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1. Paper BCDs or printed eBCDs may be used in the following cases:

(a) landings of quantities of bluefin tuna less than one metric tonne or fewer than three fish. Such paper BCDs shall be converted to eBCDs within a period of seven working days of landing or prior to export, whichever is first;

(b) bluefin tuna caught prior to 1 January 2017;

(c) as a back-up in the limited event that technical difficulties with the system arise that preclude a Member State from using the eBCD system, following the procedures set out in Annex 3 to ICCAT Recommendation 22-16. Delays by Member States in taking necessary actions, such as providing the data necessary to ensure the registration of users in the eBCD system or other avoidable situations, shall not constitute an acceptable technical difficulty;

(d) trade in Pacific tuna;

(e) trade between the Union and non-CPCs where access to the eBCD system through the ICCAT Secretariat is not possible or is not timely enough to ensure the trade is not unduly delayed or disrupted.

2. The use of a paper BCD referred to in paragraph 1 shall not be invoked by a Member State or CPCs as a reason to delay or deny the import of a bluefin tuna shipment, provided that the paper BCD complies with this Regulation. Printed eBCDs that are validated in the eBCD system shall satisfy the validation requirement stipulated in Article 3(3).

3. Flag or trap Member States shall provide BCD forms only to catching vessels and traps authorised to fish bluefin tuna in the Convention area, including as by-catch. Such forms shall not be transferable.

4. Paper copies of eBCDs shall follow each part of split lots or processed product, using the unique document number of the eBCD to link them.