Article 27Circumvention

1. The Commission shall take action in accordance with this Article, based on relevant and objective data, to address practices of circumvention of this Regulation.

2. Practices of circumvention shall be defined as a change in the pattern of trade in goods, which stems from a practice, process or work, for which there is insufficient due cause or economic justification other than to avoid, wholly or partially, any of the obligations laid down in this Regulation. Such practice, process or work may consist of, but is not limited to:

(a)

slightly modifying the goods concerned to make those goods fall under CN codes which are not listed in Annex I, except where the modification alters their essential characteristics;

(b)

artificially splitting shipments into consignments the intrinsic value of which does not exceed the threshold referred to in Article 2(3).

3. The Commission shall continuously monitor the situation at Union level with a view to identifying practices of circumvention, including by way of market surveillance or on the basis of any relevant source of information, such as submissions by, and reporting from, civil society organisations.

4. A Member State or any party that has been affected by, or has benefited from, any of the situations referred to in paragraph 2 may notify the Commission if it is confronted with practices of circumvention. Interested parties other than directly affected or benefited parties, such as environmental organisations and non-governmental organisations, which find concrete evidence of practices of circumvention may also notify the Commission.

5. The notification referred to in paragraph 4 shall state the reasons on which it is based and shall include relevant data and statistics to support the claim of circumvention of this Regulation. The Commission shall initiate an investigation into a claim of circumvention either where it has been notified by a Member State, or by an affected, benefited or other interested party, provided that the notification meets the requirements referred to in this paragraph, or where the Commission itself determines that such an investigation is necessary. In carrying out the investigation, the Commission may be assisted by the competent authorities and customs authorities. The Commission shall conclude the investigation within nine months from the date of notification. Where an investigation has been initiated, the Commission shall notify all competent authorities.

6. Where the Commission, taking into account the relevant data, reports and statistics, including those provided by customs authorities, has sufficient reasons to believe that the circumstances referred to in paragraph 2, point (a) of this Article, are occurring in one or more Member States by way of an established pattern, it is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 28 to amend the list of goods in Annex I by adding the relevant slightly modified products referred to in paragraph 2, point (a), of this Article, for anti-circumvention purposes.