Article 7a Competent authorities

1.Where a Member State designates more than one entity as competent authority with the necessary powers and allocated responsibilities for the certification and oversight of persons and organisations subject to this Regulation, the following requirements shall be complied with:

(a)the areas of competence of each competent authority shall be clearly defined, in particular in terms of responsibilities and geographic limitations;

(b)coordination shall be established between those authorities in order to ensure effective certification and oversight of all organisations and persons subject to this Regulation within their respective remits.

2.Member States shall ensure that the personnel of their competent authorities do not perform certification and oversight activities when there are indications that this could result, directly or indirectly, in a conflict of interest, in particular when relating to family or financial interest.

3.Where necessary to carry out certification or oversight tasks under this Regulation, the competent authorities shall be empowered to:

(a)examine the records, data, procedures, and any other material relevant to the execution of the certification and/or oversight tasks;

(b)make copies or extracts from such records, data, procedures and other material;

(c)ask for an oral explanation on-site from any of the personnel of those organisations;

(d)enter relevant premises, operating sites or means of transport owned or used by those persons;

(e)perform audits, investigations, assessments, inspections, including unannounced inspections, in respect of those organisations;

(f)take or initiate enforcement measures as appropriate.

4.The powers referred to in paragraph 3 shall be exercised in compliance with the legal provisions of the relevant Member State.