Article 15Technical assistance, guidance and exchange of information

1. Without prejudice to the operators’ obligation to exercise due diligence as set out in Article 8, Member States may provide technical and other assistance and guidance to operators. The Commission, in collaboration with Member States, may also provide, where necessary, guidance to operators and competent authorities. Technical and other assistance and guidance shall take into account the situation of SMEs, including microenterprises, and natural persons, in order to facilitate compliance with this Regulation, including as regards the conversion of data from relevant systems to identify the geolocation in the information system as referred to in Article 33. It shall also take into account relevant current and future Union legal acts containing due diligence obligations.

2. Member States shall facilitate the exchange and dissemination of relevant information, in particular with a view to assisting operators in risk assessment as set out in Article 10, and on best practices regarding the implementation of this Regulation.

3. The competent authorities and the Commission shall continuously monitor and exchange information on any significant change in the pattern of trade of relevant products that can lead to the circumvention of this Regulation.

4. Assistance shall be provided in a manner which does not compromise the independence, legal obligations or responsibilities of competent authorities in enforcing this Regulation.

5. The Commission may facilitate the harmonised implementation of this Regulation, by issuing relevant guidelines, by ensuring continued exchange with experts, stakeholders and all relevant operators, including micro or small primary operators, downstream operators and traders, by developing best practices and by collecting technical feedback from the existing Commission Expert Group Multi-Stakeholder Platform on Protecting and Restoring the World’s Forests, and by promoting adequate exchange of information, coordination and cooperation between competent authorities, between competent authorities and customs authorities, and between competent authorities and the Commission.