### the member state hosting the managing authority may submit a motivated request for an amendment of an interreg programme together with the amended programme , setting out the expected impact of that amendment on the achievement of the objectives . ### the member state hosting the managing authority may , following consultation with the local and regional authorities and in compliance with article 6 of regulation [ new cpr ] , submit a motivated request for an amendment of an interreg programme together with the amended programme , setting out the expected impact of that amendment on the achievement of the objectives .


### component 2 and 4 interreg programmes combining contributions from the erdf and from one or more external financing instrument of the union shall be implemented under shared management both in the member states and in any participating third country or partner country or , with regard to component 3 , in any oct , whether or not that oct receives support under one or more external financing instruments of the union . ### component 2 and 4 interreg programmes combining contributions from the erdf and from one or more external financing instrument of the union shall be implemented under shared management both in the member states and in any participating third country , partner country or octs , or with regard to component 3 , in any oct , whether or not that oct receives support under one or more external financing instruments of the union .


### where the origin of a spirit drink is indicated , it shall correspond to the country or territory of origin in accordance with article 60 of regulation no 952 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council16 . _________________ 16 regulation no 952 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council of 9 october 2013 laying down the union customs code . ### where the origin of a spirit drink is indicated , it shall refer to the place or region where the stage in the production process conferring on the spirit drink its character and essential definitive qualities took place .


### in order to take into account evolving consumer demands , technological progress , developments in the relevant international standards and the need to improve the economic conditions of production and marketing , the traditional ageing processes and , in exceptional cases , the law of the importing third countries , and in order to ensure the protection of geographical indications , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty should be delegated to the commission in respect of the amendment of or derogations from the technical definitions and requirements of the categories of spirit drinks and the specific rules concerning some of them referred to under chapter i of this regulation , the labelling and presentation referred to under chapter ii of this regulation , the geographical indications referred to under chapter iii of this regulation and the checks and exchange of information referred under chapter iv of this regulation . ### in order to take into account evolving consumer demands , technological progress , developments in the relevant international standards and the need to improve the economic conditions of production and marketing , the traditional ageing processes and , in exceptional cases , the law of the importing third countries , and in order to ensure the protection of geographical indications , while taking into account the importance of traditional practices , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty should be delegated to the commission in respect of the amendment of or derogations from the technical definitions and requirements of the categories of spirit drinks and the specific rules concerning some of them referred to under chapter i of this regulation , the labelling and presentation referred to under chapter ii of this regulation , the geographical indications referred to under chapter iii of this regulation and the checks and exchange of information referred under chapter iv of this regulation .


### by terms indicated in the relevant product specification . ### by any terms permitted by the relevant product specification .


### the commission shall adopt implementing acts , without applying the procedure referred to in article 44 , establishing and maintaining a publicly accessible updated electronic register of geographical indications of spirit drinks recognised under this scheme . ### the commission shall adopt implementing acts , without applying the procedure referred to in article 44 , establishing and maintaining a publicly accessible updated electronic register of geographical indications of spirit drinks recognised under this scheme . the register shall provide direct access to all product specifications for spirit drinks registered as geographical indications and shall carry the same legal value as the annex iii of regulation 110 / 2008 .


### a name shall not be protected as a geographical indication if the production or preparation steps which are compulsory for the relevant category of spirit drink , do not take place in the relevant geographical area . ### a name shall not be protected as a geographical indication if the steps which are compulsory for the relevant category of spirit drink do not take place in the relevant geographical area .


### in order to ensure that ppe is examined on the basis of the state of the art the limit of validity of the eu type - examination certificate should set to a maximum of five years . a process for reviewing the certificate should be provided for . a minimum content of the certificate should be required in order to facilitate the work of the market surveillance authorities . ### ppe should be examined on the basis of the state of the art . the minimum period of validity of the eu type - examination certificate should be five years and a process for reviewing the certificate should be provided for . a minimum content of the certificate should be required in order to facilitate the work of the market surveillance authorities .


### some products on the market that provide a protective function to the user are excluded from the scope of directive 89 / 686 / eec . in order to ensure as high level of protection for the user of those products as for the ppe covered by directive 89 / 686 / eec , the scope of this regulation should include ppe for private use against damp , water and heat , in line with similar ppe for professional use which is already covered by directive 89 / 686 / eec . artisanal products , such as handmade gloves , for which the manufacturer does not explicitly claim a protective function are not personal protective equipment ; they are therefore not concerned by this inclusion . it is also appropriate to clarify the exclusion list set out in annex i to directive 89 / 686 / eec by adding a reference to products covered by other legislation and therefore are excluded from the ppe regulation . ### some products on the market that provide a protective function to the user are excluded from the scope of directive 89 / 686 / eec . in order to ensure a high level of protection , the scope of this regulation should include products for private use to protect against heat , as well as products with reflective or fluorescent components , the main functions of which are protective and which are explicitly described and marketed accordingly by their manufacturers . products of a decorative nature or for private use to protect against harmless atmospheric conditions , damp , water or cleaning materials of weak action are not ppe and should not therefore fall within the scope of the regulation .


### importers shall indicate , on the ppe , their name , registered trade name or registered trade mark and the postal address at which they can be contacted , or where that is not possible , on its packaging or in a document accompanying the ppe . the contact details shall be in a language easily understood by end - users and market surveillance authorities . ### importers shall indicate , on the ppe , their name , registered trade name or registered trade mark and the postal address at which they can be contacted on its packaging or in a document accompanying the ppe . the contact details shall be in the official language or languages of the member state in which the ppe is to be marketed .


### the identification markings or indicators directly or indirectly relating to health and safety affixed to these types of ppe must , if possible , take the form of harmonized pictograms or ideograms . they must be perfectly visible and legible and remain so throughout the foreseeable useful life of the ppe . in addition , these markings must be complete , precise and comprehensible so as to prevent any misinterpretation ; in particular , when such markings include words or sentences , the latter must be written in the official language of the member state where the equipment is to be used . ### the identification markings or indicators directly or indirectly relating to health and safety affixed to these types of ppe must , if possible , take the form of harmonized pictograms or ideograms . they must be perfectly visible and legible and remain so throughout the foreseeable useful life of the ppe . in addition , these markings must be complete , precise and comprehensible so as to prevent any misinterpretation ; in particular , when such markings include words or sentences , the latter must be written in the official language of the member state on whose market the individual equipment is to be offered for sale .


### these instructions , which must be precise and comprehensible , must be provided at least in the official language of the member state of destination . ### these instructions , which must be precise and comprehensible and clearly legible , must be provided at least in the official language of the member state of destination . the instructions shall be deemed to be clearly legible if they can be read easily from an appropriate distance and without artificial aids by a normal user with normal vision .


### it is necessary to ensure that ppe entering the union market complies with this regulation and , in particular , that appropriate assessment procedures have been carried out by manufacturers . provision should therefore be made for importers to make sure that the ppe they place on the market complies with the requirements of this regulation and that they do not place on the market ppe which does not comply with such requirements or which present a risk . provision should also be made for importers to make sure that the conformity assessment procedures have been carried out and that the ce marking and technical documentation drawn up by manufacturers are available for inspection by the market surveillance authorities . ### it is necessary to ensure that ppe entering the union market complies with this regulation and , in particular , that appropriate conformity assessment procedures have been carried out by manufacturers . provision should therefore be made for importers to make sure that the ppe they place on the market complies with the requirements of this regulation and that they do not place on the market ppe which does not comply with such requirements or which present a risk . provision should also be made for importers to make sure that the conformity assessment procedures have been carried out and that the ce marking and technical documentation drawn up by manufacturers are available for inspection by the competent national authorities .


### regulation no 2006 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council58 provides for harmonised rules and procedures to facilitate cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of cross - border consumer protection laws . article 21a provides for a review of the effectiveness and operational mechanisms of that regulation and pursuant to that article , the commission concluded that regulation no 2006 / 2004 is not sufficient to effectively address the enforcement challenges of the single market , and in particular the digital single market , __________________ 58 regulation 2006 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws . ### regulation no 2006 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council58provides for harmonised rules and procedures to facilitate cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of cross - border consumer protection laws . article 21a of regulation no 2006 / 2004 provides for a review of the effectiveness and operational mechanisms of that regulation and pursuant to that article , the commission concluded that regulation no 2006 / 2004 is not sufficient to effectively address the enforcement challenges of the single market , including the digital single market , __________________ 58 regulation 2006 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws .


