Article 18 — Launch of a coordinated action and designation of the coordinator

1. Where there is a reasonable suspicion that there might be a widespread unfair trading practice with a cross-border dimension, the enforcement authorities concerned by that suspected practice shall launch a coordinated action based on an agreement between them. The launch of that coordinated action shall be notified to the Commission without delay. 2. The enforcement authorities concerned by the suspected widespread unfair trading practice with a cross-border dimension shall designate an enforcement authority to be the coordinator. In order to reach an agreement on the designation of the coordinator, the Commission may, where necessary, facilitate the discussions between the enforcement authorities concerned. If those enforcement authorities are unable to reach an agreement on that designation, the enforcement authority that issued the alert pursuant to Article 24 shall be the coordinator. 3. The enforcement authorities concerned by the suspected widespread unfair trading practice with a cross-border dimension shall conduct investigations on the basis of the information that is available to them. They shall alert the other enforcement authorities concerned of the results of such investigations, pursuant to Article 24. 4. An enforcement authority shall join the coordinated action if it becomes apparent during that coordinated action that that enforcement authority is concerned by the suspected widespread unfair trading practice with a cross-border dimension. 5. In order to establish that an enforcement authority is concerned by a suspected widespread unfair trading practice with a cross-border dimension, all elements shall be taken into account and in particular: (a) the Member States where the buyers are established; (b) the Member States where the suppliers that might be affected by the unfair trading practice are established.