Where, within 18 months of receiving the request from the Agency, the Commission has not notified a statement of objections, it shall provide the marketing authorisation holder with an explanatory statement.

When notifying the statement of objections, the Commission shall set a time-limit within which the marketing authorisation holder may submit to the Commission his written observations on the statement of objections.

That time-limit shall be at least four weeks.

The Commission shall not be obliged to take into account written observations received after the expiry of that time-limit.

The marketing authorisation holder may annex to his written observations, statements from other persons who may corroborate any aspect of those written observations.

Where the marketing authorisation holder so requests in his written observations, the Commission shall give him an opportunity to develop his arguments at an oral hearing.

The date for the oral hearing shall be set by the Commission.

Where necessary, the Commission may invite the national competent authorities or any other persons to take part in the oral hearing.

The oral hearing shall not be public. Each person may be heard separately or in the presence of other persons invited to attend, having regard to the legitimate interest of marketing authorisation holders and other persons in the protection of their business secrets and other confidential information.

After receipt of a request from the Agency pursuant to Article 10(2) and before adoption of the decision referred to in Article 16, the Commission may at any time request the marketing authorisation holder to provide written or oral explanations, or particulars or documents, relating to the alleged infringement.

Requests shall be addressed in writing to the marketing authorisation holder. The Commission shall state the legal basis and the purpose of the request, fix a time-limit by which the information is to be provided, which shall be at least four weeks, and inform the marketing authorisation holder of the fines provided for in Article 19(1)(c) and (d) for failing to comply with the request or supplying incorrect or misleading information.

The Commission may request the Agency, the national competent authorities or any other natural or legal persons to provide information relating to the alleged infringement.

Requests shall be addressed in writing and shall state the legal basis and the purpose of the request. Where the request is addressed to the Agency or a national competent authority, the time-limit by which the information is to be provided shall be determined by the Commission after consultation of the Agency or the national competent authority to which the request is addressed, having regard to the specific circumstances of the case. Where the request is addressed to other natural or legal persons, it shall fix a time-limit by which the information is to be provided, which shall be at least four weeks.

Where, having regard to the report of the Agency, the observations of the marketing authorisation holder and, as the case may be, other information submitted to it, the Commission considers that additional information is needed in order to continue the procedure, it may return the case-file to the Agency for a new period of inquiry.

The Commission shall clearly indicate to the Agency the points of fact which it should further examine and, if appropriate, suggest possible measures of inquiry to that effect.

Subsections 2 and 3 of Section 1 shall apply to the conduct of the new period of inquiry.

Where, following the procedure provided for in Subsection 1, the Commission finds that the marketing authorisation holder has committed, intentionally or negligently, an infringement as referred to in Article 1, it may adopt a decision imposing a fine not exceeding 5 % of the holder’s Community turnover in the preceding business year.

Where the marketing authorisation holder has not terminated the infringement, the Commission may, in the decision referred to in paragraph 1, impose periodic penalty payments per day not exceeding 2,5 % of the holder’s average daily Community turnover in the preceding business year.

Periodic penalty payments may be imposed for a period running from the date of notification of that decision until the infringement has been brought to an end.

For the purposes of paragraphs 1 and 2, the preceding business year refers to the business year preceding the date of the decision referred to in paragraph 1.

The decision provided for in Article 16 shall be based exclusively on grounds on which the marketing authorisation holder has been able to comment.

The Commission shall inform the marketing authorisation holder of the judicial remedies available.

The Commission shall communicate the adoption of the decision to the Agency and to the Member States.

When publishing details of its decision in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 84(3) of Regulation (EC) No 726/2004, the Commission shall have regard to the legitimate interest of marketing authorisation holders and other persons in the protection of their business secrets.

In determining whether to impose a financial penalty and in determining the appropriate financial penalty, the Commission shall be guided by the principles of effectiveness, proportionality and dissuasiveness.

In determining the amount of the financial penalty, the Commission shall take into account any penalties already imposed on the marketing authorisation holder at national level on the basis of the same legal grounds and the same facts.