Disclosure of information and documents
Article 23
1. Information communicated in any form pursuant to this Directive shall be covered by the obligation of official secrecy and enjoy the protection extended to similar information under the national law of the Member State which received it. Such information may be used for the purpose of applying enforcement or precautionary measures with regard to claims covered by this Directive. It may also be used for assessment and enforcement of compulsory social security contributions. 2. Persons duly accredited by the Security Accreditation Authority of the European Commission may have access to this information only in so far as it is necessary for care, maintenance and development of the CCN network. 3. The Member State providing the information shall permit its use for purposes other than those referred to in paragraph 1 in the Member State receiving the information, if, under the legislation of the Member State providing the information, the information may be used for similar purposes. 4. Where the applicant or requested authority considers that information obtained pursuant to this Directive is likely to be useful for the purposes referred to in paragraph 1 to a third Member State, it may transmit that information to that third Member State, provided this transmission is in accordance with the rules and procedures laid down in this Directive. It shall inform the Member State of origin of the information about its intention to share that information with a third Member State. The Member State of origin of the information may oppose such a sharing of information within ten working days of the date at which it received the communication from the Member State wishing to share the information. 5. Permission to use information pursuant to paragraph 3 which has been transmitted pursuant to paragraph 4 may be granted only by the Member State from which the information originates. 6. Information communicated in any form pursuant to this Directive may be invoked or used as evidence by all authorities within the Member State receiving the information on the same basis as similar information obtained within that State.