1. In respect of contracts pertaining to a class of OTC derivatives set out in the Annex, the clearing obligation shall take effect on:

(a) 9 February 2017 for counterparties in Category 1;

(b) 9 August 2017 for counterparties in Category 2;

(c) 21 June 2019 for counterparties in Category 3;

(d) 9 May 2019 for counterparties in Category 4.

Where a contract is concluded between two counterparties included in different categories of counterparties, the date from which the clearing obligation takes effect for that contract shall be the later date.

2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, in respect of contracts pertaining to a class of OTC derivatives set out in the Annex and concluded between counterparties which are part of the same group and where one counterparty is established in a third country and the other counterparty is established in the Union, the clearing obligation shall take effect on:

(a) 30 June 2025 in case no equivalence decision has been adopted pursuant to Article 13(2) of Regulation (EU) No 648/2012 for the purposes of Article 4 of that Regulation covering the OTC derivative contracts set out in the Annex to this Regulation in respect of the relevant third country;