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1. Directive 2003/109/EC applies, subject to the derogations laid down in this Article.

2. By way of derogation from Article 4(1) of Directive 2003/109/EC, an EU Blue Card holder who has made use of the possibility provided for in Article 21 of this Directive may cumulate periods of residence in different Member States in order to fulfil the requirement concerning the duration of residence, provided that the EU Blue Card holder has accumulated:

(a) the number of years of legal and continuous residence required under Article 4(1) of Directive 2003/109/EC as a holder of an EU Blue Card, a national residence permit for highly qualified employment, an authorisation as researcher or, where appropriate, an authorisation as a student in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 4(2) of Directive 2003/109/EC or as a beneficiary of international protection within the territory of the Member States; and (b) 2 years of legal and continuous residence as an EU Blue Card holder within the territory of the Member State where the application for EU long-term resident status is submitted immediately prior to the submission of the relevant application.

3. For the purpose of calculating the duration of legal and continuous residence in the Union referred to in paragraph 2, point (a), of this Article, and by way of derogation from the first subparagraph of Article 4(3) of Directive 2003/109/EC, periods of absence from the territory of the Member State concerned shall not interrupt the duration of legal and continuous residence in the Union if those periods of absence are shorter than 12 consecutive months and do not exceed in total 18 months within that duration.

4. By way of derogation from Article 9(1), point (c), of Directive 2003/109/EC, Member States shall extend to 24 consecutive months the period of absence from the territory of the Union during which an EU long-term resident who holds a long-term residence permit bearing the remark referred to in Article 19(2) of this Directive and his or her family members having been granted EU long-term resident status are allowed to be absent.

5. Article 16(1), point (f), Article 16(3), Article 20 and, where applicable, Articles 17 and 22 apply to holders of a long-term residence permit bearing the remark referred to in Article 19(2).

6. Where an EU long-term resident who holds a long-term residence permit bearing the remark referred to in Article 19(2) of this Directive exercises his or her right to move to a second Member State pursuant to Chapter III of Directive 2003/109/EC, Article 14(3) and (4) of that Directive shall not apply. The second Member State may apply measures in accordance with Article 21(8) of this Directive.