1.Member States shall reject an application where:
(a)the general conditions laid down in Article 7 or the relevant specific conditions laid down in Articles 8, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 16 are not met;
(b)the documents presented have been fraudulently acquired, or falsified, or tampered with;
(c)the Member State concerned only allows admission through an approved host entity and the host entity is not approved.
2.Member States may reject an application where:
(a)the host entity, another body as referred to in point (a) of Article 14(1), a third party as referred to in point (d) of Article 12(1), the host family or the organisation mediating au pairs has failed to meet its legal obligations regarding social security, taxation, labour rights or working conditions;
(b)where applicable, the terms of employment as provided for in national law or collective agreements or practices in the Member State concerned are not met by the host entity or host family that will employ the third-country national;
(c)the host entity, another body as referred to in point (a) of Article 14(1), a third party as referred to in point (d) of Article 12(1), the host family or the organisation mediating au pairs has been sanctioned in accordance with national law for undeclared work or illegal employment;
(d)the host entity was established or operates for the main purpose of facilitating the entry of third-country nationals falling under the scope of this Directive;
(e)where applicable, the host entity's business is being or has been wound up under national insolvency laws or no economic activity is taking place;
(f)the Member State has evidence or serious and objective grounds to establish that the third-country national would reside for purposes other than those for which he or she applies to be admitted.
3.Where a third-country national applies to be admitted to enter into an employment relationship in a Member State, that Member State may verify whether the post in question could be filled by nationals of that Member State or by other Union citizens, or by third-country nationals lawfully residing in that Member State, in which case it may reject the application. This paragraph shall apply without prejudice to the principle of preference for Union citizens as expressed in the relevant provisions of the relevant Acts of Accession.
4.Without prejudice to paragraph 1, any decision to reject an application shall take account of the specific circumstances of the case and respect the principle of proportionality.