1. Member States shall ensure cooperation between ADR entities and national authorities entrusted with the enforcement of Union legal acts on consumer protection.

2. This cooperation shall in particular include mutual exchange of information on practices in specific business sectors about which consumers have repeatedly lodged complaints. It shall also include the provision of technical assessment and information by such national authorities to ADR entities where such assessment or information is necessary for the handling of individual disputes and is already available.

3. Member States shall ensure that cooperation and mutual information exchanges referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 comply with the rules on the protection of personal data laid down in Directive 95/46/EC.

4. This Article shall be without prejudice to provisions on professional and commercial secrecy which apply to the national authorities enforcing Union legal acts on consumer protection. ADR entities shall be subject to rules of professional secrecy or other equivalent duties of confidentiality laid down in the legislation of the Member States where they are established.