1. Member States shall designate Competent Bodies, which shall be responsible for the registration of organisations located in the Community in accordance with this Regulation.
Member States may provide that the Competent Bodies they designate provide for and shall be responsible for the registration of organisations located outside the Community in accordance with this Regulation.
The Competent Bodies shall control the entry and maintenance of organisations on the register, including suspension and deletion.
2. The Competent Bodies may be national, regional or local.
3. The composition of the Competent Bodies shall guarantee their independence and neutrality.
4. The Competent Bodies shall have the appropriate resources, both financial and in terms of personnel, for the proper performance of their tasks.
5. The Competent Bodies shall apply this Regulation in a consistent manner and shall participate in regular peer evaluation as set out in Article 17.