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1. Member States shall designate a competent authority or competent authorities responsible for the application of this Regulation. Member States shall ensure that competent authorities have a sufficient number of suitably qualified and experienced staff so that the obligations laid down in this Regulation can be carried out efficiently and effectively.

2. Competent authorities shall provide advice to applicants, in particular to SMEs, and to any other interested parties on their respective responsibilities and obligations under this Regulation. That shall include the provision of advice about the possibility of adapting the data requirements of Articles 6 and 20, the grounds on which such an adaptation can be made, and on how to prepare a proposal. It shall be in addition to the advice and assistance that the Secretariat of the Agency shall provide in accordance with Article 76(1)(d). Competent authorities may in particular provide advice by establishing helpdesks. Helpdesks already established under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 may act as helpdesks under this Regulation.

3. Member States shall inform the Commission of the names and addresses of the designated competent authorities and, where they exist, helpdesks by 1 September 2013. Member States shall, without undue delay, inform the Commission of any changes to the names and addresses of the competent authorities or helpdesks. The Commission shall make publicly available a list of competent authorities and helpdesks.