The authorising officer shall set up paper-based or electronic systems for the keeping of original supporting documents relating to budget implementation. Such documents shall be kept for at least five years from the date on which the European Parliament grants discharge for the financial year to which the documents relate.

Documents relating to operations not definitively closed shall be kept for longer than provided for in paragraph 1, namely until the end of the year following that in which the operations are closed.

Personal data contained in supporting documents shall, where possible, be deleted when those data are not necessary for budgetary discharge, control and audit purposes. Article 88 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 shall apply to the conservation of data.