Becoming a QS scheme participant

No, registration is only mandatory for the transport and storage of QS goods.

If logistics companies are commissioned for the transport of QS goods on the spot market on a short-term basis within the framework of individual daily contracts (e.g. in the case of high seasonal volumes), no QS registration and approval is necessary. However, if the logistics company is commissioned regularly, i.e. repeatedly for planned tours, or if a permanent contract is concluded, registration and approval in the QS scheme must take place.

No, logistics companies that transport QS goods by direct delivery or from the central warehouse to the food retail shops are exempt from the obligation to register in the QS scheme.

QS certification is required for subcontractors if they are regularly, i.e. recurrently, commissioned for planned tours by a QS scheme participant for the transport of QS goods. QS certification is also required if permanent (i.e. not order-related) contracts exist between the subcontractor and the ordering QS scheme participant.

This regulation also applies if subcontractors carry out logistics activities that are covered by the scope of certification at the slaughtering/ cutting, processing and wholesale stages.

The client (QS scheme partner) who commissions logistics processes in the sense of storage and transport activities is responsible for compliance with the requirements. He must inform the logistics company if a delivery with QS goods is involved.

If only the staff and tractor are provided by the external service provider to transport QS goods in semi-trailers of the contracting company, which itself has QS approval, no QS registration or approval is necessary.

The GMP+ recognition only applies to the transport of unpacked, loose potatoes and onions in bulk or in bulk containers and cannot be used for the transport of meat and meat products.

The way of participating in the QS scheme depends on your production scope. Slaughtering, deboning, processing or wholesale companies can register themselves in the QS database. To do this, please click the button initial registration on the homepage and enter all relevant data. Food retailers and butchery businesses participate via so-called coordinators. A current list of butchery coordinators is available on our website. To participate as a food retailer, please contact us.

1. You can check the current eligibility of delivery without login, using the public scheme participant search.

2. You can store commissioned subcontractors with your login data in the QS database in order to be automatically informed by e-mail in the event of changes to delivery authorisations (detailed instructions can be found in the support section of the database).

You can find detailed instructions on how to register in the QS database here. Registration takes place at the level meat wholesale and the production type 87 - logistics of meat and meat products.

In this case, in addition to the declaration at level 19 - Wholesale meat trade, a separate declaration must be made at level Wholesale/logistics fruit, vegetables, potatoes with production type 84 - Logistics fruit, vegetables, potatoes. You can find the corresponding instructions for this level here.

To participate in the QS scheme, the following steps are required:

• Registration in the QS database (www.qs-plattform.de//index_english) via Initial Registration. With the initial registration you enter, among others, information about your company and choose a certification body, which shall perform the audit. After successful registration you will receive your login data for the database and always have the opportunity to change any information you entered.
• Contacting the certification body: After registration in the database please contact the certification body and arrange an audit date.
• Performing the audit: After passing the audit, the certification body enters the report into the database and authorizes it. QS will then check the audit report.
• Sending the contract: After QS has checked the audit report you get the scheme contract for the wholesale stage in duplicate. When both signed documents have been received by the QS office, one countersigned copy will be sent back to you.
• You will receive the eligibility of delivery once the signed documents have been received in the QS office and have been countersigned. After receiving the eligibility of delivery, your company can be found as eligible to deliver in the public search of the database.

You can find a delimitation of the requirements in the document Steps to become a logistics scheme participant on the QS website.

Brokers can independently register in the QS scheme at the stage meat wholesale with the production scope Broker Meat and Meat Products. In the QS scheme, brokers are defined as companies that carry out trading activities, act as sales companies of manufacturing companies or are specified as distributors of goods. They can organize logistics activities in their own or via service providers. In contrast to meat wholesalers, brokers become owners of the goods without themselves encountering the goods. Instructions on how you can participate in the QS scheme as a broker can be found here.

Meat wholesalers are companies that store packaged and unpackaged food themselves in the designated business premises. They carry out trading activities by selecting their suppliers themselves or on their behalf and purchase goods for the purpose of further trading. You can find instructions on how you can participate in the QS scheme as a meat wholesaler here.

The scope of the QS Guideline Logistics of Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes refers to companies that store and/or transport packaged and unpackaged foods that have to be stored under controlled conditions at their own locations, but do not own the goods. The scope of the guideline also covers in particular the following processes within the scope of storage activities: primary packaging for industrial goods, vacuuming, picking (incl. transport packaging for end consumer products), repalletising, tumbling (inverting), freezing and thawing. Own storage locations of QS scheme partners of the slaughtering/ cutting and processing stages, which have their own EU approval number and whose scope of activity does not exceed the scope described above.

