FantasticSearch

1. Member States and the Commission shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the data collected and received within the framework of this Regulation shall be treated in accordance with applicable rules on professional and commercial secrecy of data.

2. The data exchanged between Member States and the Commission shall not be transmitted to persons other than those in Member States or Union ◄ institutions whose functions require them to have such access unless the Member States transmitting the data give their express consent.

3. The data referred to in paragraph 1 shall not be used for any purpose other than that provided for in this Regulation unless the authorities providing the data give their express consent for the use of the data for other purposes and on condition that the provisions in force in the Member State of the authority receiving the data do not prohibit such use.

4. Data communicated in the framework of this Regulation to persons working for competent authorities, courts, other public authorities and the Commission or the body designated by it, the disclosure of which would undermine:

(a) the protection of the privacy and the integrity of the individual, in accordance with Union ◄ legislation regarding the protection of personal data;

(b) the commercial interests of a natural or legal person, including intellectual property;

(c) court proceedings and legal advice; or (d) the scope of inspections or investigations; shall be subject to applicable rules on confidentiality. Information may always be disclosed if this is necessary to bring about the cessation or prohibition of an infringement of the rules of the common fisheries policy.

5. The data referred to in paragraph 1 shall benefit from the same protection as is accorded to similar data by the national legislation of Member State receiving them and by the corresponding provisions applicable to Union ◄ institutions.

6. This Article shall not be construed as an obstacle to the use of the data, obtained pursuant to this Regulation, in the framework of legal actions or proceedings subsequently undertaken for failure to respect the rules of the common fisheries policy. The competent authorities of the Member State transmitting the data shall be informed of all the instances where those data are utilised for these purposes.

7. This Article shall not prejudice the obligations pursuant to international conventions concerning mutual assistance in criminal matters.