Notice from the General Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation on Matters Concerning the Approval of Special Equipment Inspection Agencies

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To the Market Regulation Bureaus (Departments, Commissions) of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps: The \"Rules for the Approval of Special Equipment Inspection Institutions\" (TSG Z7001—2021, hereinafter referred to as the new \"Approval Rules\") were issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation in Announcement No. 42 of 2021, and came into effect on June 1, 2022. To ensure the smooth implementation of the new Approval Rules, the relevant matters are notified as follows: I. Transition period arrangements 1. Extension of the original approval certificates. The certification certificates for special equipment inspection agencies issued prior to the implementation of the new Approval Rules remain valid within their original scope of approval and validity period. The new Approval Rules have adjusted the categories of institutions and significantly raised the approval criteria for approved projects. To ensure a smooth transition in the inspection activities of inspection agencies, those special equipment inspection agencies that already hold certificates but are temporarily unable to meet the approval requirements of the new \"Approval Rules\" are allowed to apply to the original issuing authority for an extension of the validity period of their original approval certificates by May 10, 2022. Inspection agencies that do not apply for an extension must apply for a license renewal in accordance with the new “Approval Rules” before their current license expires. When applying for an extension of the approval certificate, the inspection agency shall submit a written commitment stating that it will be able to continue to meet the approval requirements set out in the Rules for the Approval of Special Equipment Inspection and Testing Agencies (TSG Z7001—2004, hereinafter referred to as the original Approval Rules) throughout the valid period of the extended approval certificate. If the original approval certificate expires within 2022, an extension of up to 3 years can be applied for ； If the original approval certificate expires within 2023, an extension of up to 2 years can be applied for ； If the original approval certificate expires within 2024, an extension of up to 1 year can be applied for ； Those original approval certificates that expire after December 31, 2024, cannot apply for an extension. This application for extension applies only to the approval items obtained by testing agencies in accordance with the original Approval Rules, and the extended period does not need to be deducted from the next approval cycle. To avoid confusion between the inspection items for the old and new versions of approval certificates, the issuing authority must add corresponding textual descriptions to the approval item codes when issuing extended approval certificates; such textual descriptions shall be in accordance with Table 1 \"Classification of Inspection and Approval Items\" in Annex 1 of the original \"Approval Rules\". For example, in the case of project GJ1, the certificate should be printed as “GJ1 (Supervision and Inspection for Steam Boilers with a Rated Steam Pressure greater than 22 MPa)”. Inspection bodies that do not need to apply for an extension should also request the original issuing authority to add corresponding textual explanations to the project code specified in the original approval certificate. Provincial market supervision departments should actively carry out publicity and communication efforts, and promptly notify all special equipment inspection agencies approved by the local approval authorities of the arrangements regarding the extension of approvals. Market supervision authorities across the country should strengthen supervision and inspection of special equipment inspection agencies that still hold the original approval certificates. If it is found that such agencies arbitrarily expand the scope of inspections by matching the item codes from the original approval certificates with those in the new \"Approval Rules,\" they shall be dealt with as violating regulations by conducting inspections beyond the approved scope. 2. Renewal and addition of items to the original approval certificate. After June 1, 2022, inspection agencies holding the original approval certificate (including those with an extension granted) that wish to apply for a renewal must submit their applications in accordance with the format specified in Appendix G of the new Approval Rules. The application category should be designated as “Extension of Approval.” Since the approval items under the new Approval Rules cannot be matched one by one with those under the old rules, all approval items in the application must be filled in as if it were the first time an approval is being requested. When an inspection body holding the original approval certificate (including the certificate for applying for an extension) applies for additional approval, all of its inspection items must comply with the requirements of the new \"Approval Rules\". The application should be categorized as \"Extension of Approval + Additional Approval\". The assessment and evaluation bodies as well as the issuing authority shall evaluate and review all of the inspection items submitted by the applying entity in accordance with the institutional categories and approval item requirements specified in the new \"Approval Rules\", and the issuing authority will issue a new version of the approval certificate. For testing institutions that have completed certificate renewal and addition of services, the original approved certificates (including those for extension requests) must be retrieved and invalidated by the new issuing authority. 