1.The entity in charge of maintenance shall apply for ECM certification to a certification body. It shall use the relevant form in Annex III and provide documentary evidence for the requirements and procedures set out in Annex II. The application shall include the description of the strategy to ensure continued compliance with the requirements set out in Annex II, after the award of the ECM certification, including the compliance with Commission Regulation (EU) No 1078/2012(1).
2.The application for ECM certification may be limited to a specified category of vehicles.
3.The applicant shall submit supplementary information and documentation at the request of the certification body. The timeframe for providing supplementary information shall be reasonable, proportionate to the difficulty of providing the information requested and agreed with the applicant upon request.
4.The certification body shall verify the fulfilment of the requirements set out in Annex II. To that end, it may undertake site visits of the entity in charge of maintenance.
5.The certification body shall take a decision to award or refuse ECM certification at the latest 4 months after all the information and documentation has been received.
6.The certification body shall give the reasons for its decisions. It shall notify its decision to the entity in charge of maintenance, with an indication of the appeal process, the time limit for an appeal and the contact details of the appeal body.
7.The decision to award the ECM certification shall be notified using the relevant form set out in Annex IV.
8.An ECM certification shall be valid for a maximum period of 5 years. The certified entity in charge of maintenance shall inform the certification body of any changes that might have an impact on the validity of its certification without delay.
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1078/2012 of 16 November 2012 on a common safety method for monitoring to be applied by railway undertakings, infrastructure managers after receiving a safety certificate or safety authorisation and by entities in charge of maintenance (OJ L 320, 17.11.2012, p. 8).