(1) The Federal Commissioner and the supervisory authorities of the Länder (supervisory authorities of the Federation and the Länder) shall work together in European Union matters with the aim of consistently applying Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Directive (EU) 2016/680. Before submitting a common position to the supervisory authorities of the other Member States, the European Commission or the European Data Protection Board, the supervisory authorities of the Federation and the Länder shall give each other the opportunity to comment at an early stage. For this purpose, they shall share all relevant information. The supervisory authorities of the Federation and the Länder shall consult the specific supervisory authorities established under Articles 85 and 91 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 if these authorities are affected by the matter.
(2) If the supervisory authorities of the Federation and the Länder fail to achieve agreement on a common position, the lead supervisory authority, or, in the absence of a lead authority, the joint representative and his or her deputy, shall present a recommendation for a common position. If the joint representative and his or her deputy fail to agree on a recommendation for a common position, the deputy shall determine the recommendation for a common position in matters dealing with the performance of a task for which the Länder alone have the right to legislate, or which affect the establishment or procedures of Land authorities. For matters other than those referred to in the second sentence in which the joint representative and deputy fail to agree, the joint representative shall determine the common position. The negotiations shall be based on the position recommended pursuant to the first to third sentences unless the supervisory authorities of the Federation and the Länder adopt a different position with a simple majority. The Federation and each Land each have one vote. Abstentions shall not be counted.
(3) The joint representative and his or her deputy shall be bound by the common position pursuant to subsections 1 and 2 and shall determine by mutual agreement the conduct of negotiations according to this common position. Should they fail to reach agreement, the deputy shall decide the further conduct of negotiations for the matters referred to in Section 18 (2), second sentence. For other matters, the joint representative shall have the deciding vote.
