The State Administration for Market Regulation on April 22 issued an amendment to the "Administrative Measures for the Qualification Testing & Inspection agencies" (hereinafter referred to as “the Measures”), which will come into force on June 1. Compared with the previous one, the main content of the amendment is interpreted as follows:
In line with the principle of more standardized implementation, clearer requirements, more convenient access to the market and more efficient operation, some provisions of the Measures have been revised. The revision mainly covers four aspects: the system of notification of commitments, the scope of implementation, the improvement of services, and the strengthening of epidemic prevention and control measures.
(1) Clarifying the requirements for the list management of qualification accreditation matters.
To avoid repeated examination and approval, and to solve the problem of unification on the scope of qualification accreditation matters, it is explicitly stipulated in article 5 of the Measures that: by laws and administrative regulations shall acquire the qualification cognizance of the list, set by the administration of market regulation and published, and according to the laws and administrative regulations, the adjustment of dynamic management. Such provision clearly define and refine aptitude in accordance with the scope of implementation from the system level, and will gradually realize a dynamic management.
(2) Clarifying the procedures and requirements for the implementation of disclosure of acceptance.
In accordance with the Regulations on Optimizing the Business Environment and the requirements of the reform documents of the State Council, the Measures summarize the status and the information that should be notified by the accreditation unit to inspection and testing institutions. Article 10 and Article 12 of the Measures stipulate that inspection and testing institutions can independently choose the general procedure or notification of commitment procedure when applying for qualification verification. At the same time, the applicant may withdraw the application for notification commitment if he/she has reasonable reasons before the qualification accreditation department makes the approval decision as stipulated in Article 12. It provides more options for administrative counterparts.
(3) Solidify and optimize the measures of facilitation institutions on access service.
In the Measures, Article 1 takes "optimizing access procedures" as the legislative purpose of this revision, and clearly stipulates that the qualification accreditation of inspection and testing institutions should follow the principle of "convenience and efficiency". In the meantime, specific measures to optimize access services and facilitate institutions are solidified: first, it clearly proposes to carry out online examination and approval for qualification recognition of inspection and testing institutions, and qualified market supervision and management departments can issue e-certificates for qualification recognition. Secondly, the time limit for licensing was further reduced to 10 working days for approval and 30 working days for technical review. Thirdly, for the inspection and testing institutions that have not violated the laws, regulations and rules of market supervision in the previous licensing period, they can apply for validity term extension of the qualification certification by written examination.
(4) Consolidating long-term measures for epidemic prevention and control.
In order to cope with COVID-19 and serve for work and production resumption, the Measures have optimized the on-site technical review links and introduced effective measures such as remote review. This revision has specified "remote assessment" in the terms related to on-site technical assessment, so as to make effective measures for epidemic prevention and control long-term effective. At the same time, in order to handle emergencies and other work needs, it adds that "in the case of emergencies and other needs, the qualification certification department can publish the list of inspection and testing institutions that meet the requirements of emergency work and relevant information, allowing relevant inspection and testing institutions to temporarily undertake emergency work." So as to ensure the technical support for emergency inspection and testing.
In addition, to strengthen the supervision of inspection and testing institutions during and after the event, and further standardize the inspection and testing market, the relevant contents about the practice norms, supervision and management and legal responsibilities of inspection and testing institutions in the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Inspection and Testing Institutions.