(15)Directive 2009/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on compliance with flag State requirementsnote lays down a number of obligations for the Member States as flag States. These include in particular an obligation for Member States to take the necessary measures for an IMO audit of their administration to be carried out at least once every seven years. However, the relevant provision is to expire at the latest on 17 June 2017 or at an earlier date, as established by the Commission, if a mandatory IMO Member State Audit Scheme has entered into force.