Implementation of International mutual recognitions
QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH (QS) has come to mutual agreements with a range of European standard owners. Which standards are currently recognised is published in a working document for the Animal feed industry guideline in overview 2, Table 1.
For interested QS companies, there is a possibility to supply to various third-party systems on the basis of their QS audit. As a result of the deviating audit frequencies, QS participants are obliged to prove at least one annual QS audit. The QS inspection (for small manufacturers of individual animal feeds) is not recognised.
On the other hand, manufacturers, traders, transporters and storage companies working with individual and mixed animal feeds certified in accordance with a standard recognised by QS are authorised to supply into the QS system without an additional QS audit. The prerequisite for this is the participation in the QS system on the basis of a QS system and sanction contract.
How are companies able to have their audit recognised?
1. Recognition of the QS audit by other standard owners
The company registers with their access data on the QS software platform and selects the appropriate location. In the location data, under "Recognition in third-party system" you can then tick which third-party system the company wishes to be recognised by.
The recognition of the QS audits (or the ability to supply for the third-party system) is implemented by an appropriate publication.
QS takes on the monitoring of the maintained annual audit frequency (1/12 months). If the audit frequency is not maintained, the supply authorisation is invalidated. The same applies when the authorisation is blocked or withdrawn.
2. Recognition of audits by QS*
The company is already a QS system participant (system and sanction contract has already been concluded and is still in place):
- The company registers with their access data on the QS software platform and, for the appropriate location, and under "Certification system" they specify the standard owner according to which it was certified (e.g. PDV or Ovocom).
- After the QS head office has received confirmation of the certificate from the standard owner, the QS supply authorisation begins.
- The company/location can be called in the QS database in the same way as was previously the case.
- In the event of a blocking or withdrawal of the third-party certificate, the QS supply authorisation is also invalidated.
The company is not yet a QS system participant :
- Registration of the company on the QS software platform via the button under "New registration"
Important: Select the certification system of the standard owner according to the standard in accordance with which the company has been certified. - The standard owner confirms to QS the authorisation data of certificate (validity period) in the QS database.
- QS issues a system contract for the company. This also includes the right to use the QS mark.
- Once the contracts for system participation have been signed, the company is published via the QS database.
- The framework of the system contract authorises QS to implement sample audits.
*Note: Recognition is not possible without the specification of a registration number!
