Article 16U.K.Handling of complaints
1.Each Member State shall ensure that an effective procedure is in place to handle complaints arising from the application of this Regulation for its maritime ports covered by this Regulation.
2.The handling of complaints shall be carried out in a manner which avoids conflicts of interest and which is functionally independent of any managing body of the port or providers of port services. Member States shall ensure that there is effective functional separation between the handling of complaints, on the one hand, and the ownership and management of ports, provision of port services and port use, on the other hand. The handling of complaints shall be impartial and transparent, and shall duly respect the right to freely conduct business.
3.Complaints shall be filed in the Member State of the port where the dispute is presumed to have its origin. Member States shall ensure that port users and other relevant stakeholders are informed of where and how to lodge a complaint and which authorities are responsible for handling complaints.
4.The authorities responsible for handling complaints shall, where appropriate, cooperate for the purposes of mutual assistance in disputes involving parties established in different Member States.
5.The authorities responsible for the handling of complaints shall, in accordance with national law, have the power to require managing bodies of the ports, providers of port services and port users to provide them with information relevant to a complaint.
6.The authorities responsible for the handling of complaints shall, in accordance with national law, have the power to take decisions that have binding effect, subject to judicial review, where applicable.
7.Member States shall inform the Commission of the procedure for the handling of complaints and of the authorities referred to in paragraph 3 by 24 March 2019 and, subsequently, of any changes to that information. The Commission shall publish and regularly update such information on its website.
8.Member States shall, where appropriate, exchange general information about the application of this Article. The Commission shall support such cooperation.