Obligatory information

Responsibilities and powers of Products Certification Body (PCB)

• PCB and its staff are free of any business and financial influences, or any other interests that could have an impact on their technical and certification activities;
• PCB and its staff are not involved in any activities that could threaten the confidence in the certification activities;
• there is no capital, personal or organisational relation between PCB and manufacture (including final inspections and testing);
• PCB disposes with all personnel and material conditions necessary for providing high quality services in accordance with STN EN ISO/IEC 17065: 2013 standard;
• PCB takes an active part in its respective activities in compliance with the currently applicable quality system operated and maintained in conformity with STN EN ISO/IEC 17065: 2013 and with ordered rules and principles;
• PCB is fully responsible for works performed by its employees.

Acquisition of financial means sufficient for the preservation of PCB´s impartiality

SLM and PCB assure their financial stability by maintaining the necessary liquidity and profitability, by maintaining the necessary proportion between property items and financial resources for their refunding and by assuring the planned profitability. SLM assures its financial resources by its own activities. The resources management in SLM is described in its Basic quality manual, chapter 6.

Termination, Reduction, Suspension or Withdrawal of Certification

The EU-type examination certificate for measuring instrument (MID – Module B) have a validity of 10 years from the date of its issue, and may be renewed for subsequent periods of 10 years each.

The EU-type examination certificate for non-automatic weighing instrument (MID – Module B) have a validity of 10 years from the date of its issue, and may be renewed for subsequent periods of 10 years each. If significant changes in the design of the weighing instrument occur, for example due to the use of a new technology, the validity of the EU-type examination certificate may be limited to two years and may be extended by three years.

The validity of the Certificate on approval of quality system is 3 years (Module D or D1). While the certificate is valid, PCB supervises the supplier at regular intervals (at least once a year).

The validity of the certificates of conformity on the basis of Module F, F1 and G is not limited.

PCB takes measures that are in accordance with the specifications of the certification scheme and makes all necessary modifications of certificates, informing the client, informing the public, permission to use the trade marks, if:

• the certification is terminated (at the client’s request);
• the certification is suspended or withdrawn;
• the scope of certification is reduced.

If PCB finds a non-compliance with the certification requirements, either as a result of surveillance or otherwise, PCB will decide on the next procedure, which may be:

• continuation of certification under conditions established by the certification body;
• reduction of the scope of certification to remove the non-compliant types of measuring instruments;
• suspension of certification during corrective actions by the client;
• withdrawal of certification.

In case PCB during verifying the conformity of the product’s characteristics finds that the conditions for issuing the certificate have not been observed, PCB will issue a decision on suspension or withdrawal of the certificate. Clearly negative results of supervision by the competent market surveillance authority may also lead to the suspension or withdrawal of the certificate.

If there is further information indicating that the product no longer complies with the certification requirements, PCB will check the manufacturer’s production capability.

The validity of the certificate may be revoked before its expiration if the certificate holder violates the conditions under which the certificate was granted.

Complaints and appeals settlement procedures

Claims, complaints and disputes addressed to PCB by its suppliers or other parties may be applied in any stage of certification or assessment processes, nevertheless no later than 30 days upon the termination of these processes (after dispatching certificate, confirmation or notice on negative assessment result).

The principles for solution of complaints and comments to the PCB´s activities are specified in Basic quality manual, Chapter 8.2. Any claims, complaints and disputes concerning the work of PCB are registered in Book of complaints. The settlement procedure related with the submitted complaints and disputes concerning the work of PCB is governed by SK-P06-03 ” Claims, complaints, reclamations and appeals”. The employee entrusted by claims, complaints and disputes settlement related with the PCB activities shall be an impartial person.

