Article 47 Designation of technical services

Approval authorities shall designate technical services for one or more of the following categories of activities, in accordance with their fields of competence:

(a) category A

carrying out the tests referred to in this Regulation in the facilities belonging to the technical service in question;

(b) category B

supervising the tests referred to in this Regulation, where such tests are performed in the facilities of a manufacturer or of a third party;

(c) category C

assessing and monitoring on a regular basis the manufacturer's procedures for ensuring the conformity of production;

(d) category D

supervising or performing tests or inspections for ensuring the conformity of production.

An approval authority may act as a technical service for one or more of the categories of activities referred to in paragraph 1.

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.