Launch of coordinated action and designation of the coordinator
Article 17
1. Where there is a reasonable suspicion of a widespread infringement, the competent authorities concerned by that infringement shall launch a coordinated action which shall be based on an agreement between them. The launch of the coordinated action shall be notified to the single liaison offices concerned by that infringement and to the Commission, without delay. 2. The competent authorities concerned by the suspected widespread infringement shall designate one competent authority concerned by the suspected widespread infringement to be the coordinator. If those competent authorities are unable to reach agreement on that designation, the Commission shall take the role of coordinator. 3. If the Commission has a reasonable suspicion of a widespread infringement with a Union dimension, it shall without delay notify the competent authorities and the single liaison offices concerned by that alleged infringement pursuant to Article 26. The Commission shall state in the notification the grounds which justify a possible coordinated action. The competent authorities concerned by the alleged widespread infringement with a Union dimension shall conduct appropriate investigations on the basis of information that is available or easily accessible to them. The competent authorities concerned by the alleged widespread infringement with a Union dimension shall notify the results of such investigations to the other competent authorities, the single liaison offices concerned by that infringement and the Commission pursuant to Article 26, within 1 month from the date of the Commission’s notification. Where such investigations reveal that a widespread infringement with a Union dimension might be taking place, the competent authorities concerned by that infringement shall start with the coordinated action and shall take the measures set out in Article 19 as well as, where appropriate, the measures set out in Articles 20 and 21. 4. The coordinated actions referred to in paragraph 3 shall be coordinated by the Commission. 5. A competent authority shall join the coordinated action, if it becomes apparent during that coordinated action that the competent authority is concerned by the widespread infringement or the widespread infringement with a Union dimension.