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1. Where the Commission decides to initiate an investigation, it shall publish a notice in the Official Journal of the European Union announcing the investigation, and notify the beneficiary country concerned thereof. The notice shall provide a summary of the information received and state that any relevant information should be sent to the Commission. It shall specify the period, which may not exceed four months as from the date of publication of the notice, within which interested parties may make their views known in writing.

2. The Commission shall provide the beneficiary country concerned with every opportunity to cooperate in the investigation.

3. The Commission shall seek all information it considers necessary including the available assessments, comments, decisions, recommendations and conclusions of the relevant supervisory bodies of the UN, the ILO and other competent international organisations. These shall serve as the point of departure for the investigation as to whether temporary withdrawal is justified for the reason referred to in point (a) of Article 16(1). The Commission may verify the information received with economic operators and the beneficiary country concerned.

4. The Commission may be assisted by officials of the Member State on whose territory verification might be sought, if that Member State so requests.

5. Where information requested by the Commission is not provided within the period specified in the notice announcing the investigation, or the investigation is significantly impeded, findings may be made on the basis of the facts available.

6. The investigation should be completed within a year. The Commission may extend this period, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 28(5).