# Responsibilities for Verification, Decisions and Reconsideration

GSQA-GOV-002 · 2.0 · 2026-10-19

## 1. Authority and competence

Acceptance, verification, decisions, reconsideration and publication must follow actual authorisations. Allocation considers the product, market, technical competence, workload and interests. Unauthorised personnel may not change findings or publish records.

## 2. Separation of case responsibilities

A verifier may not decide a case that they verified. Neither the original verifier nor the original decision-maker may conduct reconsideration of that case. Reconsideration is not omitted because of seniority or commercial relationships; the case is reassigned where necessary.

## 3. Findings and decision records

Verification findings retain itemised evidence, disagreements, unresolved matters and the reasons for conclusions. The decision record states the authorised person, date, scope and rule version. Documentation and permissions are checked before publication, and amendments retain their history.

## 4. Maintaining competence and assignments

Records of participants’ professional scope, training or work-based competence and recusals are retained internally. Task allocation does not substitute for actual competence where the required ability is absent or a conflict remains unresolved.

## 5. Acceptance and allocation

The submitted scope and documents are checked. Tasks are allocated according to product, market and professional competence, with checks on authority and interests. Acceptance of documents does not constitute a technical finding.

## 6. Verifiers

Verifiers check standards, methods, institutional qualifications, report pages, measured values and reliable margins item by item. They record missing material, additional-document requests and reasons. They do not independently issue the award decision for their own case.

## 7. Decision-makers

Decision-makers examine the complete verification findings and relevant evidence, confirm that all conditions and impartiality requirements are satisfied, and issue an independent, reasoned decision. They must not have verified that case.

## 8. Reconsideration officers

Personnel conducting reconsideration must not have participated in the original verification or decision. Within the scope of the dispute, they re-examine evidence, procedures and rules, and determine whether to uphold, amend or return the case for further verification.

## 9. Records and publication

Only material for which the decision, publication authorisation and licence checks are complete may be published. Permissions follow responsibilities. Amendments, notices and status changes are recorded. Publicity requirements must not override the underlying facts.

## 10. Records, administration and correction

For matters covered by this document, records must retain the application or case number, specific product and market, version used, documents and page references, responsible personnel, material dates, reasons and formal notices. Personal information and trade secrets are handled according to access permissions. Questions about a record may be raised through correction, complaint or reconsideration channels available to an entitled applicant. Submission alone does not alter an existing decision or licence. The outcome is determined by the formal notice and current record.

## 11. Effective date, application and version control

Version 2.0 of this document is published and takes effect on 19 October 2026. It applies to relevant matters formally submitted after that date. Existing applications retain their original snapshot and rules. Material changes are notified separately and handled under transitional arrangements; new conditions are not retrospectively inserted into historical decisions. Website and downloadable texts must agree. Superseded versions identify their replacement, and name or wording corrections are recorded separately from substantive amendments.