Article 31Simplified verification for installations
1.By way of derogation from Article 21(1), the verifier may decide, subject to the approval by a competent authority in accordance with the second subparagraph of this Article, not to carry out site visits to installations. This decision shall be based on the outcome of the risk analysis and after determining that all relevant data can be remotely accessed by the verifier and that the conditions for not carrying out site visits are met. The verifier shall inform the operator thereof without undue delay.
The operator shall submit an application to the competent authority requesting the competent authority to approve the verifier's decision not to carry out the site visit.
On an application submitted by the operator concerned, the competent authority shall decide whether to approve the verifier's decision not to carry out the site visit, taking into consideration all of the following elements:
(a)the information provided by the verifier on the outcome of the risk analysis;
(b)information that the relevant data can be remotely accessed;
(c)evidence that the requirements laid down in paragraph 3 are not applicable to the installation;
(d)evidence that the conditions for not carrying out the site visits are met.
2.The approval of the competent authority referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article is not required for not carrying out site visits of installations with low emissions referred to in Article 47(2) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066.
3.The verifier shall always carry out site visits in the following situations:
(a)when an operator's emission report is verified for the first time by the verifier;
(b)if a verifier has not carried out a site visit in two reporting periods immediately preceding the current reporting period;
(c)if, during the reporting period, there have been significant modifications of the monitoring plan including those referred to in Article 15(3) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066;
(d)if an operator's baseline data report or new entrant data report is verified.
4.Point c of paragraph 3 is not applicable where, during the reporting period, there have been only modifications of the default value for a calculation factor as referred to in Article 15(3)(h) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066.