### minimum powers of competent authorities ### powers of competent authorities


### start investigations or procedures to bring about the cessation or prohibition of intra - union infringements or widespread infringements of its own initiative and where appropriate to publish information about this ; ### start investigations or procedures to bring about the cessation or prohibition of intra - union infringements or widespread infringements of its own initiative ;


### impose penalties , including fines and penalty payments , for intra - union infringements and widespread infringements and for the failure to comply with any decision , order , interim measure , commitment or other measure adopted pursuant to this regulation ; ### impose sanctions , including fines and penalty payments , for intra - union infringements , widespread infringements and widespread infringements with a union dimension and for failure to comply with any decision , order , interim measure , commitment or other measure adopted pursuant to this regulation ;


### directly under their own authority ; or ### directly under their own authority ;


### close down a website , domain or similar digital site , service or account or a part of it , including by requesting a third party or other public authority to implement such measures ; ### temporarily close down a website , domain or similar digital site , service or account or a part of it , including by requesting a third party or other public authority to implement such measures ;


### the requested authority shall reply to the request using the procedure for information requests and within the time limits set out by the commission in the implementing act . ### the requested authority shall reply to the request using the procedure for information requests and within the normal time limits for the member state concerned .


### evidence , documents , information , explanations and investigation findings made by a competent authority in one member state in accordance with article 8 may be used for proceedings initiated in application of this regulation by competent authorities in other member states without further formal requirements . ### member states shall ensure that evidence , documents , information , explanations and investigation findings made by a competent authority in one member state in accordance with articles 8 and 9 may be used for proceedings initiated in application of this regulation by competent authorities in other member states without further formal requirements .


### closure of the coordinated actions ### termination of the coordinated actions


### each competent authority shall have the investigation and enforcement powers necessary for the application of this regulation and shall exercise them in accordance with this regulation and national law . ### each competent authority shall have the investigation and enforcement powers necessary for the application of this regulation and shall exercise them in accordance with this regulation and national law . the granting of investigative and enforcement powers to all competent authorities shall remain a matter reserved for member states .


### the languages used by the competent authorities and the commission for notifications and for all communications linked to the coordinated actions , common actions and concerted investigations of consumer markets pursuant to this chapter shall be agreed upon by the competent authorities concerned and the commission . ### the languages used by the competent authorities and the commission for notifications and for all communications linked to coordinated actions and sweeps pursuant to this chapter shall be agreed upon by the competent authorities concerned and the commission .


### consult consumers , consumer organisations , designated bodies and other persons concerned about the effectiveness of the proposed commitments in ceasing the infringement and removing the harm caused by it . ### consult consumers , consumer organisations , designated bodies , where applicable , and other persons concerned about the effectiveness of the proposed commitments in ceasing the infringement and removing the harm caused by it .


### order the trader responsible for the intra - union infringement or widespread infringement to compensate consumers that have suffered harm as a consequence of the infringement including , among others , monetary compensation , offering consumers the option to terminate the contract or other measures ensuring redress to consumers who have been harmed as a result of the infringement ; ### order the trader responsible for the intra - union infringement to compensate consumers that have suffered harm as a consequence of the infringement including , among others , monetary compensation , offering consumers the option to terminate the contract or other measures ensuring redress to consumers who have been harmed as a result of the infringement ;


### the external alerts shall only be ' for information ' . the competent authorities shall not be bound to initiate a procedure or take any other action in response to the alerts and information provided by those entities . entities making external alerts shall ensure that the information provided is correct , up to date and accurate and shall correct the information posted without delay or withdraw it as appropriate . for that purpose , they shall have access to the information they have provided , subject to the limitations referred to in articles 41 and 43 . ### the competent authorities shall not be bound to initiate a procedure or take any other action in response to the external alerts and information provided by the entities referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 . entities making external alerts shall ensure that the information provided is correct , up to date and accurate , and shall correct any errors in the information posted without delay or withdraw it as appropriate . for that purpose , they shall have access to the information they have provided , subject to the limitations referred to in articles 41 and 43 . they shall also be notified of any follow - up actions taken by the competent authority concerned in relation to external alerts , or of the lack of any action , giving reasons in the latter case as to why the alert was not acted upon .


### in an alert ' for action ' , the competent authority or the commission may ask other competent authorities and the commission to verify whether similar suspected infringements may be taking place in the territory of other member states or whether any enforcement measures have already been taken against such infringements in other member states . ### in an alert , the competent authority or the commission shall ask competent authorities of other member states and , as appropriate , the commission to verify whether similar suspected infringements are taking place in the territory of other member states or whether any enforcement measures have already been taken against such infringements in other member states . those competent authorities of other member states and the commission shall reply to the request without delay .


### the competent authorities shall exercise the powers set out in article 8 in accordance with this regulation and national law either : ### the competent authorities shall exercise the powers set out in article 8 in a proportionate , efficient and effective manner and in accordance with this regulation , union and national law either :


### information collected pursuant to article 8 which is communicated to the competent authorities and the commission shall only be used for the purposes of ensuring compliance with the laws that protect consumers ' interests . ### information collected pursuant to article 8 which is communicated to the competent authorities and the commission shall only be used for the purpose of ensuring compliance with union laws that protect consumers ' interests .


### the limitation period for the imposition of penalties shall begin to run on the day on which the infringement ceased . ### the limitation period for the imposition of penalties shall begin to run on the day on which the infringement was committed .


### the requested authority shall reply to the request using the procedures for requests for enforcement measures and within the time limits set out by the commission in the implementing act . ### the requested authority shall reply to the request using the procedures for requests for enforcement measures and within the appropriate time limits .


### adopt interim measures to prevent the risk of serious and irreparable harm to consumers , in particular the suspension of a website , domain or a similar digital site , service or account ; ### adopt interim measures to prevent the risk of serious and irreparable harm to the collective interests of consumers , in particular the suspension of a website , domain or a similar digital site , service or account ;


### each competent authority shall have at least the following powers and exercise them under the conditions set out in article 9 , to : ### in order to carry out the duties assigned to them by this regulation , competent authorities in each member state shall have at least the following powers and shall exercise them under the conditions set out in article 9 , to :


### where the commission has a reasonable suspicion that a widespread infringement is taking place , it shall notify the competent authorities concerned by the widespread infringement . ### where the commission has a reasonable suspicion that a widespread infringement is taking place , it shall without delay notify the competent authorities concerned by the widespread infringement .


### ' harm to collective interests of consumers ' means actual or potential harm to the interests of a number of consumers that are concerned by intra - union infringements or widespread infringements ; and that shall be presumed in particular where the infringement potentially ; or actually harmed , harms or is likely to harm a significant number of consumers in a similar situation . ### ' harm to collective interests of consumers ' means actual or potential harm to the interests of a reasonable number of consumers that are concerned by intra - union infringements or widespread infringements ; and that shall be presumed in particular where the infringement potentially ; or actually harmed , harms or is likely to harm a reasonable number of consumers in a similar situation .


### bring about the cessation or the prohibition of the infringement ; ### bring about the cessation of the infringement ;


### order the restitution of profits obtained as a result of infringements , including an order that those profits are paid to the public purse or to a beneficiary designated by the competent authority or under national legislation ; ### order the restitution of profits obtained as a result of infringements ;


### impose penalties , including fines and penalty payments , for intra - union infringements and widespread infringements and for the failure to comply with any decision , order , interim measure , commitment or other measure adopted pursuant to this regulation ; ### impose sanctions , including fines and penalty payments , for intra - union infringements , widespread infringements and widespread infringements with a union dimension and for failure to comply with any decision , order , interim measure , commitment or other measure adopted pursuant to this regulation ;


### widespread infringements with a union dimension may cause large scale harm to a majority of consumers in the union . they therefore require a specific union - level coordination procedure with the commission as the mandatory coordinator . to ensure that the procedure is launched in a timely , coherent and effective manner and that the conditions are verified in a uniform manner , the commission should be in charge of verifying whether the conditions for the launch of the procedure are fulfilled . evidence and information collected during the common action should be used seamlessly in national proceedings when required , ### in the case of widespread infringements with a union dimension that may cause harm to consumers ' collective interests in a majority of member states , the commission should launch and coordinate a union - level coordination procedure . to ensure procedural coherence , the commission should be in charge of verifying whether the conditions for the launch of the procedure are fulfilled . evidence and information collected during the coordinated action should be used in national proceedings when required ,


### in order to ensure that traders are sufficiently deterred from committing or repeating infringements and that they will not profit from those infringements , the rules on penalties which have been adopted by member states in accordance with the requirements of union laws that protect consumers’ interests should also be applied to intra - union infringements and widespread infringements . for those same reasons , consumers should be entitled to redress for harm caused by such infringements . ### in order to ensure that traders are sufficiently deterred from committing or repeating infringements and that they will not profit from such infringements , the rules on sanctions which have been adopted by member states in accordance with the requirements of union laws that protect consumers’ interests should also be applied to infringements . for those same reasons , consumers should be entitled to redress for harm caused by such infringements .