Note: If the storage facility is part of the production site at QS scheme partners and does not have a separate approval (own EU approval number), the requirements are also checked as part of the audits at the slaughtering/ cutting and processing and meat wholesale stages. No additional registration in the QS scheme is required for this.

As an alternative to participation via certification in accordance with the QS Logistics Guideline, participation can also take place via a certificate recognised by QS.

These include:

• IFS Logistics,

• IFS Food and

• IFS Cash & Carry/Wholesale.

• BRC Storage and Distribution

• BRC Food Safety

No, registration is only mandatory for the transport and storage of QS goods.

If logistics companies are commissioned for the transport of QS goods on the spot market on a short-term basis within the framework of individual daily contracts (e.g. in the case of high seasonal volumes), no QS registration and approval is necessary. However, if the logistics company is commissioned regularly, i.e. repeatedly for planned tours, or if a permanent contract is concluded, registration and approval in the QS scheme must take place.

No, logistics companies that transport QS goods by direct delivery or from the central warehouse to the food retail shops are exempt from the obligation to register in the QS scheme.

QS certification is required for subcontractors if they are regularly, i.e. recurrently, commissioned for planned tours by a QS scheme participant for the transport of QS goods. QS certification is also required if permanent (i.e. not order-related) contracts exist between the subcontractor and the ordering QS scheme participant.

This regulation also applies if subcontractors carry out logistics activities that are covered by the scope of certification at the slaughtering/ cutting, processing and wholesale stages.

The client (QS scheme partner) who commissions logistics processes in the sense of storage and transport activities is responsible for compliance with the requirements. He must inform the logistics company if a delivery with QS goods is involved.

If only the staff and tractor are provided by the external service provider to transport QS goods in semi-trailers of the contracting company, which itself has QS approval, no QS registration or approval is necessary.

The GMP+ recognition only applies to the transport of unpacked, loose potatoes and onions in bulk or in bulk containers and cannot be used for the transport of meat and meat products.

The way of participating in the QS scheme depends on your production scope. Slaughtering, deboning, processing or wholesale companies can register themselves in the QS database. To do this, please click the button initial registration on the homepage and enter all relevant data. Food retailers and butchery businesses participate via so-called coordinators. A current list of butchery coordinators is available on our website. To participate as a food retailer, please contact us.

1. You can check the current eligibility of delivery without login, using the public scheme participant search.

2. You can store commissioned subcontractors with your login data in the QS database in order to be automatically informed by e-mail in the event of changes to delivery authorisations (detailed instructions can be found in the support section of the database).

You can find detailed instructions on how to register in the QS database here. Registration takes place at the level meat wholesale and the production type 87 - logistics of meat and meat products.

In this case, in addition to the declaration at level 19 - Wholesale meat trade, a separate declaration must be made at level Wholesale/logistics fruit, vegetables, potatoes with production type 84 - Logistics fruit, vegetables, potatoes. You can find the corresponding instructions for this level here.

To participate in the QS scheme, the following steps are required:

• Registration in the QS database (www.qs-plattform.de//index_english) via Initial Registration. With the initial registration you enter, among others, information about your company and choose a certification body, which shall perform the audit. After successful registration you will receive your login data for the database and always have the opportunity to change any information you entered.
• Contacting the certification body: After registration in the database please contact the certification body and arrange an audit date.
• Performing the audit: After passing the audit, the certification body enters the report into the database and authorizes it. QS will then check the audit report.
• Sending the contract: After QS has checked the audit report you get the scheme contract for the wholesale stage in duplicate. When both signed documents have been received by the QS office, one countersigned copy will be sent back to you.
• You will receive the eligibility of delivery once the signed documents have been received in the QS office and have been countersigned. After receiving the eligibility of delivery, your company can be found as eligible to deliver in the public search of the database.

You can find a delimitation of the requirements in the document Steps to become a logistics scheme participant on the QS website.

Brokers can independently register in the QS scheme at the stage meat wholesale with the production scope Broker Meat and Meat Products. In the QS scheme, brokers are defined as companies that carry out trading activities, act as sales companies of manufacturing companies or are specified as distributors of goods. They can organize logistics activities in their own or via service providers. In contrast to meat wholesalers, brokers become owners of the goods without themselves encountering the goods. Instructions on how you can participate in the QS scheme as a broker can be found here.

