Decision of the European Central Bank of 25 November 2010 on the quality accreditation procedure for manufacturers of euro banknotes (ECB/2010/22) (2010/773/EU) (repealed)

Article 6 Quality audit

1. The quality audit shall commence on a date that has been mutually agreed between the manufacturer and the ECB. If the manufacturer is a printing works, the quality audit shall take place during euro banknote production.

2. At the latest two weeks before the quality audit, the ECB shall provide the manufacturer with a pre-audit questionnaire which it shall complete and send back to the ECB at least one week before the quality audit.

3. The quality audit shall take place at the manufacturing site for which the manufacturer seeks quality accreditation.

4. The quality audit team shall assess whether the manufacturer’s quality arrangements conform with the quality requirements. If the manufacturer proposes improvements to conform with the quality requirements, quality accreditation shall not be granted until such improvements are in place. The quality audit team may conduct a follow-up quality audit to verify whether, following such improvements, the quality arrangements conform with the quality requirements, before submitting to the manufacturer the draft audit report referred to in paragraph 6.

5. On completion of the quality audit, and, where applicable, the follow-up quality audit, and before leaving the manufacturing site, the quality audit team shall set out its findings, including any non-conformity with the quality requirements and any improvements proposed by the manufacturer, in a preliminary summary, agreed and signed by both the quality audit team and the manufacturer.

6. The quality audit team shall prepare a draft audit report based on the preliminary summary. This report shall in particular contain details of:

(a) the quality arrangements in place at the manufacturing site that conform with the quality requirements;

(b) any instances of non-conformity with the quality requirements that the quality audit team has identified;

(c) any action taken by the manufacturer during the quality audit;

(d) any improvements proposed by the manufacturer and, in cases where a follow-up quality audit is carried out, the quality audit team’s assessment of whether such improvements have been carried out;

(e) the quality audit team’s assessment of whether full quality accreditation should be granted.

7. The draft audit report shall be sent to the manufacturer within 30 ECB working days from the date of completion of the quality audit or, where applicable, the follow-up quality audit. The manufacturer may comment on the draft audit report within 30 ECB working days from receipt. The ECB shall finalise the draft audit report taking into account the manufacturer’s comments before taking a decision pursuant to Article 7. The ECB may agree with the manufacturer to extend the deadlines mentioned in this paragraph.

8. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article, in the event of a quality problem affecting the quality of euro banknotes or of euro banknote raw materials, the ECB may organise an ad hoc quality audit to investigate the issue. Paragraphs 5 to 7 shall apply accordingly.