### carry out the necessary on - site inspections , including in particular the power to enter any premises , land or means of transport or to request other authorities to do so in order to examine , seize , take or obtain copies of information , data or documents , irrespective of the medium on which they are stored ; to seal any premises or information , data or documents for a necessary period and to the extent necessary for the inspection ; to request any representative or member of the staff of the trader concerned to give explanations on facts , information or documents relating to the subject matter of the inspection and to record the answers ; ### subject to paragraphs 2a and 2b , carry out the necessary on - site inspections , including in particular the power to enter any premises , land or means of transport or to request other authorities to do so in order to examine , seize , take or obtain copies of information , data or documents , irrespective of the medium on which they are stored ; to seal any premises or information , data or documents for a necessary period and to the extent necessary for the inspection ; to request any representative or member of the staff of the trader concerned to give explanations on facts , information or documents relating to the subject matter of the inspection and to record the answers ;


### when conducting concerted investigations , the competent authorities concerned shall make effective use of the powers set out in article 8 and other powers conferred upon them by national law . ### when conducting sweeps , the competent authorities involved shall make effective use of the powers set out in article 8 and other powers conferred upon them by national law .


### in its opinion , the applicant authority has not provided sufficient information in accordance with article 12 , ### in its opinion , the applicant authority has not provided all the relevant information in accordance with article 12 ,


### which penalties have been imposed ; ### which sanctions have been imposed ;


### coordinate the investigations , the inspections and the adoption of interim measures that are decided upon by the competent authorities concerned in accordance with sections i and ii , monitor investigations , inspections and interim measures , as well as other measures , pursuant to article 8 ; ### coordinate and monitor the investigations , the inspections and the adoption of interim measures that are decided upon by the competent authorities concerned in accordance with sections i and ii ;


### designated bodies and european consumer centres shall participate in the alert mechanism set out in article 34 . member states shall designate consumer organisations and associations , and other entities such as trader associations , with the appropriate expertise and legitimate interest in consumer protection that shall participate in the alert mechanism . member states shall notify the commission of those entities without delay . ### designated bodies and european consumer&#160 ; centres as well as consumer organisations and associations , and other entities such as trader associations having&#160 ; the appropriate expertise and&#160 ; legitimate interest and designated by member states , may notify competent authorities of the member state concerned and the commission of suspected infringements and provide the information set out in article 34 using the standard form for external notifications provided by the database referred to in article 43 . member states shall notify the commission of those entities without delay .


### regulation no 2006 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council58 provides for harmonised rules and procedures to facilitate cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of cross - border consumer protection laws . article 21a provides for a review of the effectiveness and operational mechanisms of that regulation and pursuant to that article , the commission concluded that regulation no 2006 / 2004 is not sufficient to effectively address the enforcement challenges of the single market , and in particular the digital single market , __________________ 58 regulation 2006 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws . ### regulation no 2006 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council58provides for harmonised rules and procedures to facilitate cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of cross - border consumer protection laws . article 21a of regulation no 2006 / 2004 provides for a review of the effectiveness and operational mechanisms of that regulation and pursuant to that article , the commission concluded that regulation no 2006 / 2004 is not sufficient to effectively address the enforcement challenges of the single market , including the digital single market , __________________ 58 regulation 2006 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws .


### evidence , documents , information , explanations and investigation findings made by a competent authority in one member state in accordance with article 8 may be used for proceedings initiated in application of this regulation by competent authorities in other member states without further formal requirements . ### evidence , documents , information , explanations and investigation findings made by a competent authority in one member state may be used for proceedings initiated in application of this regulation by competent authorities in other member states without further formal requirements .


### the trader shall be entitled to communicate in the official language of the member state of its establishment or residence . the trader may waive that right or request that another official language of the union be used for communicating with the competent authorities . ### the trader shall be entitled to communicate in the official language of the member state of his establishment or residence .


### the competent authorities may investigate infringements referred to in article 2 and prohibit traders from engaging in such infringements in the future . the competent authorities may impose penalties for those infringements within five years from the cessation of the infringement . ### the competent authorities may investigate infringements referred to in article 2 and prohibit traders from engaging in such infringements in the future .


### common position and hearing of traders ### language arrangements for communication with traders


### publish any final decisions , interim measures or orders , including the publication of the identity of the trader responsible for the intra - union infringement or widespread infringement ; ### publish any final decisions , interim measures or orders concerning intra - union infringements of consumer protection law ;


### competent authorities should have a minimum set of powers of investigation and enforcement to apply this regulation effectively , to cooperate with each other , and to deter traders from committing intra - union infringements and widespread infringements . those powers should be adequate to tackle the enforcement challenges of e - commerce and the digital environment where the possibilities of a trader easily concealing its identity or changing it are of particular concern . those powers should ensure that evidence can be validly exchanged among competent authorities to achieve effective enforcement at an equal level in all member states , ### competent authorities should have a consistent set of powers of investigation and enforcement , in order to apply this regulation , cooperate with each other more quickly and more efficiently and deter traders from committing infringements . those powers should be sufficient to effectively tackle the enforcement challenges of e - commerce and the digital environment and to prevent non - compliant traders from exploiting gaps in the enforcement system by relocating to member states whose competent authorities are not equipped to tackle unlawful practices . those powers should ensure that information and evidence can be validly exchanged among competent authorities to achieve effective enforcement at an equal level in all member states ,


### obtain a commitment from the trader responsible for the intra - union infringement or widespread infringement to cease the infringement and where appropriate to compensate consumers for the harm caused ; ### seek and accept a commitment from the trader responsible for the intra - union infringement or widespread infringement to cease the infringement and where appropriate to compensate consumers for the harm caused ;


### carry out the necessary on - site inspections , including in particular the power to enter any premises , land or means of transport or to request other authorities to do so in order to examine , seize , take or obtain copies of information , data or documents , irrespective of the medium on which they are stored ; to seal any premises or information , data or documents for a necessary period and to the extent necessary for the inspection ; to request any representative or member of the staff of the trader concerned to give explanations on facts , information or documents relating to the subject matter of the inspection and to record the answers ; ### carry out the necessary on - site inspections of business premises or means of transport , or request other authorities to do so ;


### require the supply by any natural or legal person , including banks , internet service providers , domain registries and registrars and hosting service providers of any relevant information , data or document in any format or form and irrespective of the medium on which or the place where they are stored , for the purpose of among others identifying and following financial and data flows , or of ascertaining the identity of persons involved in financial and data flows , bank account information and ownership of websites ; ### subject to paragraph 2a , require the supply by any natural or legal person , including banks , internet service providers , domain registries and registrars and hosting service providers of any relevant information , data or document in any format or form and irrespective of the medium on which or the place where they are stored , for the purpose of among others identifying and following financial and data flows , or of ascertaining the identity of persons involved in financial and data flows , bank account information and ownership of websites ;


### a request for enforcement measures cannot be refused on the ground that insufficient information has been provided if a request for information on the same intra - union infringement was refused on the grounds that criminal investigations or judicial proceedings have already been initiated or final judgment has already been given in respect of the same intra - union infringement and against the same trader , as referred to in paragraph . ### a request for enforcement measures cannot be refused on the ground that insufficient information has been provided if a request for information on the same intra - union infringement was previously refused on the grounds referred to in paragraph 1 .


### in order to ensure that traders are sufficiently deterred from committing or repeating infringements and that they will not profit from those infringements , the rules on penalties which have been adopted by member states in accordance with the requirements of union laws that protect consumers’ interests should also be applied to intra - union infringements and widespread infringements . for those same reasons , consumers should be entitled to redress for harm caused by such infringements . ### in order to ensure that traders are sufficiently deterred from committing or repeating infringements and that they will not profit from those infringements , the rules on penalties which have been adopted by member states in accordance with the requirements of union laws that protect consumers’ interests should also be applied to intra - union infringements and widespread infringements .


