(2)The extent to which an ICT service provided by an ICT third-party service provider supports critical or important functions of the financial entity is considered a crucial element of the criticality assessment in general. Therefore, the importance of the activities of the financial entities that are supported by ICT services should be integrated in all sub-criteria considered as part of the first step. Consequently, there should not be a distinct quantitative assessment related to the criticality of the functions of the financial entities as part of the first step of the assessment. Instead, it is appropriate that the ESAs consider the criticality and importance of the functions of the financial entities supported by ICT services as part of the qualitative second step of the assessment.