1.The competent authority may require a SIPS operator to provide all information and documents necessary for the efficient and effective conduct of the oversight functions conferred on it by Regulation (EU) No 795/2014 (ECB/2014/28), including information and documents to be provided at recurring intervals and in specified formats for oversight purposes.
2.When requiring a SIPS operator to provide information and documents in accordance with point (a) of Article 21(1) of Regulation (EU) No 795/2014 (ECB/2014/28), the competent authority shall specify the following:
the information or document to be provided;
the format of, and the process for the provision of, the information or document;
the time limit for provision of the information or document and, if applicable, the intervals at which it is to be provided, without prejudice to the general obligation of a SIPS operator to respond without undue delay.
3.The SIPS operator shall provide the information or document within the time limit and, if applicable, at the intervals requested unless it can provide evidence to the competent authority that one of the following circumstances applies:
the information or document is not immediately available;
the information or document is not solely owned by the SIPS operator, or does not solely relate to its activity, and consent must therefore be obtained from a third party for providing that information or document to the competent authority.
If the competent authority is satisfied with the evidence that one of the circumstances applies, it may grant to the SIPS operator additional time to provide the relevant information or document.
4.The SIPS operator and its staff shall not be exempted from complying with their obligations under this Decision to provide information or documents on the grounds of professional secrecy.
5.The SIPS operator shall include clauses in its contractual arrangements with third parties, including with critical service providers, allowing for the sharing of information and documents with the competent authority, the independent expert and the on-site inspection team in relation to the service provided by these third parties to the SIPS.