‘2a.   Where the request is based on a positive result (hit) transmitted by the Visa Information System (VIS) in accordance with Article 21 of Regulation (EC) No 767/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (*1) after comparison of the fingerprints of the applicant for international protection with fingerprint data previously taken and sent to the VIS in accordance with Article 9 of that Regulation and checked in accordance with Article 21 of that Regulation, it shall also include the data supplied by the VIS.

‘Article 2

Preparation of requests for taking back

Requests for taking back shall be made on a standard form in accordance with the model in Annex III, setting out the nature of the request, the reasons for it and the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (*2) on which it is based.

The request shall also include, as applicable:

‘3.   The standard form set out in Annex VI shall be used for the purpose of transmitting to the responsible Member State the data essential to safeguard the rights and immediate needs of the person to be transferred. This standard form shall be considered a notice in the meaning of paragraph 2.’;

‘1a.   Where a transfer has been delayed at the request of the transferring Member State, the transferring and the responsible Member States must resume communication in order to allow for a new transfer to be organised as soon as possible, in accordance with Article 8, and no later than two weeks from the moment the authorities become aware of the cessation of the circumstances that caused the delay or postponement. In such a case, an updated standard form for the transfer of the data before a transfer is carried out as set out in Annex VI shall be sent prior to the transfer.’;

‘2.   A Member State which, for one of the reasons set out in Article 29(2) of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013, cannot carry out the transfer within the normal time limit of six months from the date of acceptance of the request to take charge or take back the person concerned or of the final decision on an appeal or review where there is a suspensive effect, shall inform the Member State responsible before the end of that time limit. Otherwise, the responsibility for processing the application for international protection and the other obligations under Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 falls to the requesting Member State, in accordance with Article 29(2) of that Regulation.’;

‘6.   Where the applicant is present on the territory of Member State other than the one where the child, sibling or parent as referred to in Article 16(1) of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 are present, the two Member States shall consult each other and exchange information in order to establish:

In order to carry out the exchange of information referred to in the first subparagraph, the standard form set out in Annex VII to this Regulation shall be used.

The requested Member State shall endeavour to reply within four weeks from the receipt of the request. Where compelling evidence indicates that further investigations would lead to more relevant information, the requested Member State shall inform the requesting Member State that two additional weeks are needed.

The request for information pursuant to this Article shall be carried out ensuring full compliance with the deadlines presented in Articles 21(1), 22(1), 23(2), 24(2) and 25(1) of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013. This obligation is without prejudice to Article 34(5) of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013.’;

‘3.   With a view to facilitating the appropriate action to identify the family members, siblings or relatives of an unaccompanied minor, the Member State with which an application for international protection was lodged by an unaccompanied minor shall, after holding the personal interview pursuant to Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 in the presence of the representative referred to in Article 6(2) of that Regulation, search for and/or take into account any information provided by the minor or coming from any other credible source familiar with the personal situation or the route followed by the minor or a member of his or her family, sibling or relative.

The authorities carrying out the process of establishing the Member State responsible for examining the application of an unaccompanied minor shall involve the representative referred to in Article 6(2) of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 in this process to the greatest extent possible.

4.   Where in the application of the obligations resulting from Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013, the Member State carrying out the process of establishing the Member State responsible for examining the application of an unaccompanied minor is in possession of information that makes it possible to start identifying and/or locating a member of the family, sibling or relative, that Member State shall consult other Member States, as appropriate, and exchange information, in order to:

5.   Where the exchange of information referred to in paragraph 4 indicates that more family members, siblings or relatives are present in another Member State or States, the Member State where the unaccompanied minor is present shall cooperate with the relevant Member State or States, to determine the most appropriate person to whom the minor is to be entrusted, and in particular to establish:

6.   In order to carry out the exchange of information referred to in paragraph 4, the standard form set out in Annex VIII to this Regulation shall be used.

The requested Member State shall endeavour to reply within four weeks from the receipt of the request. Where compelling evidence indicates that further investigations would lead to more relevant information, the requested Member State will inform the requesting Member State that two additional weeks are needed.

The request for information pursuant to this Article shall be carried out ensuring full compliance with the deadlines presented in Articles 21(1), 22(1), 23(2), 24(2) and 25(1) of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013. This obligation is without prejudice to Article 34(5) of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013.’;

‘Article 15a

Uniform conditions and practical arrangements for exchanging health data before a transfer is carried out

The exchange of health data prior to a transfer and, in particular, the transmission of the health certificate set out in Annex IX shall only take place between the authorities notified to the Commission in accordance with Article 35 of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 using the “DubliNet”.

The Member State carrying out the transfer of an applicant and the responsible Member State shall endeavour to agree prior to the transmission of the health certificate on the language to be used in order to complete that certificate, taking into account the circumstances of the case, in particular the need for any urgent action upon arrival.’;

‘Article 16a

Information leaflets for applicants for international protection

‘4.   The forms of which the models are set out in Annexes I and III and the forms for the request of information set out in Annexes V, VI, VII, VIII and IX shall be sent between National Access Points in the format supplied by the Commission. The Commission shall inform the Member States of the technical standards required.’;

‘1.   Each transmission shall have a reference number making it possible unambiguously to identify the case to which it relates and the Member State making the request. That number must also make it possible to determine whether the transmission relates to a request for taking charge (type 1), a request for taking back (type 2), a request for information (type 3), an exchange of information on the child, sibling or parent of an applicant in a situation of dependency (type 4), an exchange of information on the family, sibling or relative of an unaccompanied minor (type 5), the transmission of information prior to a transfer (type 6) or the transmission of the common health certificate (type 7).’;

‘3.   If a National Access Point has sent data to a National Access Point that has experienced an interruption in its operation, the log of transmission at the level of the central communication infrastructure shall be used as proof of the date and time of transmission. The deadlines set by Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 for sending a request or a reply shall not be suspended for the duration of the interruption of the operation of the National Access Point in question.’;