23. (1) If, before the date on which this section comes into operation, an application under Regulation 25(1) of the Regulations of 2016 was made to a person specified in paragraph (d) of the definition in those Regulations of “recipient competent authority” for approval of a transfer but approval under Regulation 25(2) of the Regulations of 2016 had not been granted before that date, then, on or after that date—

(a) a reference in Regulation 25(2) of the Regulations of 2016 to the recipient competent authority that receives an application under Regulation 25(1) shall be read as if the person specified in the said paragraph (d), as amended by section 4(2), had received the application, and

(b) a reference in Regulation 26(1) of the Regulations of 2016 to the recipient competent authority to which an application under Regulation 25(1) is made shall be read as if the person specified in the said paragraph (d), as amended by section 4(2), had been the recipient competent authority to which the application was made.

(2) If, before the date on which this section comes into operation, a person specified in paragraph (d) of the definition in the Regulations of 2016 of “recipient competent authority” has—

(a) made a determination under Regulation 26(3)(a) of the Regulations of 2016 and has required an economic operator to provide information, then, on or after that date, a reference in Regulation 27 of those Regulations to the recipient competent authority concerned or the authority concerned shall be read as a reference to the person specified in the said paragraph (d), as amended by section 4(2), or

(b) granted an approval under Regulation 28 of the Regulations of 2016, then, on or after that date, a reference in Regulation 30(1) of those Regulations to the recipient competent authority or the authority concerned shall be read as a reference to the person specified in the said paragraph (d), as amended by section 4(2).

(3) In this section “Regulations of 2016” means the European Union (Making Available on the Market and Supervision of Explosives for Civil Uses) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 423 of 2016).