At the notification of the initiation of the non-compliance procedure or thereafter the Agency shall set a time-limit within which the certificate holder may indicate in writing that it has voluntarily complied, or, where appropriate, that it intends to comply, with the breached provisions. In case of voluntary compliance by the certificate holder within the time-limit set by the Agency, the Agency shall decide to close the initiated non-compliance procedure.

The Agency shall not be obliged to take into account replies received after the expiry of that time-limit.

The time-limit provided for in paragraph 1 shall in no case expire later than the date on which the Agency notifies the statement of objections provided for in Article 7.