The applicant technical service shall submit a formal application to the F1approval authority F2... in accordance with point 4 of Appendix 2 to Annex III. The application shall specify the categories of the activities for which the technical service is applying to be designated.

Before F3the approval authority designates a technical service, F4the approval authority or the national accreditation body shall assess it in accordance with an assessment check-list that covers at least the requirements laid down in Appendix 2 to Annex III. The assessment shall include an on-site assessment in the premises of the applicant technical service, and, where relevant, of any subsidiary or sub-contractor, whether located inside or outside the F5United Kingdom.

In cases where the assessment is carried out by a national accreditation body, the applicant technical service shall deliver to the F6approval authority a valid accreditation certificate and the corresponding assessment report attesting that the technical service fulfils the requirements laid down in Appendix 2 to Annex III for the categories of activities for which the applicant technical service is applying to be designated.

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F8The personnel of the approval authority carrying out an assessment must produce after the on-site assessment a report setting out the extent to which the applicant technical service complies with the requirements laid down in Articles 68 to 72, in Articles 80 and 81 and in Appendix 2 to Annex III.

The report referred to in paragraph 8 shall contain a summary of any identified non-compliances, together with a recommendation as to whether the applicant may be designated as technical service.

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The validity of the designation of technical services shall be limited to five years.

F10Where the approval authority intends to be designated as a technical service in accordance with Article 68(2) F11it must document compliance with this Regulation through an assessment conducted by independent auditors. Those auditors may be from within the same organisation provided that they are managed autonomously from the personnel undertaking the assessed activity, and provided that they comply with the requirements laid down in Appendix 2 to Annex III.