### in its opinion , the applicant authority has not provided sufficient information in accordance with article 12 , ### in its opinion , the applicant authority has not provided sufficient information in accordance with article 14 ,


### directly under their own authority ; or ### directly under their own authority or under the supervision of the judicial authorities ; or


### coordinated screening of online e - commerce websites are another form of enforcement coordination that has proven to be an effective tool against infringements that should be retained and strengthened in the future , ### coordinated screening of online e - commerce websites is another form of enforcement coordination that has proven to be an effective tool against infringements which should be retained and strengthened in the future , including by extending its application to offline sectors ,


### in the digital environment in particular , the competent authorities should be able to stop infringements quickly and effectively , notably where the trader selling goods or services conceals its identity or relocates within the union or to a third country to avoid enforcement . in cases where there is a risk of serious and irreparable harm to consumers , the competent authorities should to be able to adopt interim measures to prevent such harm or reduce it , including , where necessary , the suspension of a website , domain or a similar digital site , service or account . furthermore , the competent authorities should have the power to take down or have a third party service provider take down a website , domain or a similar digital site , service or account , ### in the digital environment in particular , the competent authorities should be able to stop infringements quickly and effectively , notably where the trader selling goods or services conceals its identity or relocates within the union or to a third country to avoid enforcement . in cases where there is a risk of serious and irreparable harm to consumers , the competent authorities should to be able to adopt interim measures to prevent such harm or reduce it , including , where necessary , the suspension of a website , domain or a similar digital site , service or account . in such a case , the competent authorities should also have the power to take down or have a third party service provider take down a website , domain or a similar digital site , service or account ,


### bitter - tasting spirit drinks or bitter are spirit drinks with a predominantly bitter taste produced by flavouring ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin with flavouring substances . ### bitter - tasting spirit drinks or bitter are spirit drinks with a predominantly bitter taste produced by flavouring ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin with flavouring substances or flavouring preparations or both .


### without prejudice to paragraph 2 , geographical indications of spirit drinks protected under regulation no 110 / 2008 , shall automatically be protected as geographical indications under this regulation . the commission shall list them in the register . ### geographical indications of spirit drinks protected under regulation no 110 / 2008 , shall automatically be protected as geographical indications under this regulation . the commission shall list them in the register .


### the minimum alcoholic strength by volume of liqueur shall be 15 % . ### the minimum alcoholic strength by volume of liqueur shall be 15% .


### a maturation period or age may only be specified in the presentation or labelling of a spirit drink where it refers to the youngest alcoholic component and provided that the spirit drink was aged under supervision of the tax authorities of a member state or a supervision affording equivalent guarantees . ### a maturation period or age may only be specified in the presentation or labelling of a spirit drink where it refers to the youngest alcoholic component and provided that all the operations to age the spirit drink took place under supervision of the tax authorities of a member state or supervision affording equivalent guarantees . the commission shall adopt a public register listing the bodies appointed by each member state to supervise ageing processes .


### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in articles 5 , 16 , 38 , 41 and 46 shall be conferred on the commission for an indeterminate period of time from the entry into force of this regulation . ### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in articles 5 , 16 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 38 , 41 and 46 shall be conferred on the commission for a period of five years from . . . [ oj please insert the date of the entry into force of this regulation ] . the commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five - year period . the delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration , unless the european parliament or the council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period .


### the commission shall scrutinise by appropriate means any application that it receives pursuant to article 21 , in order to check that it is justified and that it meets the conditions of this chapter . this scrutiny should not exceed a period of 12 months . where this period is exceeded , the commission shall indicate in writing to the applicant the reasons for the delay . ### the commission shall scrutinise by appropriate means any application that it receives pursuant to article 21 , in order to check that it is justified and that it meets the conditions of this chapter . this scrutiny should not exceed a period of 6 months . where this period is exceeded , the commission shall indicate in writing to the applicant the reasons for the delay .


### the commission may , on its own initiative or at the request of any natural or legal person having a legitimate interest , adopt implementing acts to cancel the registration of a geographical indication in the following cases : ### the commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts supplementing this regulation , in accordance with article 43 , on its own initiative or at the request of any natural or legal person having a legitimate interest , in order to cancel the registration of a geographical indication in the following cases :


### a spirit drink produced exclusively by alcoholic fermentation and distillation of sugar - cane juice which has the aromatic characteristics specific to rum and a volatile substances content equal to or exceeding 225 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol . alcohol . this spirit drink may be placed on the market with the word ‘ agricultural’ qualifying the sales denomination ‘ rum’ accompanied by any registered geographical indications of the french overseas departments and the autonomous region of madeira . ### a spirit drink produced exclusively by alcoholic fermentation and distillation of sugar - cane juice which has the aromatic characteristics specific to rum and a volatile substances content equal to or exceeding 225 grams per hectolitre of 100% vol . alcohol . this spirit may be placed on the market with the word ‘ agricultural’ qualifying the legal name ‘ rum’ only when it is accompanied by one of the registered geographical indications of the french overseas departments and the autonomous region of madeira .


### the delegated acts referred to in points and of the first subparagraph shall be limited to meeting demonstrated needs resulting from evolving consumer demands , technological progress , developments in relevant international standards or needs for product innovation . ### the delegated acts referred to in point of the first subparagraph shall be limited to meeting demonstrated needs resulting from evolving consumer demands , technological progress , developments in relevant international standards or needs for product innovation .


### in order to take into account evolving consumer demands , technological progress , developments in the relevant international standards and the need to improve the economic conditions of production and marketing , the traditional ageing processes and , in exceptional cases , the law of the importing third countries , and in order to ensure the protection of geographical indications , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty should be delegated to the commission in respect of the amendment of or derogations from the technical definitions and requirements of the categories of spirit drinks and the specific rules concerning some of them referred to under chapter i of this regulation , the labelling and presentation referred to under chapter ii of this regulation , the geographical indications referred to under chapter iii of this regulation and the checks and exchange of information referred under chapter iv of this regulation . ### in order to take into account evolving consumer demands , technological progress , developments in the relevant international standards and the need to improve the economic conditions of production and marketing , the traditional ageing processes and , in exceptional cases , the law of the importing third countries , and in order to ensure the protection of geographical indications , while taking into account the importance of traditional practices , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty should be delegated to the commission in respect of the amendment of or derogations from the technical definitions and requirements of the categories of spirit drinks and the specific rules concerning some of them referred to under chapter i of this regulation , the labelling and presentation referred to under chapter ii of this regulation , the geographical indications referred to under chapter iii of this regulation and the checks and exchange of information referred under chapter iv of this regulation .


### details establishing the link between a given quality , reputation or other characteristic of the spirit drink and the geographical area referred to in point ; ### the details bearing out the link with the geographical environment or the geographical origin ;


### the commission shall adopt implementing acts , without applying the procedure referred to in article 44 , establishing and maintaining a publicly accessible updated electronic register of geographical indications of spirit drinks recognised under this scheme . ### the commission shall adopt delegated acts , supplementing this regulation , in accordance with article 43 , establishing and maintaining a publicly accessible updated electronic register of geographical indications of spirit drinks recognised under this scheme .


### in order to take into account evolving consumer demands , technological progress , developments in the relevant international standards and the need to improve the economic conditions of production and marketing , the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 43 concerning : ### in order to take into account evolving consumer demands , technological progress , developments in the relevant international standards and the need to improve the economic conditions of production and marketing , whilst at the same time ensuring consumer protection and taking into account traditional practice , the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 43 concerning :


### the alcohol used in the production of the foodstuffs originates exclusively from the spirit drinks referred to in the compound term or in the allusion , except for ethyl alcohol that may be present in flavourings used for the production of that foodstuff ; and ### the alcohol used in the production of the foodstuffs originates exclusively from the spirit drinks referred to in the compound term or in the allusion , except for ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin that may be used as a carrier for flavourings used for the production of that foodstuff ; and


### –rowanberries , ### –does not affect the english version .


### with the exception of ‘ korn’ , the minimum alcoholic strength by volume of grain spirit shall be 37 % . ### with the exception of ‘ korn’ , the minimum alcoholic strength by volume of grain spirit shall be 35 % .


