Article 5U.K.Competent authority
1.Member States shall designate the authority competent to receive the application and to issue the single permit.
2.The competent authority shall adopt a decision on the complete application as soon as possible and in any event within four months of the date on which the application was lodged.
The time limit referred to in the first subparagraph may be extended in exceptional circumstances, linked to the complexity of the examination of the application.
Where no decision is taken within the time limit provided for in this paragraph, any consequences shall be determined by national law.
3.The competent authority shall notify the decision to the applicant in writing in accordance with the notification procedures laid down in the relevant national law.
4.If the information or documents in support of the application are incomplete according to the criteria specified in national law, the competent authority shall notify the applicant in writing of the additional information or documents required, setting a reasonable deadline to provide them. The time limit referred to in paragraph 2 shall be suspended until the competent authority or other relevant authorities have received the additional information required. If the additional information or documents is not provided within the deadline set, the competent authority may reject the application.