Recital 144

Existing recordings of telephone conversations and data traffic records from investment firms executing and documenting the executions of transactions, as well as existing telephone and data traffic records from telecommunications operators constitute crucial, and sometimes the only, evidence to detect and prove the existence of market abuse as well as verify compliance by firms with investor protection and other requirements set out in this Directive or in Regulation (EU) No 600/2014. Therefore, competent authorities should be able to require existing recordings of telephone conversations, electronic communications and data traffic records held by an investment firm or credit. Access to data and telephone records is necessary for the detection and penalising of market abuse or of infringements of requirements set out in this Directive or in Regulation (EU) No 600/2014.

In order to introduce a level playing field in the Union in relation to the access to telephone and existing data traffic records held by a telecommunication operator or the existing recordings of telephone conversations and data traffic held by an investment firm, competent authorities should, in accordance with national law, be able to require existing telephone and existing data traffic records held by a telecommunication operator insofar as permitted under national law and existing recordings of telephone conversations as well as data traffic held by an investment firm, in those cases where a reasonable suspicion exists that such records relating to the subject-matter of the inspection or investigation may be relevant to prove behaviour that is prohibited under Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 or infringements of the requirements of this Directive or of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014. Access to telephone and data traffic records held by a telecommunications operator should not encompass the content of voice communications by telephone.