1. Where a specific machine-readable format is required by any of the acts referred to in Article 1(1), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2023/2859, collection bodies shall verify that the information submitted to them pursuant to that act is compliant with the machine-readable format specified in those acts.
2. Where no specific machine-readable format is required by any of the acts referred to in Article 1(1), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2023/2859, collection bodies shall verify that the information submitted to them:
(a)
is submitted in one of the formats referred to in Article 7(1) or in other data extractable format required by any binding Union legislative act;
(b)
contains text that can be extracted by a machine.
3. Collection bodies shall verify that:
(a)
the data submitted is complete and compliant with the metadata specification set in the Annex to this Regulation;
(b)
the metadata is consistent with any other metadata provided otherwise by the same entity;
(c)
where provided by the submitting entity, the metadata indicating the legal entity identifier of the submitting entity complies with the specifications laid down in Article 2 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1338 at the moment of submitting the information to the ESAP; and
(d)
where provided by the submitting entity, the metadata indicating the legal entity identifier of the entity to which information relates complies with the specifications laid down in Article 2 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1338 at the date or period to which the information relates.
4. Where a qualified electronic seal is required in accordance with Article 5(9) of Regulation (EU) 2023/2859, collection bodies shall:
(a)
perform the validations set out in Article 32(1) of Regulation (EU) No 910/2014; and
(b)
verify that the qualified electronic seal accompanying the information submitted to them complies with Article 2 of this Regulation.
5. Collection bodies shall reject information that does not comply with any one of the requirements set out in paragraphs 1 to 4.
6. Collection bodies shall undertake their best efforts to provide the submitting entities with detailed information on the results of the automated validations referred to in paragraphs 1 to 4 within 60 minutes after they have received the information.
7. In duly justified exceptional circumstances, including major accidents and errors, deliberate attacks and natural events, collection bodies may provide the results of the automated validations beyond the time limit set out in paragraph 6. In that case, collection bodies shall undertake their best efforts to provide the results of the automated validations to the submitting entities within 60 minutes after the resolution of the relevant exceptional circumstance.