Article 6Authorised representatives

1. Operators or traders may mandate an authorised representative to submit the due diligence statement pursuant to Article 4(2) on their behalf. In such cases, the operator or trader shall retain responsibility for the compliance of the relevant product with Article 3.

2. The authorised representative shall, upon request, provide a copy of the mandate in an official language of the Union to the competent authorities and a copy in an official language of the Member State in which the due diligence statement is handled or, where that is not possible, in English.

3. An operator that is a natural person or a microenterprise may mandate the next operator or trader further down the supply chain that is not a natural person or a microenterprise to act as an authorised representative. Such next operator or trader further down the supply chain shall not place or make available relevant products on the market or export them without submitting the due diligence statement pursuant to Article 4(2) on behalf of that operator. In such cases, the operator that is a natural person or a microenterprise shall retain responsibility for compliance of the relevant product with Article 3, and shall communicate to that next operator or trader further down the supply chain all information necessary to confirm that due diligence was exercised and that no or only a negligible risk was found.