### control body within the meaning of point 5 of the second subparagraph of article 2 of regulation no 882 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council , 19 operating as a product certification body . __________________ 19 regulation no 882 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council of 29 april 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law , animal health and animal welfare rules . ### delegated body within the meaning of point 5 of article 3 of regulation 2017 / 625 of the european parliament and of the council19 , operating as a product certification body . __________________ 19 regulation 2017 / 625 of the european parliament and of the council of 15 march 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law , rules on animal health and welfare , plant health and plant protection products , amending regulations no 999 / 2001 , no 396 / 2005 , no 1069 / 2009 , no 1107 / 2009 , no 1151 / 2012 , no 652 / 2014 , 2016 / 429 and 2016 / 2031 of the european parliament and of the council , council regulations no 1 / 2005 and no 1099 / 2009 and council directives 98 / 58 / ec , 1999 / 74 / ec , 2007 / 43 / ec , 2008 / 119 / ec and 2008 / 120 / ec , and repealing regulations no 854 / 2004 and no 882 / 2004 of the european parliament and of the council , council directives 89 / 608 / eec , 89 / 662 / eec , 90 / 425 / eec , 91 / 496 / eec , 96 / 23 / ec , 96 / 93 / ec and 97 / 78 / ec and council decision 92 / 438 / eec .


### if an agreement has been reached , register the name by means of implementing acts adopted without applying the procedure referred to in article 44 , and , if necessary , amend the information published pursuant to article 23 provided such amendments are not substantial ; or ### if an agreement has been reached , adopt delegated acts supplementing this regulation , in accordance with article 43 , to register the name and , if necessary , amend the information published pursuant to article 23 provided such amendments are not substantial ; or


### any other natural carbohydrate substances having a similar effect to the products referred to in points to . ### any other natural substances or agricultural raw materials having a similar effect to the products referred to in points to .


### the alcohol used in the production of alcoholic beverages and to dilute or dissolve colours , flavourings or any other authorised additives used in the preparation of alcoholic beverages shall be ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin . ### the alcohol used in the production of alcoholic beverages and to dilute or dissolve colours , flavourings or any other authorised additives used in the preparation of alcoholic beverages shall be ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin or derived from beer .


### if an agreement has not been reached , adopt implementing acts deciding on the registration . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 44 . ### if an agreement has not been reached , adopt delegated acts supplementing this regulation , in accordance with article 43 , deciding on the registration .


### in order to take into account evolving consumer demands , technological progress , developments in the relevant international standards and the need to improve the economic conditions of production and marketing , the traditional ageing processes and , in exceptional cases , the law of the importing third countries , and in order to ensure the protection of geographical indications , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty should be delegated to the commission in respect of the amendment of or derogations from the technical definitions and requirements of the categories of spirit drinks and the specific rules concerning some of them referred to under chapter i of this regulation , the labelling and presentation referred to under chapter ii of this regulation , the geographical indications referred to under chapter iii of this regulation and the checks and exchange of information referred under chapter iv of this regulation . ### in order to take into account evolving consumer demands , global market interconnectivity , technological progress , developments in the relevant international standards and the need to improve the economic conditions of production and marketing , the traditional ageing processes and , in exceptional cases , the law of the importing third countries , and in order to ensure the full protection of geographical indications , the power to adopt acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty should be delegated to the commission in respect of the amendment of or derogations from the technical definitions and requirements of the categories of spirit drinks and the specific rules concerning some of them referred to under chapter i of this regulation , the labelling and presentation referred to under chapter ii of this regulation , the geographical indications referred to under chapter iii of this regulation and the checks and exchange of information referred under chapter iv of this regulation .


### if the commission receives no notice of opposition or no admissible reasoned statement of opposition under article 24 , it shall adopt implementing acts , without applying the procedure referred to in article 44 , registering the name . ### if the commission receives no notice of opposition or no admissible reasoned statement of opposition under article 24 , it shall adopt delegated acts supplementing this regulation , in accordance with article 43 , registering the name .


### the union symbol for the protected geographical indication may be used for the labelling and presentation of spirit drinks . ### the union symbol for the protected geographical indication may be used voluntarily for the labelling and presentation of spirit drinks .


### a spirit drink produced exclusively by alcoholic fermentation and distillation of sugar - cane juice which has the aromatic characteristics specific to rum and a volatile substances content equal to or exceeding 225 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol . alcohol . this spirit drink may be placed on the market with the word ‘ agricultural’ qualifying the sales denomination ‘ rum’ accompanied by any registered geographical indications of the french overseas departments and the autonomous region of madeira . ### a spirit drink produced exclusively by alcoholic fermentation and distillation of sugar - cane juice which has the aromatic characteristics specific to rum and a volatile substances content equal to or exceeding 225 grams per hectolitre of 100% vol . alcohol . this spirit may be placed on the market with the word ‘ agricultural’ qualifying the legal name ‘ rum’ only when it is accompanied by one of the registered geographical indications of the french overseas departments and the autonomous region of madeira .


### where , on the basis of the information available to the commission from the scrutiny carried out pursuant to the first subparagraph of article 23 , the commission considers that the conditions for registration are not fulfilled , it shall adopt implementing acts rejecting the application . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 44 . ### where , on the basis of the information available to the commission from the scrutiny carried out pursuant to the first subparagraph of article 23 , the commission considers that the conditions for registration are not fulfilled , it shall adopt delegated acts supplementing this regulation , in accordance with article 43 , rejecting the application .


### distillates used in the production of alcoholic beverages and to dilute or dissolve colours , flavourings or any other authorised additives used in the preparation of alcoholic beverages shall exclusively be of agricultural origin . ### distillates used in the production of alcoholic beverages and to dilute or dissolve colours , flavourings or any other authorised additives used in the preparation of alcoholic beverages shall exclusively be of agricultural origin or derived from beer .


### solely be sweetened in accordance with point of annex i and in order to round off the final taste of the product . ### solely be sweetened in accordance with point of annex i and in order to round off the final taste of the product . the particular legislation of the member states shall be taken into account .


### –service - berry , ### –does not affect the english version .


### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in articles 5 , 16 , 38 , 41 and 46 shall be conferred on the commission for an indeterminate period of time from the entry into force of this regulation . ### the power to adopt delegated acts referred to in articles 5 , 16 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 38 , 41 and 46 shall be conferred on the commission for a period of five years from . . . [ oj please insert the date of the entry into force of this regulation ] . the commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five - year period . the delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration , unless the european parliament or the council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period .


### either directly by using any of the following methods : ### either directly by using any of the following methods , individually or in combination :


### the alcohol used in the production of the foodstuffs originates exclusively from the spirit drinks referred to in the compound term or in the allusion , except for ethyl alcohol that may be present in flavourings used for the production of that foodstuff ; and ### the alcohol used in the production of the foodstuffs originates exclusively from the spirit drinks referred to in the compound term or in the allusion , except for ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin that may be used as a carrier for flavourings used for the production of that foodstuff ; and


### the commission shall adopt implementing acts , without applying the procedure referred to in article 44 , establishing and maintaining a publicly accessible updated electronic register of geographical indications of spirit drinks recognised under this scheme . ### the commission shall adopt delegated acts , supplementing this regulation , in accordance with article 43 , establishing and maintaining a publicly accessible updated electronic register of geographical indications of spirit drinks recognised under this scheme .


### reporting persons shall have access to remedial measures against retaliation as appropriate , including interim relief pending the resolution of legal proceedings , in accordance with the national framework . ### reporting persons and those facilitating the reporting shall have access to remedial measures against retaliation covering all direct , indirect , and future consequences of any detriment , including , as appropriate , making any provision to act taken in breach of article 14 void ; the reinstatement of the reporting person with equal salary , status , duties and working conditions ; the transfer of the reporting person to a new department or supervisor ; compensation for pain and suffering ; interim relief pending the resolution of legal proceedings .


### effective prevention of breaches of union law requires that protection is also granted to persons who provide information about potential breaches , which have not yet materialised , but are likely to be committed . for the same reasons , protection is warranted also for persons who do not provide positive evidence but raise reasonable concerns or suspicions . at the same time , protection should not apply to the reporting of information which is already in the public domain or of unsubstantiated rumours and hearsay . ### effective prevention of breaches of union law requires that adequate and balanced protection is also granted to persons acting in good faith and for selfless motives who provide information about potential breaches , which have not yet materialised , but are likely to be committed and could be detrimental to the general interest . for the same reasons , protection is , under certain conditions , warranted also for persons who do not provide sufficient positive evidence but raise reasonable concerns or suspicions . however , protection should not apply to the reporting of information which is already in the public domain or of unsubstantiated rumours and hearsay .


