1.Approval authorities shall designate technical services for one or more of the following categories of activities, in accordance with their fields of competence:
:
carrying out the tests referred to in this Regulation in the facilities belonging to the technical service in question;
:
supervising the tests referred to in this Regulation, where such tests are performed in the facilities of a manufacturer or of a third party;
:
assessing and monitoring on a regular basis the manufacturer's procedures for ensuring the conformity of production;
:
supervising or performing tests or inspections for ensuring the conformity of production.
2.An approval authority may act as a technical service for one or more of the categories of activities referred to in paragraph 1.
3.Technical services of a third country, other than those designated in accordance with this Article, may be the subject of a notification pursuant to Article 50 where such a recognition of technical services is provided for by a bilateral agreement concluded between the Union and the third country concerned.
However, a technical service established in accordance with Article 45(2) may establish subsidiaries in third countries, provided that the subsidiaries are directly managed and controlled by that technical service.