1 If FINMA does not yet have the information to be transmitted, it may request it from the information holders. The persons called on to provide information may refuse to answer questions by virtue of Article 16 of the Administrative Procedure Act of 20 December 196882.
2 Subject to paragraphs 3 to 6, the Administrative Procedure Act applies to information regarding individual clients which is to be transmitted by FINMA.
3 FINMA may refuse the right of access to the correspondence with foreign authorities. Article 28 of the Administrative Procedure Act remains reserved.
4 FINMA may exceptionally refrain from informing the clients concerned before transmitting the information if the purpose of the administrative assistance and the effective fulfilment of the requesting authority's tasks would be compromised by prior notification. In such cases, the clients concerned shall be informed afterwards.
5 In the cases detailed in paragraph 4, FINMA shall inform the information holders and the authorities notified of the request about the postponement of notification. These may not provide information about the request until the clients in question have been informed.
6 The decision of FINMA on the transmission of information to the foreign financial market supervisory authority may be challenged by the client before the Federal Administrative Court within ten days. Article 22a of the Administrative Procedure Act does not apply. In the cases detailed in paragraph 4, the request may only cite a declaration of unlawfulness.