Article 19
1. Storage periods shall be determined in accordance with the laws, regulations and procedures of the Member State entering the data. However, the following time limits, starting on the date on which the data were entered in the file, shall not be exceeded: (a) data relating to current investigation files shall not be retained beyond a period of three years if it has not been established that an infringement has taken place within that time period. The data shall be erased before the expiry of the three-year period if 12 months have passed since the last investigative act; (b) data relating to investigation files which have established that an infringement has taken place but which have not yet led to a conviction or to imposition of a fine shall not be retained beyond a period of six years; (c) data relating to investigation files which have led to a conviction or a fine shall not be retained beyond a period of 10 years. 2. At all stages of an investigation as referred to in points (a) to (c) of paragraph 1, as soon as a person or business within the scope of Article 16 is eliminated from an investigation pursuant to the laws and administrative regulations of the supplying Member State, all data relating to that person or business shall be erased immediately. 3. Data shall automatically be erased from the customs files identification database as from the date on which the data retention periods laid down in paragraph 1 are exceeded.