Article 16
1. Data from investigation files will be entered into the customs files identification database only for the purposes set out in Article 15(2). The data shall only cover the following categories: (a) a person or a business which is or has been the subject of an investigation file opened by a competent authority of a Member State, and which: (i) in accordance with the national law of the Member State concerned, is suspected of committing or having committed, or participating or having participated in the commission of, a serious infringement of national laws; (ii) has been the subject of a report establishing that such an infringement has taken place; or (iii) has been the subject of an administrative or judicial sanction for such an infringement; (b) the field covered by the investigation file; (c) the name, nationality and contact information of the Member State’s authority handling the case, together with the file number. Data referred to in points (a) to (c) shall be entered in a data record separately for each person or business. Links between data records shall not be permitted. 2. The personal data referred to in paragraph 1(a) shall consist of only the following: (a) for persons: name, maiden name, forenames, former surnames and aliases, date and place of birth, nationality and sex; (b) for businesses: business name, name under which trade is conducted, address, VAT identifier and excise duties identification number. 3. Data shall be entered for a limited period in accordance with Article 19.