Article 4 3.

a judge, a court, an investigating judge or a public prosecutor competent in the case concerned; or

any other competent authority as defined by the issuing State which, in the case concerned, is acting in its capacity as an investigating authority in criminal proceedings with competence to order the gathering of evidence in accordance with national law; in such a case, the European Preservation Order shall be validated, after examination of its conformity with the conditions for issuing a European Preservation Order under this Regulation, by a judge, a court, an investigating judge or a public prosecutor in the issuing State.