II have been fulfilled. 2. If, during the assessment referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission considers that the information requested under Article 6 is missing, it shall request the applicant Member State to complete its application within a reasonable time and in any case no later than 60 days from the time of the request. If the applicant Member State does not complete the application before this deadline, the Commission shall reject the application and inform the applicant Member State accordingly. A new application may be submitted under the terms and conditions laid down in this Article. 3. If the Commission finds that the conditions set out in Chapter II have been fulfilled, it shall inform the applicant Member State without delay and proceed with the listing of the port in accordance with Article 14(6) of the Control Regulation. 4. If the Commission finds that the conditions set out in Chapter II have not been fulfilled, in full or in part, or that the evidence submitted is insufficient for an assessment of the fulfilment of those conditions, it shall reject the application and inform the applicant Member State accordingly, explaining the reasons for such rejection. 5. The Commission may request third countries or flag Member States concerned by an application submitted under Article 6 to provide additional information or clarification, as appropriate. This information or clarification may be taken into consideration by the Commission for the assessment provided for in this Article.