Article 6Authorised representatives

1. Operators may mandate an authorised representative to submit the due diligence statement pursuant to Article 4(2) or to submit a simplified declaration pursuant to Article 4a(2) on their behalf. In such cases, the operator 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 or the simplified declaration 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 downstream 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 downstream operator or trader further down the supply chain shall not place or make available on the market or export relevant products without submitting the due diligence statement pursuant to Article 4(2) on behalf of that operator or, in the case of a micro or small primary operator, without submitting a simplified declaration on behalf of the micro or small primary operator in the information system referred to in Article 33. 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.