1. Applicants shall have the right to consult, in an effective manner, a legal adviser or other counsellor, admitted or permitted as such under national law, on matters relating to the application of the criteria set out in Chapter II or the clauses set out in Chapter III of this Part at all stages of the procedure for determining the Member State responsible provided for in this Regulation.

2. Without prejudice to the applicant’s right to choose his or her own legal adviser or other counsellor at his or her own cost, an applicant may request free legal counselling in the procedure for determining the Member State responsible.

3. Free legal counselling shall be provided by legal advisers or other counsellors admitted or permitted under national law to counsel, assist or represent applicants or by non-governmental organisations accredited under national law to provide legal services or representation to applicants.

For the purposes of the first subparagraph, effective access to free legal counselling may be assured by entrusting a person with the provision of legal counselling in the administrative stage of the procedure to several applicants at the same time.

4. Member States may organise the provision of legal counselling in accordance with their national systems.

5. Member States shall lay down specific procedural rules concerning the arrangements for filing and processing requests for the provision of free legal counselling as provided for in this Article.

6. For the purposes of the procedure for determining the Member State responsible, the free legal counselling shall include the provision of:

(a) guidance on and explanations of the criteria and procedures for determining the Member State responsible, including information on rights and obligations during all stages of that procedure;

(b) guidance on and assistance in providing information that could help determine the Member State responsible in accordance with the criteria set out in Chapter II of this Part;

(c) guidance and assistance on the template referred to in Article 22(1).

7. Without prejudice to paragraph 1, the provision of free legal counselling in the procedure for determining the Member State responsible may be excluded where the applicant is already assisted and represented by a legal adviser.

8. For the purpose of implementing this Article, Member States may request the assistance of the Asylum Agency. In addition, financial support may be provided through Union funds to the Member States, in accordance with the legal acts applicable to such funding.