Article 61 GDPR
Mutual assistance

1. The supervisory authorities shall provide each other with relevant information and mutual assistance for the consistent implementation and application of this Regulation and shall put in place measures for effective mutual cooperation. Mutual assistance shall include, in particular, requests for information and supervisory measures such as requests for prior authorizations and prior consultations and for inspections and investigations.

2. Each supervisory authority shall take all appropriate measures to respond to the request of another supervisory authority without undue delay and no later than one month after receiving the request. Such measures may include, in particular, the transmission of relevant information on the course of the proceedings.

3. The request for assistance shall contain all necessary information, including the purpose and justification for the request. The information obtained shall be used only for the purpose for which it was requested.

4. The summoned supervisory authority may not refuse to comply with the request unless:

(a) is not the competent authority for the application or the measures applied for; or

(b) the application would be in breach of this Regulation, Union law or the law of the Member State to which the requested supervisory authority is subject.

5. The requested supervisory authority shall inform the requesting supervisory authority from which the request originated of the results or, as the case may be, the progress or measures applied in connection with the request. The requested supervisory authority shall justify its refusal to comply with the request under paragraph 4.

6. The summoned supervisory authorities shall provide information requested by other supervisory authorities generally electronically in a standard format.

7. The summoned supervisory authorities do not charge fees for actions taken in connection with a request for mutual assistance. The supervisory authorities may agree on rules for mutual reimbursement of specific expenses incurred as a result of providing mutual assistance in exceptional circumstances.

8. If a supervisory authority fails to provide the information referred to in paragraph 5 of this Article within one month of receiving a request from another supervisory authority, the requesting supervisory authority may apply a provisional measure within the territory of its Member State in accordance with Article 55(1). In such a situation, it shall be deemed that there is an urgent need for action in accordance with Article 66(1) and that an urgent binding decision of the European Data Protection Board is required in accordance with Article 66(2).

9. The Commission may, by means of implementing acts, specify the format and procedure for the mutual assistance referred to in this Article, as well as the rules for the exchange of information by electronic means between supervisory authorities and between supervisory authorities and the European Data Protection Board, in particular the standard format referred to in paragraph 6 of this Article. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 93(2).