About NB suspension and CE certificate validity

[somashekar]

Our CE cert is issued Dec 2013 and valid until Dec 2018. The NB who issued the CE cert is status Suspended effective March 2014. We did not have any MDD surveillance audit in 2014.
As of today, what is the status of my CE cert ?

Where a notified body designation is suspended, the certificates issued to companies remain valid but cannot be changed or renewed during the suspension – although in some cases suspension allows for renewal but not for additions or new certificates.

I read the above in a pdf from www.team-nb.org/documents.

Does this renewal mean MDD surveillance audit ?

 

[pkost]

Surveillance does not renew the certificate. It is valid for it's life (unless withdrawn).

 

[somashekar]

Surveillance does not renew the certificate. It is valid for it's life (unless withdrawn).

That's cool ...
So I have a valid CE cert for 4 more years with no ongoing MDD surveillance

 

[pkost]

Suspension shouldn't mean that the NB is closed down, there should still be a level of oversight. How the suspension is to be managed should have been a discussion between NB and CA

As a first port of call I would contact your NB to establish where you stand (if only to establish what they are doing to have their suspension liftyed. You don't want any nasty surprises). If they aren't supportive try the competent authority!

 

[Sarah Stec]

I would also recommend to call your NB to see what's up and what they're doing to have the suspension lifted. If the suspension leads to a withdrawal of notification, then you may not be able to easily transfer your certification to a new NB with three years of no surveillance audits. Depending on the reason why the NB was suspended you may have some oversight by the Competent Authority too.

 

[J0anne]

Somashekar - I understand the certification remains valid if the NB is suspended, however, isn't this dependent also, on satisfactory surveillance audits?

 

[MIREGMGR]

I have no experience with NB suspension, and minimal knowledge of the applicable rules.

I'm surprised that the relevant CA isn't mandated to assure active management of the certification status of a suspended or terminated NB's customers, with no discontinuity.

 

[somashekar]

Somashekar - I understand the certification remains valid if the NB is suspended, however, isn't this dependent also, on satisfactory surveillance audits?

I too believe the same, but post #2 form pkost ... ?
So as of today, what is the status of my CE cert .... ?

 

[pkost]

While you should be having surveillance visits, it is your NB's responsibility to determine when they should be. Provided you meet their schedule you should be fine

I imagine something like this has been covered in their discussions with the CA. An action plan may have been implemented which permits reduced audits on lower risk suppliers and then ramping it up to an appropriate level over time. It is difficult to know without asking the NB/CA!

 

[J0anne]

I too believe the same, but post #2 form pkost ... ?
So as of today, what is the status of my CE cert .... ?

Today - it certainly is valid as the NB is 'only' suspended.

Which NB is it, and do you know why this has happened?