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1. The permit granting process shall consist of two procedures:

(a) the pre-application procedure, covering the period between the start of the permit granting process and the acceptance of the submitted application file by the national competent authority, which shall take place within an indicative period of 24 months; and (b) the statutory permit granting procedure, covering the period from the date of acceptance of the submitted application file until the taking of the comprehensive decision, which shall not exceed 18 months. With regard to point (b) of the first subparagraph, where appropriate, Member States may provide for a statutory permit granting procedure that is shorter than 18 months.

2. The national competent authority shall ensure that the combined duration of the two procedures referred to in paragraph 1 does not exceed a period of 42 months.

However, where the national competent authority considers that one or both of the procedures will not be completed within the time limits set in paragraph 1, it may extend one or both of those time limits before their expiry and on a case-by-case basis. The national competent authority shall not extend the combined duration of the two procedures for more than nine months other than in exceptional circumstances. Where the national competent authority extends the time limits, it shall inform the Group concerned and present it with the measures taken, or to be taken, for the conclusion of the permit granting process, with the least possible delay. The Group may request that the national competent authority reports regularly on progress achieved in that regard and reasons for any delays.

3. For the purpose of establishing the start of the permit granting process, the project promoters shall notify the project to the national competent authority of each Member State concerned in written form and shall include a reasonably detailed outline of the project.

Within three months of receipt of the notification, the national competent authority shall acknowledge or, if it considers the project not to be mature enough to enter the permit granting process, reject the notification, in writing, including on behalf of other authorities concerned. In the event of a rejection, the national competent authority shall provide reasons for its decision, including on behalf of other authorities concerned. The date of signature of the acknowledgement of the notification by the national competent authority shall mark the start of the permit granting process. Where two or more Member States are concerned, the date of the acceptance of the last notification by the national competent authority concerned shall mark the start of the permit granting process.

The national competent authorities shall ensure that the permit granting process is accelerated in line with this Chapter for each category of projects of common interest. To that end, the national competent authorities shall adapt their requirements for the start of the permit granting process and for the acceptance of the submitted application file, to make them fit for projects that due to their nature, dimension or lack of requirement for environmental assessment under national law, may require less authorisations and approvals for reaching the ready-to-build phase. Member States may decide that the pre-application procedure referred to in paragraphs 1 and 6 of this Article is not required for the projects referred to in this subparagraph.

4. The national competent authorities shall take into consideration in the permit granting process any valid studies conducted and permits or authorisations issued for a given project on the Union list before the project entered the permit granting process in accordance with this Article, and shall not require duplicate studies and permits or authorisations.

5. In Member States where the determination of a route or location undertaken solely for the specific purpose of a planned project, including the planning of specific corridors for grid infrastructures, cannot be included in the process leading to the comprehensive decision, the corresponding decision shall be taken within a separate period of six months, starting on the date of submission of the final and complete application documents by the promoter. In the circumstances described in the first subparagraph of this paragraph, the extension referred to in paragraph 2, second subparagraph, shall be reduced to six months, other than in exceptional circumstances, including for the procedure referred to in this paragraph.

6. The pre-application procedure shall comprise the following steps:

(a) as soon as possible and no later than 6 months of the notification pursuant to first subparagraph of paragraph 3, the national competent authority shall determine, on the basis of the checklist referred to in point (1)(e) of Annex VI, and in close cooperation with the other authorities concerned, and where appropriate on the basis of a proposal by the project promoter, the scope of the reports and documents and the level of detail of information to be submitted by the project promoter, as part of the application file, to apply for the comprehensive decision;

(b) the national competent authority shall draw up, in close cooperation with the project promoter and other authorities concerned and taking into account the results of the activities carried out under point (a) of this paragraph, a detailed schedule for the permit granting process in line with the guidelines set out in point (2) of Annex VI;

(c) upon receipt of the draft application file, the national competent authority shall, where necessary, on its own behalf or on behalf of other authorities concerned, request the project promoter to submit missing information relating to the requested elements referred to in point (a).

The pre-application procedure shall include the preparation of any environmental reports by the project promoters, as necessary, including the climate adaptation documentation. Within three months of submission of the missing information referred to in point (c) of the first subparagraph, the competent authority shall accept for examination the application in written form or on digital platforms, starting the statutory permit granting procedure referred to in paragraph 1, point (b). Requests for additional information may be made, but only where they are justified by new circumstances.

7. The project promoter shall ensure that the application file is complete and adequate and seek the national competent authority’s opinion on that matter as early as possible during the permit granting process. The project promoter shall cooperate fully with the national competent authority in order to comply with the time limits set in this Regulation.

8. Member States shall endeavour to ensure that any amendments to the national law do not lead to prolonging any permit granting process started before the entry into force of those amendments. With a view of maintaining an accelerated permit granting process for projects on the Union list, national competent authorities shall adequately adapt the schedule established in line with paragraph 6, point (b), of this Article to ensure, to the extent possible, that the time limits for the permit granting process set in this Article are not exceeded.

9. The time limits set in this Article shall be without prejudice to obligations arising from Union and international law, and without prejudice to administrative appeal procedures and judicial remedies before a court or tribunal. The time limits set in this Article for any of the permit granting procedures shall be without prejudice to any shorter time limits set by Member States.