### protection should also extend to further categories of natural or legal persons , who , whilst not being ' workers ' within the meaning of article 45 tfeu , can play a key role in exposing breaches of the law and may find themselves in a position of economic vulnerability in the context of their work - related activities . for instance , in areas such as product safety , suppliers are much closer to the source of possible unfair and illicit manufacturing , import or distribution practices of unsafe products ; in the implementation of union funds , consultants providing their services are in a privileged position to draw attention to breaches they witness . such categories of persons , including self - employed persons providing services , freelance , contractors , sub - contractors and suppliers , are typically subject to retaliation in the form of early termination or cancellation of contract of services , licence or permit , loss of business , loss of income , coercion , intimidation or harassment , blacklisting / business boycotting or damage to their reputation . shareholders and persons in managerial bodies , may also suffer retaliation , for instance in financial terms or in the form of intimidation or harassment , blacklisting or damage to their reputation . protection should also be granted to candidates for employment or for providing services to an organisation who acquired the information on breaches of law during the recruitment process or other pre - contractual negotiation stage , and may suffer retaliation for instance in the form of negative employment references or blacklisting / business boycotting . ### protection should also extend to persons facilitating the reporting and to investigative journalists who acquire and publish information on breaches , as well as to further categories of natural or legal persons , who , whilst not being ' workers ' within the meaning of article 45 tfeu , can play a key role in exposing breaches of the law and may find themselves in a position of economic or other type of vulnerability in the context of their work - related activities . for instance , in areas such as product safety , suppliers are much closer to the source of possible unfair and illicit manufacturing , import or distribution practices of unsafe products ; in the implementation of union funds , consultants providing their services are in a privileged position to draw attention to breaches they witness . such categories of persons , including self - employed persons providing services , freelance , contractors , sub - contractors and suppliers , are typically subject to retaliation in the form of early termination or cancellation of contract of services , licence or permit , loss of business , loss of income , coercion , intimidation or harassment , blacklisting / business boycotting or damage to their reputation . shareholders and persons in managerial bodies , may also suffer retaliation , for instance in financial terms or in the form of intimidation or harassment , blacklisting or damage to their reputation . protection should also be granted to candidates for employment or for providing services to an organisation who acquired the information on breaches of law during the recruitment process or other pre - contractual negotiation stage , and may suffer retaliation for instance in the form of negative employment references or blacklisting / business boycotting .


### ‘ report’ means the provision of information relating to a breach which has occurred or is likely to occur in the organisation at which the reporting person works or has worked or in another organisation with which he or she is or was in contact through his or her work ; ### ‘ report’ means the provision in good faith of information relating to a breach which has occurred or is likely to occur in the organisation at which the reporting person works or has worked or in another organisation with which he or she is or was in contact through his or her work ;


### in the context of internal reporting , the quality and transparency of information provided on the follow up procedure to the report is crucial to build trust in the effectiveness of the overall system of whistleblower protection and reduces the likelihood of further unnecessary reports or public disclosures . the reporting person should be informed within a reasonable timeframe about the action envisaged or taken as follow up to the report as far as such information would not prejudice the enquiry or investigation or affect the rights of the concerned person . such reasonable timeframe should not exceed in total three months . where the appropriate follow up is still being determined , the reporting person should be informed about this and about any further feedback he / she should expect . ### in the context of internal reporting , the quality and transparency of information provided on the follow up procedure to the report is crucial to build trust in the effectiveness of the overall system of whistleblower protection and reduces the likelihood of further unnecessary reports or public disclosures . the reporting person should be informed within a reasonable timeframe about the action envisaged or taken as follow up to the report as far as such information would not prejudice the enquiry or investigation or affect the rights of the concerned person . such reasonable timeframe should not exceed three months , but could be extended to six months where necessary due to the specific circumstances of the case , in particular the nature and complexity of the subject of the whistleblowing , which may require a lengthy investigation . where the appropriate follow up is still being determined , the reporting person should be informed about this and about any further feedback he / she should expect .


### channels for receiving the reports which are designed , set up and operated in a manner that ensures the confidentiality of the identity of the reporting person and prevents access to non - authorised staff members ; ### channels for receiving the reports which are designed , set up and operated in a manner that ensures the confidentiality of the identity of the reporting person and the identity of the concerned person and prevents access to non - authorised staff members .


### ‘ retaliation’ means any threatened or actual act or omission prompted by the internal or external reporting which occurs in a work - related context and causes or may cause unjustified detriment to the reporting person ; ### ‘ retaliation’ means any threatened or actual act or omission prompted by the internal , external reporting or disclosure and which causes or may cause unjustified detriment to the reporting person , suspected reporting person or their family members , relatives and facilitators ;


### persons who work for an organisation or are in contact with it in the context of their work - related activities are often the first to know about threats or harm to the public interest which arise in this context . by ' blowing the whistle ' they play a key role in exposing and preventing breaches of the law and in safeguarding the welfare of society . however , potential whistleblowers are often discouraged from reporting their concerns or suspicions for fear of retaliation . ### persons who work for an organisation or are in contact with it in the context of their work - related activities are often the first to know about threats or harm to the public interest which arise in this context . by ' blowing the whistle ' they may play a key role in exposing and preventing breaches of the law and in safeguarding the welfare of society . however , potential whistleblowers are sometimes discouraged from reporting their concerns or suspicions for fear of retaliation .


### persons intending to report should be able to make an informed decision on whether , how and when to report . competent authorities should therefore publicly disclose and make easily accessible information about the available reporting channels with competent authorities , about the applicable procedures and about the dedicated staff members within these authorities . all information regarding reports should be transparent , easily understandable and reliable in order to promote and not deter reporting . ### persons intending to report should be able to make an informed decision on whether , how and when to report . competent authorities should therefore publicly disclose and make easily accessible information about the available reporting channels with competent authorities , about the applicable procedures and about the dedicated staff members within these authorities . all information regarding reports should be transparent , easily understandable and reliable in order to promote and not deter reporting . potential whistleblowers should always be able to decide themselves whether to use internal or external reporting channels or whether they directly reach out to the public , provided that whistleblowers should in their discretion determine before resorting to external channels whether internal reporting mechanisms would be effective enough to provide a remedy against the breach that would be the subject of their report .


### bring vexatious proceedings against reporting persons ; ### bring vexatious proceedings against reporting persons or investigative journalists revealing wrongdoing ;


### the requirement of a tiered use of reporting channels , as a general rule , is necessary to ensure that the information gets to the persons who can contribute to the early and effective resolution of risks to the public interest as well as to prevent unjustified reputational damage from public disclosure . at the same time , some exceptions to its application are necessary , allowing the reporting person to choose the most appropriate channel depending on the individual circumstances of the case . moreover , it is necessary to protect public disclosures taking into account democratic principles such as transparency and accountability , and fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and media freedom , whilst balancing the interest of employers to manage their organisations and to protect their interests with the interest of the public to be protected from harm , in line with the criteria developed in the case - law of the european court of human rights57 . _________________ 57 one of the criteria for determining whether retaliation against whistleblowers making public disclosures interferes with freedom of expression in a way which is not necessary in a democratic society , is whether the persons who made the disclosure had at their disposal alternative channels for making the disclosure ; ### the requirement of a tiered use of reporting channels , as a general rule , is necessary to ensure that the information gets to the persons who can contribute to the early and effective resolution of risks to the public interest as well as to prevent unjustified reputational damage from public disclosure . at the same time , some exceptions to its application are necessary , allowing the reporting person to choose the most appropriate channel depending on the rules applicable . moreover , it is necessary to protect public disclosures taking into account democratic principles such as transparency and accountability , and fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and media freedom , whilst balancing the legitimate interest of employers to protect the reputation of their organisation against malicious disclosures and unfounded accusations and to protect their interests with the interest of the public to be protected from harm , in line with the criteria developed in the case - law of the european court of human rights57 . _________________ 57 one of the criteria for determining whether retaliation against whistleblowers making public disclosures interferes with freedom of expression in a way which is not necessary in a democratic society , is whether the persons who made the disclosure had at their disposal alternative channels for making the disclosure ;


