1. Member States shall ensure that all persons working or who have worked for the competent authorities, as well as experts acting on behalf of the competent authorities, are bound by the obligation of professional secrecy, without prejudice to cases covered by criminal law.
2. In the exchange of information in accordance with Article 24, professional secrecy shall be strictly applied to ensure the protection of individual and business rights.
3. Member States may apply this Article taking into account, mutatis mutandis, Articles 44 to 52 of Directive 2006/48/EC.