På begæring af en medlemsstat eller på eget initiativ undersøger den sammen med medlemsstatens kompetente myndigheder, der skal bistå den, tilfælde af formodet overtrædelse af ovennævnte principper.  
On application by a Member State or on its own initiative, and in cooperation with the competent authorities in the Member States, which shall give it their assistance, the Commission shall investigate cases of suspected infringement of these principles.  