Article 11

1. A request for information on the actual use of material, by planting, of specific species or varieties, or on the results of such use, which a holder addresses to an official body, must be made in writing. In this request, the holder shall specify his name and address, the variety or varieties in respect of which he is interested in information and the type of information he seeks. He also shall provide evidence for his holdership.

2. The official body may, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 12, withhold the requested information only, if - it is not involved in the monitoring of agricultural production, or - it is not allowed, under Community rules or rules of Member States governing the general discretion applicable in respect of activities of official bodies, to provide such information to holders, or - it is under its discretion, pursuant to the Community legislation or the legislation of Member States under which the information has been collected, to withhold such information, or - the requested information is not or no longer available, or - such information cannot be obtained through ordinary performance of the tasks of the official body, or - such information can only be obtained with additional burden or costs, or - such information relates specifically to material which does not belong to varieties of the holder.
The official bodies concerned shall inform the Commission on the manner in which they exercise the discretion referred to in the third indent above.

3. In providing the information, the official body shall not differenciate between holders. The official body may provide the requested information in making copies available to the holder, which have been produced from documents containing information additional to that relating to material belonging to varieties of the holder, provided that it is ensured that any possibility to identify individuals protected under the provisions referred to in Article 12 has been removed.

4. If the official body takes the decision to withhold the requested information, it shall inform the requesting holder thereof in writing and indicate the reason for this decision.