8.7. The execution of the contract shall not give rise to unusual commercial expenses. If such unusual  commercial expenses emerge, the contract will be terminated. Unusual commercial expenses are  commissions not mentioned in the contract or not stemming from a properly concluded contract  referring to the contract, commissions not paid in return for any actual and legitimate service,  commissions remitted to a tax haven, commissions paid to a recipient who is not clearly identified or  commission paid to a company which has every appearance of being a front company.  8.8. The Consultant shall supply to the Contracting Authority on request supporting evidence regarding the  conditions in which the contract is being executed. The Contracting Authority may carry out whatever  documentary or on-the-spot checks it deems necessary to find evidence in case of suspected unusual  commercial expenses.  9.1. The Consultant shall take all necessary measures to prevent or end any situation that could  compromise the impartial and objective performance of the Contract. Such conflict of interests could  arise in particular as a result of economic interest, political or national affinity, family or emotional ties,  or any other relevant connection or shared interest. Any conflict of interests which could arise during  performance of the Contract must be notified in writing to the Contracting Authority without delay.  9.2. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to verify that such measures are adequate and may  require additional measures to be taken if necessary. The Consultant shall ensure that its staff,  including its management, is not placed in a situation which could give rise to conflict of interests.  Without prejudice to ARTICLE 7, the Consultant shall replace, immediately and without compensation  from the Contracting Authority, any member of its staff exposed to such a situation.  9.3. The Consultant shall refrain from any contact which would compromise its independence or that of its  personnel. If the Consultant fails to maintain such independence, the Contracting Authority may,  without prejudice to compensation for any damage which it may have suffered on this account,  terminate the contract forthwith.  9.4. The Consultant shall after the conclusion or termination of the contract, limit its role in connection with  the project to the provision of the services. Except with the written permission of the Contracting  Authority, the Consultant and any other Consultant, contractor or supplier with whom the Consultant  is associated or affiliated shall be disqualified from the execution of works, supplies or other services  for the project in any capacity, including tendering for any part of the project.  9.5. Civil servants and other agents of the public administration of the beneficiary country, regardless of  their administrative situation, shall not be recruited as experts in contracts financed by the EU in the  beneficiary country unless the prior written approval has been granted by the European Commission.  9.6. The Consultant and anyone working under its authority or control in the performance of the contract  or on any other activity shall be excluded from access to EU/EDF financing available under the same  project unless they can prove to the Contracting Authority that the involvement in previous stages of  the project does not constitute unfair competition.  10.1. Without prejudice to the application of penalties laid down in the contract, if the Consultant has been  guilty of making false declarations, has made substantial errors or committed irregularities and fraud,  or has been found in serious breach of its contractual obligations the Consultant may be excluded  from all contracts and grants financed by the EU budget or EDF for a maximum of five years from the  time when the infringement is established, to be confirmed after an adversarial procedure with the  Consultant The Consultant may justify its arguments against the penalty within 30 days of notification  of it by recorded delivery or equivalent. In the absence of a reaction for its part or of the written  withdrawal of the penalty by the European Commission within 30 days of the above-mentioned  arguments, the decision imposing the penalty will become binding. The period of exclusion may be  extended to ten years in the event of a repeat offence within five years of the first infringement.  10.2. Consultants who have been found to have seriously failed to meet their contractual obligations, other  than foreseen in Article 19, shall also be subject to financial penalties representing 2-10% of the total  value of the Contract. This rate may be increased to 4-20% in the event of a repeat offence within five  years of the first infringement.  10.3. Where, after the award of the contract, the award procedure or the performance of the contract prove  to have been subject to substantial errors, irregularities or fraud, and where this is attributable to the  Page 5 of 19  ARTICLE 10. ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL PENALTIES  ARTICLE 9. CONFLICT OF INTEREST 