Article 31Natural or legal persons’ substantiated concerns

1. Natural or legal persons may submit substantiated concerns to competent authorities when they consider that one or more operators, downstream operators or traders are not complying with this Regulation.

2. Competent authorities shall, without undue delay, diligently and impartially assess the substantiated concerns, including whether the claims are well-founded, and take the necessary steps, including carrying out checks and conducting hearings of operators, downstream operators and traders, with a view to detecting potential non-compliance with this Regulation and, where appropriate, taking interim measures under Article 23 to prevent the placing or making available on the market and export of relevant products under investigation.

3. Within 30 days of receiving a substantiated concern, if not otherwise stated in national law, the competent authority shall inform the persons referred to in paragraph 1, who submitted the substantiated concerns, of the follow-up given to the submission and shall provide the reasons for it.

4. Without prejudice to the obligations pursuant to Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 8 ), Member States shall provide for measures to protect the identity of the natural or legal persons who submit substantiated concerns or who conduct investigations with the aim of verifying compliance by operators, downstream operators or traders with this Regulation.