### ‘ reporting person’ means a natural or legal person who reports or discloses information on breaches acquired in the context of his or her work - related activities ; ### ‘ reporting person’ means a natural or legal person who reports or discloses information in good faith on breaches acquired in the context of his or her work - related activities ;


### for legal entities in the private sector , the obligation to establish internal channels is commensurate with their size and the level of risk their activities pose to the public interest . it should apply to all medium - sized and large entities irrespective of the nature of their activities , based on their obligation to collect vat . as a general rule small and micro undertakings , as defined in article 2 of the annex of the commission recommendation of 6 may 2003 , as amended56 , should be exempted from the obligation to establish internal channels . however , following an appropriate risk assessment , member states may require small undertakings to establish internal reporting channels in specific cases . _________________ 56 commission recommendation of 6 may 2003 concerning the definition of micro , small and medium - sized enterprises . ### for legal entities in the private sector , the obligation to establish internal channels is commensurate with their size and the level of risk their activities pose to the public interest . as a general rule small , micro and medium - sized undertakings , as defined in the commission recommendation of 6 may 2003 , as amended56 , should be exempted from the obligation to establish internal channels . _________________ 56 commission recommendation of 6 may 2003 concerning the definition of micro , small and medium - sized enterprises .


### written reports in electronic or paper format and / or oral report through telephone lines , whether recorded or unrecorded ; ### written reports in electronic or paper format or oral report through telephone lines , whether recorded or unrecorded , or ;


### persons who work for an organisation or are in contact with it in the context of their work - related activities are often the first to know about threats or harm to the public interest which arise in this context . by ' blowing the whistle ' they play a key role in exposing and preventing breaches of the law and in safeguarding the welfare of society . however , potential whistleblowers are often discouraged from reporting their concerns or suspicions for fear of retaliation . ### persons who work for a public or private organisation or are in contact with it in the context of their work - related activities are often the first to know about illegal activities or inadmissible practices that could result in threats or even harm to the public interest which arise in this context . by ' blowing the whistle ' they play a key role in exposing and preventing breaches of the law and actions harmful to the public interest , as well as safeguarding the welfare of society as a whole . however , potential whistleblowers are often discouraged from reporting their concerns or suspicions for fear of retaliation . in this connection , the importance of providing balanced and effective whistleblower protection in order to safeguard the public interest is increasingly acknowledged both at european and international level .


### persons making a public disclosure directly should also qualify for protection in cases where a breach remains unaddressed despite having been reported internally and / or externally following a tiered use of available channels ; or in cases where reporting persons have valid reasons to believe that there is collusion between the perpetrator of the breach and the competent authority is reasonably suspected , that evidence may be concealed or destroyed , or that the effectiveness of investigative actions by competent authorities might be jeopardised ; or in cases of imminent and manifest danger for the public interest , or where there is a risk of irreversible damage , including , inter alia , harm to physical integrity . ### persons making a public disclosure should also qualify for protection in cases where a breach remains unaddressed despite having been reported internally and / or externally following a tiered use of available channels ; or in cases where reporting persons have valid reasons to believe that there is collusion between the perpetrator of the breach and the competent authority is reasonably suspected , that evidence may be concealed or destroyed , or that the effectiveness of investigative actions by competent authorities might be jeopardised ; or in cases of imminent and manifest danger for the public interest , or where there is a risk of irreversible damage , including , inter alia , harm to physical integrity .


### persons who work for an organisation or are in contact with it in the context of their work - related activities are often the first to know about threats or harm to the public interest which arise in this context . by ' blowing the whistle ' they play a key role in exposing and preventing breaches of the law and in safeguarding the welfare of society . however , potential whistleblowers are often discouraged from reporting their concerns or suspicions for fear of retaliation . ### persons who work for an organisation or are in contact with it in the context of their work - related activities are often the first to know about cases of unlawful activities or abuse of law which may occur in this context and amount to threats or harm to the public interest . by ' blowing the whistle ' they play a key role in exposing and preventing breaches of the law and in safeguarding the welfare of society and the public interest . however , potential whistleblowers are often discouraged from reporting their concerns or suspicions for fear of retaliation .


### ‘ abuse of law’ means acts or omissions falling within the scope of union law which do not appear to be unlawful in formal terms but defeat the object or the purpose pursued by the applicable rules ; ### ‘ abuse of a right’ is committed by any person who , among various ways of exercising his rights , deliberately opts for the one that is most damaging to others and defeats the object or the purpose of the law applicable .


### accordingly , common minimum standards ensuring effective whistleblower protection should apply in those acts and policy areas where i ) there is a need to strengthen enforcement ; ii ) under - reporting by whistleblowers is a key factor affecting enforcement , and iii ) breaches of union law cause serious harm to the public interest . ### accordingly , common minimum standards ensuring effective and balanced whistleblower protection should apply in those acts and policy areas that have a manifest european dimension where i ) there is a need to strengthen enforcement ; there is a need to enhance enforcement ; ii ) under - reporting by whistleblowers is a key factor affecting enforcement , and iii ) breaches of union law cause serious harm to the public interest .


### protection should , firstly , apply to persons having the status of ' workers ' , within the meaning of article 45 tfeu , as interpreted by the court of justice of the european union52 , i . e . persons who , for a certain period of time , perform services for and under the direction of another person , in return of which they receive remuneration . protection should thus also be granted to workers in non - standard employment relationships , including part - time workers and fixed - term contract workers , as well as persons with a contract of employment or employment relationship with a temporary agency , which are types of relationships where standard protections against unfair treatment are often difficult to apply . __________________ 52 judgments of 3 july 1986 , lawrie - blum , case 66 / 85 ; 14 october 2010 , union syndicale solidaires isère , case c - 428 / 09 ; 9 july 2015 , balkaya , case c - 229 / 14 ; 4 december 2014 , fnv kunsten , case c - 413 / 13 ; and 17 november 2016 , ruhrlandklinik , case c - 216 / 15 . ### protection should , firstly , apply to persons having the status of ' workers ' , within the meaning of article 45 tfeu , as interpreted by the court of justice of the european union52 , i . e . persons who , for a certain period of time , perform or performed services for and under the direction of another person , in return of which they receive remuneration . in accordance with the court ' s case law , the notion of worker should be interpreted broadly , including , for example civil servants . protection should thus also be granted to workers in non - standard employment relationships , including part - time workers and fixed - term contract workers , as well as persons with a contract of employment or employment relationship with a temporary agency , a contractor or subcontractor or where work based relationship is solely bound to directives , which are types of relationships where standard protections against unfair treatment are often difficult to apply . __________________ 52 judgments of 3 july 1986 , lawrie - blum , case 66 / 85 ; 14 october 2010 , union syndicale solidaires isère , case c - 428 / 09 ; 9 july 2015 , balkaya , case c - 229 / 14 ; 4 december 2014 , fnv kunsten , case c - 413 / 13 ; and 17 november 2016 , ruhrlandklinik , case c - 216 / 15 .


### whistleblowers are , in particular , important sources for investigative journalists . providing effective protection to whistleblowers from retaliation increases the legal certainty of whistleblowers and thereby encourages and facilitates whistleblowing also to the media . in this respect , protection of whistleblowers as journalistic sources is crucial for safeguarding the ‘ watchdog’ role of investigative journalism in democratic societies . ### whistleblowers are , in particular , important sources for investigative journalists . providing effective protection to whistleblowers as well as to investigative journalists from retaliation and any form of harassment increases the legal certainty of whistleblowers and thereby encourages and facilitates whistleblowing also to the media . in this respect , protection of whistleblowers as journalistic sources is crucial for safeguarding the ‘ watchdog’ role of investigative journalism in democratic societies .


### establish independent and autonomous external reporting channels , which are both secure and ensure confidentiality , for receiving and handling information provided by the reporting person ; ### establish independent and autonomous external reporting channels , which are secure , ensure confidentiality and guarantee that the identity of the reporting person will not be disclosed , for receiving and handling information provided by the reporting person ;


### the confidentiality regime applicable to reports , including a detailed description of the circumstances under which the confidential data of a reporting person may be disclosed . ### the confidentiality regime applicable to reports and its conditions , including a detailed description of the circumstances under which the confidential data of a reporting person may be disclosed ; the same confidentiality regime and protection measures shall be applicable to whistle blowers who initially reported anonymously , if they ask for such measures .


