The following rules shall apply to prevent the unlawful use and disclosure of confidential statistical information provided by the reporting agent or other legal or natural person, entity or branch to an ESCB member or transmitted within the ESCB:

1. The ESCB shall use confidential statistical information exclusively for the exercise of the tasks of the ESCB except in any of the following circumstances:

(a) if the reporting agent or the other legal or natural person, entity or branch which can be identified, has explicitly given its consent to the use of the said statistical information for other purposes;

(b) for transmission to the members of ESS in accordance with Article 8a(1);

(c) for granting scientific research bodies access to confidential statistical information which does not allow direct identification, and with the prior explicit consent of the authority which provided the information;

(d) as regards the ECB and national central banks, if the said statistical information is used in the field of prudential supervision;