Article 4 — Responding to a request for cooperation

1.The Requested Authority shall take all appropriate steps to provide the cooperation requested without delay. The Requested Authority shall ensure that any necessary action proceeds expediently, while taking into account the complexity of the request and the necessity, where appropriate, to involve third parties or another Authority.

2.The Requested Authority may decline to act on a request for cooperation where it considers that such action would involve taking a measure contrary to law. In case the Requested Authority refuses to act, it shall notify the Requesting Authority using the template provided in Annex III to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/988, including a full description of the circumstances justifying its decision.