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5. The Director-General shall ensure that any information provided to the public is given neutrally and impartially, and that its disclosure respects the confidentiality of investigations and complies with the principles set out in this Article and in Article 9(1). In accordance with the Staff Regulations, the staff of the Office and the staff of the secretariat of the Supervisory Committee shall refrain from any unauthorised disclosure of information received in the exercise of their functions, unless that information has already been lawfully made public or is accessible to the public, and shall continue to be bound by that obligation after leaving the service. The members of the Supervisory Committee shall be bound by the same obligation of professional secrecy in the exercise of their functions, and shall continue to be bound by that obligation after the end of their mandate.

1. Information transmitted or obtained in the course of external investigations, in whatever form, shall be protected by the relevant provisions.

2. Information transmitted or obtained in the course of internal investigations, in whatever form, shall be subject to professional secrecy and shall enjoy the protection afforded by the rules applicable to the Union institutions.

3. The institutions, bodies, offices or agencies concerned shall ensure that the confidentiality of the investigations conducted by the Office is respected, together with the legitimate rights of the persons concerned, and, where judicial proceedings have been initiated, that all national rules applicable to such proceedings have been adhered to.

3a. Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council () shall apply to the reporting of fraud, corruption and any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union and the protection of persons reporting such breaches.

3b. Where the Office recommends a judicial follow-up, without prejudice to the confidentiality rights of whistle-blowers and informants, and in accordance with the applicable confidentiality and data protection rules, the person concerned may request the Office to provide the report drawn up under Article 11 to the extent that it relates to the person concerned. The Office shall communicate that request without delay to all recipients of that report and shall grant access only with the explicit consent of the recipients. The recipients shall reply within a period of 12 months of receipt of the request. In the absence of an objection within that period, the Office shall grant access. The competent authority may also authorise the Office to grant access before this period has expired.

4. The Office shall designate a Data Protection Officer in accordance with Article 43 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725. The Data Protection Officer shall be competent for the processing of data by the Office and by the secretariat of the Supervisory Committee.