Regulation 31 Certificates and other documents

United Kingdom

(1)

This regulation applies where a competent authority requires the provider or recipient of a service to supply a certificate, attestation or any other document proving that a requirement has been satisfied.

(2)

The competent authority must accept any document—

(a)

which serves an equivalent purpose, or

(b)

from which it is clear that the requirement has been satisfied.

(3)

The competent authority may not require a document to be produced in its original form, or as a certified copy or certified translation, except—

(a)

as provided for in F1other F2assimilated law, or

(b)

where such a requirement is justified by an overriding reason relating to the public interest, including public order and security.

(4)

This regulation does not prevent a competent authority from requiring a non-certified translation of a document into English.

(5)

This regulation does not apply to the documents referred to in—

F3(a)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(e)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(f)

sections 17 and 396 of the Companies Act 2006 M1;

F4(g)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F5(h)

regulations 61(1), 61(4) and (5) and 63 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015;

F6(i)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(j)

the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009 M2.

F7(k)

regulations F838 and 39 of the European Union (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2015.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Words in reg. 31(3)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Provision of Services (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1329), regs. 1(1), 17(1); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F2: Word in reg. 31(3)(a) substituted (27.2.2025) by The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/82), reg. 1(2), Sch. 6 para. 6(2)(d)
F3: Reg. 31(5)(a)-(e) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Provision of Services (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1329), regs. 1(1), 17(2); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F4: Reg. 31(5)(g) revoked (24.2.2025) by The Procurement Act 2023 (Consequential and Other Amendments) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/163), reg. 1(2), Sch. Pt. 2
F5: Reg. 31(5)(h) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Provision of Services (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1329), regs. 1(1), 17(3); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F6: Words in reg. 31(5) omitted (18.1.2016) by The European Union (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/2059), regs. 1, 75(2) (with reg. 78)
F7: Reg. 31(5)(k) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Provision of Services (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1329), regs. 1(1), 17(4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F8: Words in reg. 31(5)(k) substituted (1.12.2023) by The Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1286), reg. 1, Sch. 4 para. 9(2)

Marginal citations

M1: 2006 c. 46.
M2: S.I. 2009/1801.