1. Where an agreement on security procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information (‘security of information agreement’) between the Union and a third State or international organisation is in force, and in accordance with Decision 2013/488/EU, the Secretary-General of the Council shall be authorised to release, in accordance with the principle of originator's consent, to that third State or international organisation EU classified information falling under the scope of the security of information agreement, up to the level determined by the Council Security Committee pursuant to paragraph 11 of Annex VI to Decision 2013/488/EU. The decision to release EU classified information to a third State or international organisation under a security of information agreement shall be taken by the Secretary-General on a case-by-case basis.
2. Where the Secretary-General of the Council has, upon approval by the Council and in accordance with Decision 2013/488/EU, entered into an administrative arrangement on security procedures for the exchange of classified information (‘administrative arrangement’) with a third State or international organisation, the Secretary-General of the Council shall be authorised to release, in accordance with the principle of originator's consent, to that third State or international organisation EU classified information falling under the scope of and up to the level specified in the administrative arrangement. The decision to release EU classified information to a third State or international organisation under an administrative arrangement shall be taken by the Secretary-General on a case-by-case basis.
3. The Secretary-General of the Council may delegate the authority referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 to senior officials of the General Secretariat of the Council.