CHAPTER II
1.Performance’s engagements of SAs
Approved SAs must engage at all time their responsibility and professional competence when delivering the certificates of arrival.
Approved SAs must conform in the course of their activities to the following criteria:
they must execute all possible controls to determine the identity and weight of the products covered by the certificates;
the management of the SA must properly oversee the controls undertaken by the staff of the company in the third countries of destination;
SAs must keep a file on each certificate delivered, in which evidence of the survey work carried out in order to support the conclusions stated in the certificate is recorded (quantitative controls and documentary checks effected, etc.). Files on the certificates issued must be kept for five years;
the approved SAs shall verify the unloading operations with their own suitably qualified, permanent personnel or with local agents based or active in the country of destination, or by sending their own personnel from regional offices or a national office in the Community. Intervention of local agents must be regularly supervised by suitably qualified, permanent employees of the SAs.
2.Controlling the performance of SAs
2.1.Member States will have the responsibility for checking the soundness and appropriateness of the certification functions carried out by the SAs.
Prior to the three-year renewal period, national authorities shall carry out an inspection visit to the registered office of the SA.
Whenever there are reasonable doubts about the quality and accuracy of the certificates drawn up by a particular SA, the competent authority shall make an on the spot inspection to the registered office of the company in order to verify that the rules contained in this Annex are applied correctly.
The Member States shall pay particular attention while inspecting the SA, to the working methods and operational procedures of the SA in carrying out its functions, as well as examining at random, files concerning certificates presented to the paying agency in the procedure for payment of refunds.
Member States may employ external and independent auditors to carry out the task of controlling the SAs in the framework of the procedure set up in this Annex.
Member States may take any other measures they consider necessary for a proper control of the SAs.
2.2.Member States authorities must pay particular attention, when checking the claims for export refunds supported by certificates from SAs, to the following aspects of the certification:
requiring that the work done is described in the certificates and satisfying itself that the work as described was sufficient to support the conclusions drawn in the certificate;
inquiring into all discrepancies of the certificates submitted;
requiring the certificates to be issued within a reasonable time limit, depending of the case at hand.