### whistleblowers are , in particular , important sources for investigative journalists . providing effective protection to whistleblowers from retaliation increases the legal certainty of whistleblowers and thereby encourages and facilitates whistleblowing also to the media . in this respect , protection of whistleblowers as journalistic sources is crucial for safeguarding the ‘ watchdog’ role of investigative journalism in democratic societies . ### whistleblowers are , in particular , important sources for investigative journalists . providing effective protection to whistleblowers from retaliation increases the legal certainty of whistleblowers and thereby encourages and facilitates whistleblowing also to the media when it is justified . in this respect , protection of whistleblowers as journalistic sources is crucial for safeguarding the ‘ watchdog’ role of investigative journalism in democratic societies .


### four years after the start of operations of each interoperability component and every four years thereafter , eu - lisa shall submit to the european parliament , the council and the commission a report on the technical functioning of the interoperability components , including the security thereof . ### two years after the start of operations of each interoperability component and every two years thereafter , eu - lisa shall submit to the european parliament , the council and the commission a report on the technical functioning of the interoperability components , including their security and costs .


### in order to effectively protect the environment and human health , reclamation plant operators should be primarily responsible for the quality of reclaimed water . for the purposes of compliance with the minimum requirements and any additional conditions , set by the competent authority , reclamation plant operators should monitor the quality of reclaimed water . it is therefore appropriate to establish the minimum requirements for monitoring , consisting of the frequencies of the routine monitoring and the timing and performance targets for validation monitoring . certain requirements for routine monitoring are specified in accordance with directive 91 / 271 / eec . ### in order to effectively protect the environment , human health and soil quality , reclamation facility operators and the competent authorities shall be primarily responsible for the quality of reclaimed water . in order to guarantee users , and in particular farmers , water of a quality consistent with the parameters set , reclamation facility operators should monitor the quality of reclaimed water in accordance with the minimum requirements and any additional conditions set by the competent authority . it is therefore appropriate to establish the minimum requirements for monitoring , consisting of the frequencies of the routine monitoring and the timing and performance targets for validation monitoring . certain requirements for routine monitoring are specified in accordance with directive 91 / 271 / eec .


### in the event of non - compliance , the competent authority shall require the reclamation plant operator to take any necessary measures to restore compliance without delay . ### in the event of non - compliance , the competent authority shall require the reclamation plant operator to take any necessary measures to restore compliance without delay and inform immediately the final users affected of the situation .


### ' reclamation plant ' means an urban waste water treatment plant or other plant that further treats urban waste water complying with the requirements set out in directive 91 / 271 / eec in order to produce water that is fit for a use specified in section 1 of annex i to this regulation ; ### ' reclamation facility ' means an urban waste water treatment plant or other plant that further treats urban waste water complying with the requirements set out in directive 91 / 271 / eec in order to produce reclaimed water that is fit for a use specified in section 1 of annex i to this regulation ;


### reclamation plant operators shall ensure that reclaimed water destined for a use specified in section 1 of annex i , shall , at the outlet of the reclamation plant , comply with the following : ### reclamation facility operators shall , at the point of compliance , ensure that reclaimed water destined for a use specified in section 1 of annex i , shall comply with the following :


### ‘ end - user’ means a natural or legal person who uses reclaimed water ; ### ‘ user’ means a natural or legal person or a public or private entity who uses reclaimed water for its intended use .


### in order to encourage confidence in water reuse , information should be provided to the public . making available of information on water reuse should allow for increased transparency and traceability and could also be of particular interest to other relevant authorities for whom the specific water reuse has implications . ### if the union ' s targets for the sparing use of resources are to be met , making consumers aware of their responsibilities is also important . it would be necessary , first of all , to review practices involving the use of natural resources , with the aim of achieving savings . in order to encourage confidence in water reuse and secure consumer acceptance of this sustainable practice , information should be provided to the public , accompanied by a system of rewards and incentives for users . making available of information on water reuse should allow for increased transparency and traceability and could also be of particular interest to other relevant authorities for whom the specific water reuse has implications .


### ‘ reclamation plant’ means an urban waste water treatment plant or other plant that further treats urban waste water complying with the requirements set out in directive 91 / 271 / eec in order to produce water that is fit for a use specified in section 1 of annex i to this regulation ; ### ‘ reclamation facility’ means a part of an urban waste water treatment plant or other facility that further treats urban waste water previously treated according to and complying with the requirements set out in directive 91 / 271 / eec in order to produce reclaimed water that is fit for a use specified in section 1 of annex i to this regulation ;


### in order to effectively protect the environment and human health , reclamation plant operators should be primarily responsible for the quality of reclaimed water . for the purposes of compliance with the minimum requirements and any additional conditions , set by the competent authority , reclamation plant operators should monitor the quality of reclaimed water . it is therefore appropriate to establish the minimum requirements for monitoring , consisting of the frequencies of the routine monitoring and the timing and performance targets for validation monitoring . certain requirements for routine monitoring are specified in accordance with directive 91 / 271 / eec . ### in order to effectively protect the environment , human health and soil quality , reclamation plant operators and the competent authorities shall be primarily responsible for the quality of reclaimed water . to guarantee end users , and in particular farmers , water of a quality consistent with the parameters set , reclamation plant operators should monitor the quality of reused water in accordance with the minimum requirements and any additional conditions set by the competent authority . it is therefore appropriate to establish the minimum requirements for monitoring , consisting of the frequencies of the routine monitoring and the timing and performance targets for validation monitoring . certain requirements for routine monitoring are specified in accordance with directive 91 / 271 / eec .


### ' reclamation plant operator ' means a natural or legal person who operates or controls a reclamation plant ; ### ' reclamation facility operator ' means a natural or legal person who operates or controls a reclamation facility ;


### reuse of appropriately treated waste water , for example from urban waste water treatment plants or industrial installations , is considered to have a lower environmental impact than other alternative water supply methods , such as water transfers or desalination , but such reuse only occurs to a limited extent in the union . this appears to be partly due to the lack of common union environmental or health standards for water reuse , and , as regards in particular agricultural products , the potential obstacles to the free movement of such products irrigated with reclaimed water . ### reuse of appropriately treated waste water , for example from urban waste water treatment plants or industrial installations , is considered to have a lower environmental impact than other alternative water supply methods , such as water transfers or desalination . but such reuse only occurs to a limited extent in the union . this appears to be partly due to the significant cost of wastewater reuse system and the lack of common union environmental or health standards for water reuse , and , as regards in particular agricultural products , the potential health and environmental risks and potential obstacles to the free movement of such products irrigated with reclaimed water . at the same time , it should be borne in mind that , in certain member states , the irrigation infrastructure is inadequate or non - existent .


### in order to effectively protect the environment and human health , reclamation plant operators should be primarily responsible for the quality of reclaimed water . for the purposes of compliance with the minimum requirements and any additional conditions , set by the competent authority , reclamation plant operators should monitor the quality of reclaimed water . it is therefore appropriate to establish the minimum requirements for monitoring , consisting of the frequencies of the routine monitoring and the timing and performance targets for validation monitoring . certain requirements for routine monitoring are specified in accordance with directive 91 / 271 / eec . ### in order to effectively protect the environment and human health , reclamation plant operators should be primarily responsible for the quality of reclaimed water at the point of compliance , which will be the delivery point of reclaimed water . for the purposes of compliance with the minimum requirements and any additional conditions , set by the competent authority , reclamation plant operators should monitor the quality of reclaimed water . it is therefore appropriate to establish the minimum requirements for monitoring , consisting of the frequencies of the routine monitoring and the timing and performance targets for validation monitoring . certain requirements for routine monitoring are specified in accordance with directive 91 / 271 / eec .


### the operator of the urban waste water treatment plant supplying a reclamation plant with water , if different from the reclamation plant operator ; ### the operator of the urban waste water treatment plant supplying a reclamation facility with water , if different from the reclamation facility operator ;


### ‘ reclaimed water’ means urban waste water that has been treated in compliance with the requirements set out in directive 91 / 271 / eec and which results from further treatment in a reclamation plant ; ### ‘ reclaimed water’ means urban waste water that has been treated in compliance with the requirements set out in directive 91 / 271 / eec and which results from further treatment in a reclamation facility that makes its quality suitable for the use it is intended for ;