1. EC examination is the procedure whereby, at the request of the manufacturer or his authorised representative established in the Community or, where such a person is not available, any natural or legal person who assumes responsibility for placing the subsystem on the market, a notified body checks and attests that a subsystem is:
in conformity with the provisions of the Directive and other relevant provisions in compliance with the Treaty,
in conformity with the technical documentation, and
completed.
2. The examination of the subsystem is carried out at each of the following stages:
design,
construction and acceptance trials once the subsystem has been completed.
3. The technical documentation accompanying the examination certificate must comprise the following:
construction plans and calculations, electrical and hydraulic diagrams, control circuit diagrams, description of computer and automatic systems, operating and servicing instructions, etc.,
a list of the safety components referred to in Article 4(2) of this Directive which are used in the subsystem,
copies of the EC declaration of conformity as provided for in Annex IV for these safety components together with the corresponding construction plans and a copy of the reports on any other tests and trials carried out.
4. Documentation and correspondence in connection with EC examination procedures must be drawn up in the same language or languages as the instruction manual referred to in point 7.1.1 of Annex II.
5. Surveillance
5.1. It shall be ensured by means of surveillance that during construction of the subsystem the obligations arising from the technical documentation are fulfilled.
5.2. The notified body responsible for EC examination must have permanent access to the production shops, storage areas and, where necessary, to prefabrication areas, testing plants and more generally to any locations it feels it needs to visit in order to perform its task. The manufacturer or his authorised representative or, where such a person is not available, the natural or legal person who places the subsystem on the market must provide it with, or arrange for it to be provided with, any documents required to that end, notably the plans and technical documentation relating to the subsystem.
5.3. The notified body responsible for EC examination must periodically carry out audits to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Directive. On each visit it must provide the site supervisor responsible with an audit report. It may ask to be brought in to inspect various stages of the work.
5.4. In addition, the notified body may pay unexpected visits to the production shops. During such visits it may carry out full or partial audits. The notified body must draw up a report on the visit and, where necessary, submit an audit report to the site supervisor responsible.
6. Each notified body must publish periodically the relevant information concerning:
all applications for EC examination received,
all EC examination certificates issued,
all EC examination certificates refused.