1.   The security and integrity of the metadata on regulated information exchanged between OAMs and the EEAP shall be guaranteed. The EEAP and each OAM shall use the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) to connect with each other.

2.   ESMA shall cooperate with the OAMs to identify and implement an alternative communication technology to be used instead of HTTPS and to define the timeline for its implementation.

3.   Where ESMA considers, according to objective technical criteria, that the cooperation required under paragraph 2 is ineffective for the purpose of ensuring security and integrity of the exchange of metadata on regulated information, ESMA may specify a communication technology to be used instead of the HTTPS.

4.   The EEAP shall be easily scalable and adaptable to changes in the volumes of search requests and metadata to be delivered by OAMs.

5.   The EEAP shall be available to end users at least 95 % per month.

6.   The EEAP system shall be backed up on a daily basis.

7.   Service support from ESMA to EEAP end users and to OAMs shall be provided within ESMA working hours, as set by ESMA Executive Director and published on ESMA website.