Surveillance in conformity assessment
| Technical regulation in EAEU | |
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| Principal legal acts | |
| IFCG services | |
Surveillance (or inspection control) must be conducted for products for which a Certificate of conformity was issued in accordance with the technical regulations of EAEU. The surveillance is a part of certification scheme.
The main purpose of the surveillance is to ensure that the products, for which the Certificate of conformity was issued, still meet the requirements of the EAEU technical regulations, and that the products are properly labeled with the mark of conformity.
In Russia the surveillance is carried out in accordance with the order established by the national standard GOST R 58984-2020.
The surveillance is carried out only for products of series-production.
Contents
Who carry out the surveillance?
The Certification body that previously issued the Certificate of conformity (hereafter — CoC) for the product is responsible for conducting the surveillance during the validity period of the CoC.
The Applicant of the CoC should be informed about the necessity of the surveillance before the certification procedure is started.
Types of the surveillance
There are two types of the surveillances: scheduled and unscheduled.
The frequency of scheduled inspections is usually specified in the technical regulations or in the certification systems. If it is not, it is determined by the Certification body, but not less often than once a year.
Unscheduled inspections can be carried out in cases:
- If information about non-compliance to the current requirements or possibility of such is received (e.g., complaints about quality and safety of the products from consumers, media or from the government inspection authorities, etc.).
- In case of changes in regulations, which contain requirements for certified product, test methods, design, completeness, production technology, that may affect the characteristics confirmed during certification.
- If information about changes in the technical documentation and (or) changes in technological production process is received from the holder of the CoC.
- If contracts for supply of raw materials and components needed for product manufacturing are changed, which may affect the product’s characteristics confirmed during certification.
- If Certificate of the quality management system is suspended or canceled.
How is the procedure performed?
The Certification body develops and approves a surveillance program, which has the following main stages:
- product identification,
- testing samples,
- verification of the state of production or control of the management system (production),
- checking of the application of the mark of conformity,
- verification of complaints of purchasers (consumers) on the received products,
- issuing the results of the surveillance.
At the same time, the approved surveillance program of a scheduled inspection must be brought to the attention of the Applicant and other participants of the surveillance in advance.
How are the restuls of the surveillance formalized?
The results of the surveillance are drawn up in an Act, which indicates the possibility/impossibility to maintain the validity of the exist CoC.
The surveillance Act is submitted for review to the head of the manufacturing establishment (the CoC holder). One copy of the Act remains with the CoC holder, the other copy is stored in the Certification body.
Сhanging the status of an issued CoC
If surveillance is completed successfully, with positive results of all stages of the approved program, the Certification body shall decide to extend the validity of the CoC.
Otherwise, the Certification body shall suspend or cancel the CoC.