1. Member States shall ensure that competent authorities establish independent and autonomous communication channels, which are both secure and ensure confidentiality, for receiving and following-up the reporting of infringements ('dedicated communication channels').

2. Dedicated communication channels shall be considered independent and autonomous, provided that they meet all of the following criteria:

(a) they are separated from general communication channels of the competent authority, including those through which the competent authority communicates internally and with third parties in its ordinary course of business;

(b) they are designed, set up and operated in a manner that ensures the completeness, integrity and confidentiality of the information and prevents access to non-authorised staff members of the competent authority;

(c) they enable the storage of durable information in accordance with Article 7 to allow for further investigations.

3. The dedicated communication channels shall allow for reporting of actual or potential infringements in at least all of the following ways:

(a) written report of infringements in electronic or paper format;

(b) oral report of infringements through telephone lines, whether recorded or unrecorded;