Where a long-term need exists in the context of a Union political or legal framework to exchange information classified as a general rule no higher than RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED with a third State or international organisation, and where the Commission Security Authority, after consulting the Commission Security Expert Group, has established, in particular, that the party in question does not have a sufficiently developed security system for it to be possible to enter into a security of information agreement, the Commission may decide to enter into an administrative arrangement with the relevant authorities of the third State or international organisation in question.

Such administrative arrangements shall as a general rule take the form of an Exchange of Letters.

An assessment visit shall be conducted prior to the conclusion of the arrangement. The Commission Security Expert Group shall be informed of the outcome of the assessment visit. Where there are exceptional reasons for exchanging classified information urgently, EUCI may be released provided every attempt is made to conduct an assessment visit as soon as possible.

No EUCI shall be exchanged by electronic means unless explicitly provided for in the administrative arrangement.