Article 11 Duration of proceedings and suspension

1.   The proceedings shall be concluded within 20 months. That period may be prolonged in duly justified cases. In the case of a suspension of the proceedings as set out in paragraph 4, that period of suspension shall not be counted as part of the duration of the proceedings.

2.   The investigation shall be concluded within 12 months. That period may be prolonged in duly justified cases. In the case of a suspension of the investigation as set out in Article 6, that period of suspension shall not be counted as part of the duration of the investigation. Where the period for the investigation is prolonged, the duration of the prolongation shall be added to the total duration of the proceedings laid down in paragraph 1 of this Article.

3.   In the case of urgency, that is in situations where, following clear evidence submitted by the complainant or the interested parties, the injury to Union air carriers might be irreversible, the proceedings may be shortened to nine months.

4.   The Commission shall suspend the proceedings where the third country or the third-country entity concerned has taken decisive steps to eliminate the practice distorting competition or the injury or threat of injury to the Union air carriers concerned.

5.   In the cases referred to in paragraph 4, the Commission shall resume the proceedings if the practice distorting competition, the injury or the threat of injury to the Union air carriers concerned has not been eliminated following a reasonable period of time, which, in any event, shall not be longer than six months.