After a long evaluation process, the CCvDD decided to allow the regular unannounced audits to lapse. Almost every type of company in the feed sector which is certified in accordance with the GMP+ : 2006 certification scheme is currently audited twice per year, once as an announced audit and once as an unannounced audit. The unannounced audit is shorter in duration and is carried out without any appointment being made with the company to be audited in between two announced audits. It has been shown that the frequency of auditing has no correlation to the occurrence of incidents.

Producers of feed materials (GMP+ : 2006 B 2 standard) outside the Netherlands and Dutch forage traders (GMP+ : 2006 B 3 standard) are already exempted from this and are audited once per year. This decision of the CCvDD means that all other types of company will be treated equally and are also harmonised with the audit frequencies of comparable certification schemes.

As a result of this and in view of recent extra audit requirements with respect to product certification, the CCvDD has established a work group to evaluate the certification process once again. The representatives from the sector and specialists in certification processes will analyse the mandatory minimum time expenditure and the possibility of carrying out extra recovery audits. A proposal for possible modifications will be drawn up by the work group and presented to the CCvDD in the first half of 2008.

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The change will take effect per 1 January 2009.