1.Each Member State shall designate the competent authority or authorities responsible for ensuring the application of this Regulation and shall inform the Commission thereof.
2.For the purposes of applying this Regulation and without prejudice to Article 15, the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 515/97 of 13 March 1997 on mutual assistance between the administrative authorities of the Member States and cooperation between the latter and the Commission to ensure the correct application of the law on customs and agricultural matters ( 5 ),(5), and in particular those on confidentiality, shall applyapplymutatis mutatis mutandis .mutandis. The competent authority or authorities designated under paragraph 1 of this Article shall act as competent authorities within the meaning of Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC) No 515/97.