(3) Where, in the three months immediately before the date that the certification or renewed certification of an artists’ association is to expire, an application for certification in respect of the same or substantially the same sector, or an application for revocation of certification, is filed, the period of validity of the association’s certification is extended until the date that the application is accepted or rejected and, where it is rejected, renewal of the association’s certification takes effect from that date.

(2) If an application for certification of an employee organization as the bargaining agent for a proposed bargaining unit has been denied by the Board, the Board may not consider a new application for certification from that employee organization in respect of the same or substantially the same proposed bargaining unit until at least six months have elapsed from the day on which the employee organization was last denied certification, unless the Board is satisfied that the previous application was denied by reason only of a technical error or omission made in connection with the application.

(2) In the case of an application for certification or revocation of certification, the Executive Director shall also provide notice to each employee or representative of a group of employees who has filed a statement of opposition with respect to the application for certification or revocation of certification, at least seven days before the day that is fixed for the hearing.

(2) In the case of an application for certification or revocation of certification, the Executive Director shall also provide notice to each employee or representative of a group of employees who has filed a statement of opposition with respect to the application for certification or revocation of certification, at least seven days before the day that is fixed for the hearing.

The current board structure has often been unable to respond quickly to matters brought before it, even when a delay can seriously jeopardize the case of the applicant, and we are critical that as many as 90 applications for certification are currently pending and waiting to be heard, especially when it is well known and well documented that unreasonable delays often cause the erosion of the applicant union's support in matters of application for certification.

2. Applications for certification shall be submitted to the national supervisory authority of the Member State where the applicant has its principal place of operation and, if any, its registered office.