Certificates of conformity may be issued by a competent authority to confirm that the products concerned conform to the relevant marketing standard (hereinafter referred to as ‘certificate’). The certificate for use by competent authorities in F1Great Britain is set out in Annex III.

Instead of certificates issued by competent authorities in F1Great Britain, the third countries referred to in Article 15(4) may use their own certificates provided that they contain at least equivalent information to F2Great Britain's certificate. The F3Secretary of State shall make available, by the means F4the Secretary of State considers appropriate, specimens of such third country certificates.

The certificates may be issued either in paper format with original signature or in verified electronic format with electronic signature.

Each certificate shall be stamped by the competent authority and signed by the person or persons empowered to do so.

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Each certificate shall bear a serial number, by which it can be identified. A copy of each issued certificate shall be retained by the competent authority.

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Notwithstanding paragraph 1, until F81 July 2022, competent authorities in third countries may continue to use certificates which conform to Article 14(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011, as it has effect in EU law as amended from time to time.