3. Approved applications that have been accepted. For approval applications that have been accepted, for which the evaluation and assessment have been completed and an evaluation report has been issued, the issuing authority shall complete the review and issuance process by May 31, 2022. For approval applications for which the evaluation and assessment cannot be completed by May 10, 2022 (including those where the evaluation and assessment has been completed but the report has not yet been issued, or those still in the process of rectification), the licensing procedure shall, in principle, be terminated. The applicant shall submit a new application in accordance with the updated approval requirements or apply for an extension of the validity period of the original approval certificate. II. Approval Requirements 4. Approval for Class B inspection agencies. Provincial market supervision departments shall, in accordance with the requirements set out in Annex E of the new Approval Rules, promptly formulate detailed approval regulations for Class B inspection institutions in their respective provinces and make them public before they can be put into effect. The personnel, office premises, testing equipment, and site conditions specified in the approval rules shall meet the requirements of clauses E1.3, E1.4, and E1.5 of the new Approval Rules. Provincial market supervision departments may also require local public-interest Class A inspection agencies to fulfill their responsibilities regarding the supervision of special equipment in their respective areas, without the need to issue separate qualifications for Class B inspection agencies. 5. Approve the application. When the applying entity and its subsidiaries or branches apply for approval jointly in accordance with Article 2.2 of the new Approval Rules, the quality assurance system of the applying entity shall cover those subsidiaries or branches. The inspection and testing personnel can be full-time staff of the subsidiaries or branches and have their qualifications publicly listed at those locations; the inspection equipment can be owned by the subsidiaries or branches themselves. The inspection experience of the subsidiaries or branches can be considered as part of the parent entity’s inspection experience. After obtaining the approval certificate, inspection work shall be carried out in the name of the certified parent organization. The same applicant may apply for both the qualification as a special equipment inspection agency and the qualification as a special equipment testing agency; the issuing authorities specified in the relevant approval rules will handle the applications and issue the certificates accordingly. When a user of special equipment establishes multiple Class C inspection agencies in different provinces, the approval application must specify the scope of inspection for each such agency, and each agency shall be approved by the provincial market supervision department where it is located. In the event of mergers and reorganizations among multiple licensed testing institutions, the applying entity may submit an application to add additional items and to have the name of the institution changed, so that all the permitted activities can be covered under one approval certificate. The issuing authority will decide whether to conduct assessment and evaluation, in line with the principle of facilitating businesses and taking practical considerations into account. 6. Research facilities. The ranking of scientific research achievements in accordance with Article D2.4 of the new Approval Rules refers to the ranking of the applying entity on the award decision or award certificate. If it can be verified that the awarded project was primarily carried out by a subsidiary or branch engaged in testing work, it may be considered an award obtained by that subsidiary or branch, but it cannot be recognized repeatedly. 7. Personnel requirements. Personnel in key positions at the applying entity must be full-time employees whose social insurance is paid by the entity itself. For the professional educational background specified in Appendices DA, DB, and DC for the recognition of professional and technical personnel, a diploma or degree certificate from the corresponding major category is required. 8. Supervisory inspection of gas cylinders. The qualification for supervision and inspection of pressure vessel installation in the RJ1 and RJ2 projects includes supervision and inspection of gas cylinder installation; the qualification for supervision and inspection of pressure vessel manufacturing in the RJ2 project includes supervision and inspection of gas cylinder manufacturing. III. Others 9. Certificate formats for deferred approval, additional item approval, and change approval. The extension approval shall indicate “Validity period extended to” under the validity period of the original approval certificate, and “Date of change” under the original issuance date” ； For approval of additions and approval of changes, in addition to adding the corresponding inspection items to the approval certificate and modifying its relevant contents, the “date of change” must be indicated below the original issuance date. For the specific style, see the attachment. Attachment: Format of Certificates for Approving Extensions, Additional Items, and Changes for Special Equipment Inspection Agencies Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation, February 21, 2022