L 98/22 Official Journal of the European Union 2.4.2004 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 621/2004 of 1 April 2004 laying down rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1164/94 as regards information and publicity measures concerning the activities of the Cohesion Fund THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1164/94 of 16 May 1994 establishing a Cohesion Fund ('), and in particular Article 14(3) thereof, Whereas: (1) Implementation of Commission Decision 96/455/EC of 25 June 1996 concerning information and publicity measures to be carried out by the Member States and the Commission concerning the activities of the Cohe- sion Fund under Council Regulation (EC) No 1164/94 (3) requires simplification because certain measures have proved too complex to implement. (2) It is essential to facilitate the implementation of informa- tion and publicity measures and improve their effective- ness in order to increase the visibility of projects and raise public awareness of the role which the European Union is playing through cohesion policy. (3)  Information measures concerning the Cohesion Fund should be harmonised with those concerning the Struc- tural Funds as laid down by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1159/2000 of 30 May 2000 on information and publicity measures to be carried out by the Member States concerning assistance from the Structural Funds (). (4)  The messages to be propagated should be clarified and the instruments best adapted to the goal of raising public awareness identified, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: CHAPTER I PRINCIPLES AND CONTENT OF THE MEASURES Article 1 The information and publicity measures concerning the work of the Cohesion Fund shall aim to raise public awareness of projects part-financed by the Fund and demonstrate the role which the Community is playing through that Fund. (") OJ L 130, 25.5.1994, p.1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1265/1999 (O] L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 62). () OJ L 188, 27.7.1996, p. 47. oJL 130, 31.5.2000, p. 30. The measures shall be directed at the public in the beneficiary Member States and seek to project a uniform image of the role of the Community. Where appropriate, they may include activities concerning the programmes and projects part-financed by the Structural Funds under Regulation (EC) No 1159/2000. Atticle 2 The Member States shall ensure that the authorities responsible for implementing Cohesion Fund projects (hereinafter referred to as the responsible authorities) take all administrative steps to ensure information and publicity about those projects in accordance with this Regulation. They shall draw up a coherent set of measures for the lifetime of projects, once a decision on part-financing from the Cohe- sion Fund is taken. Atticle 3 The responsible authorities shall notify the Commission, including its office in the relevant Member State, of the measures referred to in the second paragraph of Article 2. Where appropriate, they may ask for technical assistance to carry them out. Atrticle 4 In addition to a description of the project, both the measures and the information and publicity instruments shall include: (a) an explanation in the following words or some equivalent expression of the role the Union is playing through the Cohesion Fund: ‘This project is helping to reduce economic and social disparities among the citizens of the European Union’; (b) the European flag, in accordance with the graphic rules set out in the Annex, with the following words or some equivalent expression: ‘This project is being part-financed by the European Union.’ Atrticle 5 The responsible authorities shall send the Commission all the information needed for preparation of the annual report provided for in Article 14(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1164/94.