The characteristics referred to in Article 3(3) of Regulation (EC) No 295/2008 shall be as defined in Annex I to this Regulation.

When reference is made in these definitions to company accounts, these shall be deemed to refer to the headings laid down in Article 9 (balance sheet), Article 23 (profit and loss account) or Article 43 (notes on the accounts) of the Fourth Council Directive 78/660/EEC on the annual accounts of certain types of companies5 as well as to the headings laid down in the Annex to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1725/20036.

The technical format for the transmission of data in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 295/2008 shall be as set out in Annex II to this Regulation.

The data and metadata transmitted pursuant to this Regulation shall be sent in electronic form by Competent National Authorities (National Statistical Offices and Authorities supervising certain financial institutions) to the Commission (Eurostat). The transmission format shall conform to appropriate interchange standards specified by the Commission (Eurostat). Data shall be transmitted or uploaded by electronic means to the single entry point for data, maintained by the Commission (Eurostat).

Member States shall implement the interchange standards and guidelines supplied by the Commission (Eurostat) according to the requirements of this Regulation.

The requirements for double reporting as referred to in Section 9, point 2 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 295/2008 shall be as set out in Annex III to this Regulation.

Derogations from the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 295/2008 as referred to in Annex I, Section 11, Annex II, Section 10, Annex III, Section 9, Annex VIII, Section 8 and Annex IX, Section 13 to that Regulation shall be granted as specified in Annex IV to this Regulation.

Regulations (EC) No 2700/98 and (EC) No 2702/98 are hereby repealed.

They shall, however, continue to apply as regards the collection, compilation and transmission of data for reference years up to and including 2007.

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.