The client (hereinafter referred to as ‘Client’ or ‘Appellant’) is entitled to lodge an appeal against the PCB decision within the term of 15 days upon its notice. The term ‘notice’ means the delivery of the decision to the address registered as the business seat/place, or to the address stated in the Client’s application for certification. In case of the non-delivery of the mail (return of the post mail, addressee unknown, etc.) the fictitious delivery shall be applied to the day of the post mail return to SLM. The Appellant shall lodge his appeal with the body that issued the contested decision, i.e. Slovak Legal Metrology, n.o. Certification body. The Appellant may withdraw his appeal prior to the judgement on it. Should the Appellant withdraw his appeal, he cannot enter an appeal again.
The appeal shall content the following data at minimum:

• identification of the body to which the appeal is addressed,
• identification of the person submitting the appeal,
• identification of the contested decision,
• specification of the extent to which the decision is contested,
• specification in which points the Appellant considers the decision or the court procedure as incorrect,
• specification of the Appellant` s requirement,
• signature of the Appellant and the date of the appeal deed execution.

Upon the delivery of the appeal, the PCB director shall acknowledge its receipt, including the recognition of its relation to the certification activity for which he is responsible. If it is this case, the director acts in it, and he is responsible for the course of the appellate procedure. In addition, he is responsible for collection and verification of any information necessary for issuing the decision on appeal. For the decision on the appeal, the PCB director shall establish a committee of disinterested persons that were not participants in the certification activities related with the appeal subject matter. The number of committee members shall be odd (hereinafter referred to as ‘committee’). In order to prevent any conflict of interests, the persons taking part and acting in the appeal process may not be persons that provided any consultation to the Client in the respective case, or persons that were employed by the Client, more specifically, two years after the termination of the consultancy activities for the Client or of the employment or of any similar relationship with the Client.

The committee shall review the contested decision in full range; if necessary, it shall supplement the current proceeding or remedy the shortages found. If there are reasons, the committee shall amend or abolish the decision, otherwise, it shall reject the appeal and confirm the decision. PCB shall inform the Applicant about the result of the appellate procedure.

The appellant body decision is final, and there is no possibility to lodge any further appeal against it. PCB shall take further measures necessary to solve the appeal in accordance with the Basic quality manual, chapter 8.5, SK- P06-04 Control of nonconformity and in accordance with SK-P06-07 Corrective and preventive action.

Rights and obligations of the applicant for certification and quality system approval

Obligations and rights of the applicants for certification and quality system approval are governed by respective agreements, or they are specified in the application for certification.

PCB requires from the Client presenting the application for certification the following:

• The Client shall provide PCB with all the appropriate and necessary cooperation pursuant to the relevant legal rules and instructions of PCB in due time and manner.
• In case, PCB invites the Client to submit the necessary documentation pursuant to the relevant legal rules, the Client shall be responsible for its correctness and completeness; the Client, if necessary, shall ensure the official translation of the documentation into the Slovak language or other language accepted by PCB at his own costs. The documents presented to PCB shall include the information in respect of their validity and effectuality.
• The Client shall observe the relevant legal rules and respect the instructions of PCB. The Client shall always comply with the certification requirements including conducting relevant modifications if notified to the certification body.
• The Client shall use the issued EC certificates and confirmations only within the extent and in a way of use specified in the relevant legal rules, while respecting the instructions of PCB in a manner not effecting the good reputation or the goodwill of PCB.
• The Client shall reproduce, or use the EC certificates or confirmations for any publication purposes including the advertisement only as a whole and in accordance with the instructions of PCB; otherwise only upon a previous written consent of PCB.
• The Client shall use the mark of conformity only within the extent an in the manner specified in the relevant legal rules, respecting the instructions of PCB, and making reference to the certification in accordance with the scope of certifi­cation.
• The Client shall assure that no document issued by PCB in the product certification process (test protocols, evaluation reports, final protocols, decisions on certification and EC certificates) could be misused, or used in any other manner than specified in the relevant legal rules.
• The Client shall inform PCB on any modifications to the certified product where such modifications may affect the conformity with the requirements specified in the relevant legal rules, or the validity conditions of the issued certificate or confirmation.
• The Client shall stop using the certificate or the confirmation and all the related advertisement materials immediately after the suspension of these documents.
• The Client shall record all the complaints related to the certified product and enable their assessment by PCB. The Client shall take appropriate action with respect to such complaints and to any deficiencies found in products that affect the observance of the requirements for certification and he shall document the actions taken.
• If necessary, the Client shall enable the participation of observers during the operational audit in the premises of the manufacturer, respecting the instructions of PCB.