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1. By way of derogation from Article 16(1), a Member State may decide to examine an application for international protection by a third-country national or a stateless person registered with it, even if such examination is not its responsibility according to the criteria laid down in this Regulation.

2. The Member State in which an application for international protection is registered and which is carrying out the procedure for determining the Member State responsible, or the Member State responsible, may, at any time before a first decision regarding the substance is taken, request another Member State to take charge of an applicant in order to bring together any family relations, on humanitarian grounds based in particular on meaningful links regarding family, social or cultural considerations, even where that other Member State is not responsible according to the criteria laid down in Articles 25 to 28 and 34. The persons concerned shall express their consent to that effect in writing. The take charge request shall contain all the material in the possession of the requesting Member State necessary to allow the requested Member State to assess the situation. The requested Member State shall carry out any necessary checks to examine the humanitarian grounds referred to in the request, and shall reply to the requesting Member State within two months of receipt of the request using the electronic communication network set up under Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No 1560/2003. A refusal of the request shall state the reasons on which the refusal is based.