FantasticSearch

1. This Directive establishes harmonised rules for the adequate and rapid exchange of information between the competent law enforcement authorities for the purpose of preventing, detecting or investigating criminal offences. In particular, this Directive establishes rules on:

(a) requests for information submitted to the Single Points of Contact established or designated by the Member States, in particular on the content of such requests, the provision of information pursuant to such requests, the working languages of the Single Points of Contact, mandatory time limits for providing requested information and the reasons for the refusal of such requests;

(b) the provision by a Member State, on its own initiative, of relevant information to the Single Points of Contact or to the competent law enforcement authorities of other Member States, in particular the situations and the manner in which such information is to be provided;

(c) the default channel of communication to be used for all exchanges of information under this Directive and the information to be provided to the Single Points of Contact in relation to the exchange of information directly between the competent law enforcement authorities;

(d) the establishment or designation and the organisation, tasks, composition and capabilities of each Member State’s Single Point of Contact, including on the deployment and operation of a single electronic case management system for carrying out their tasks under this Directive.

2. This Directive shall not apply to exchanges of information between the competent law enforcement authorities for the purpose of preventing, detecting or investigating criminal offences that are specifically regulated by other Union legal acts. Without prejudice to their obligations under this Directive or other Union legal acts, Member States may adopt or maintain provisions further facilitating the exchange of information with the competent law enforcement authorities of other Member States for the purpose of preventing, detecting or investigating criminal offences, including by means of bilateral or multilateral arrangements.

3. This Directive does not impose any obligation on Member States to:

(a) obtain information by means of coercive measures;

(b) store information for the sole purpose of providing it to the competent law enforcement authorities of other Member States;

(c) provide information to the competent law enforcement authorities of other Member States to be used as evidence in judicial proceedings.

4. This Directive does not establish any right to use the information provided in accordance with this Directive as evidence in judicial proceedings. The Member State providing the information may consent to its use as evidence in judicial proceedings.