Read each document by its role
Batch passport
Characteristics stated for this batch.
Test report
What was tested and the results obtained.
Conformity certificate
Requirements confirmed through the prescribed procedure.
Three frequently confused documents
A quality passport or certificate of analysis usually describes a particular batch: its number, production date, composition and measured characteristics. It links the delivery to the manufacturer’s controls. Its significance depends on its content and the product’s requirements; the heading alone is insufficient.
A test report records the samples examined, methods and results. It evidences testing, but is not necessarily the final document required to place goods on the market. A conformity certificate records a decision under the relevant procedure and has its own defined scope.
Which fields reveal the document’s purpose
Locate the holder or applicant, manufacturer, product and models, assessment requirements, issuing organization and registration details where applicable. For a batch document, match the batch and shipment. For a report, check sample identification and measured properties: testing one characteristic does not prove compliance with every requirement.
What to request from the supplier
Request the set needed for your purpose, rather than “any quality certificate”: the mandatory conformity document where required, model annexes and batch-control records where relevant. Retain the original and an accurate translation of foreign documents. A Certificate of Analysis must not be relabelled as an EAEU certificate of conformity.
A practical example
Example: a chemical raw-material shipment
A supplier sends a Quality Certificate listing the batch, substance concentration and moisture. It helps check the delivered raw material’s characteristics. It does not establish that every mandatory import and sale procedure for that substance has been completed. Identify the material’s intended use and composition, then the applicable requirements and documents. Understand the function of the existing file before filling the remaining compliance gaps.
What to do next
Define the purpose
Is the aim market compliance, batch characteristics or contractual quality? These are different questions even if the supplier uses one label.
Match the goods
Compare the document with the label, model, manufacturer and batch. Similar product names do not establish coverage.
Identify missing evidence
If only a factory passport is available, separately determine whether mandatory conformity assessment is required and completed.
What to watch for
A stamp, signature or translation does not change the document’s purpose. Assess its content, scope and applicable procedure.
Official sources
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