Meat wholesalers are companies that store packaged and unpackaged food themselves in the designated business premises. They carry out trading activities by selecting their suppliers themselves or on their behalf and purchase goods for the purpose of further trading. You can find instructions on how you can participate in the QS scheme as a meat wholesaler here.

The scope of the QS Guideline Logistics of Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes refers to companies that store and/or transport packaged and unpackaged foods that have to be stored under controlled conditions at their own locations, but do not own the goods. The scope of the guideline also covers in particular the following processes within the scope of storage activities: primary packaging for industrial goods, vacuuming, picking (incl. transport packaging for end consumer products), repalletising, tumbling (inverting), freezing and thawing. Own storage locations of QS scheme partners of the slaughtering/ cutting and processing stages, which have their own EU approval number and whose scope of activity does not exceed the scope described above.

Note: If the storage facility is part of the production site at QS scheme partners and does not have a separate approval (own EU approval number), the requirements are also checked as part of the audits at the slaughtering/ cutting and processing and meat wholesale stages. No additional registration in the QS scheme is required for this.

As an alternative to participation via certification in accordance with the QS Logistics Guideline, participation can also take place via a certificate recognised by QS.

These include:

• IFS Logistics,

• IFS Food and

• IFS Cash & Carry/Wholesale.

• BRC Storage and Distribution

• BRC Food Safety

No, registration is only mandatory for the transport and storage of QS goods.

If logistics companies are commissioned for the transport of QS goods on the spot market on a short-term basis within the framework of individual daily contracts (e.g. in the case of high seasonal volumes), no QS registration and approval is necessary. However, if the logistics company is commissioned regularly, i.e. repeatedly for planned tours, or if a permanent contract is concluded, registration and approval in the QS scheme must take place.

No, logistics companies that transport QS goods by direct delivery or from the central warehouse to the food retail shops are exempt from the obligation to register in the QS scheme.

QS certification is required for subcontractors if they are regularly, i.e. recurrently, commissioned for planned tours by a QS scheme participant for the transport of QS goods. QS certification is also required if permanent (i.e. not order-related) contracts exist between the subcontractor and the ordering QS scheme participant.

This regulation also applies if subcontractors carry out logistics activities that are covered by the scope of certification at the slaughtering/ cutting, processing and wholesale stages.

The client (QS scheme partner) who commissions logistics processes in the sense of storage and transport activities is responsible for compliance with the requirements. He must inform the logistics company if a delivery with QS goods is involved.

If only the staff and tractor are provided by the external service provider to transport QS goods in semi-trailers of the contracting company, which itself has QS approval, no QS registration or approval is necessary.

The GMP+ recognition only applies to the transport of unpacked, loose potatoes and onions in bulk or in bulk containers and cannot be used for the transport of meat and meat products.

The way of participating in the QS scheme depends on your production scope. Slaughtering, deboning, processing or wholesale companies can register themselves in the QS database. To do this, please click the button initial registration on the homepage and enter all relevant data. Food retailers and butchery businesses participate via so-called coordinators. A current list of butchery coordinators is available on our website. To participate as a food retailer, please contact us.

1. You can check the current eligibility of delivery without login, using the public scheme participant search.

2. You can store commissioned subcontractors with your login data in the QS database in order to be automatically informed by e-mail in the event of changes to delivery authorisations (detailed instructions can be found in the support section of the database).

You can find detailed instructions on how to register in the QS database here. Registration takes place at the level meat wholesale and the production type 87 - logistics of meat and meat products.

In this case, in addition to the declaration at level 19 - Wholesale meat trade, a separate declaration must be made at level Wholesale/logistics fruit, vegetables, potatoes with production type 84 - Logistics fruit, vegetables, potatoes. You can find the corresponding instructions for this level here.

To participate in the QS scheme, the following steps are required:

• Registration in the QS database (www.qs-plattform.de//index_english) via Initial Registration. With the initial registration you enter, among others, information about your company and choose a certification body, which shall perform the audit. After successful registration you will receive your login data for the database and always have the opportunity to change any information you entered.
• Contacting the certification body: After registration in the database please contact the certification body and arrange an audit date.
• Performing the audit: After passing the audit, the certification body enters the report into the database and authorizes it. QS will then check the audit report.
• Sending the contract: After QS has checked the audit report you get the scheme contract for the wholesale stage in duplicate. When both signed documents have been received by the QS office, one countersigned copy will be sent back to you.
• You will receive the eligibility of delivery once the signed documents have been received in the QS office and have been countersigned. After receiving the eligibility of delivery, your company can be found as eligible to deliver in the public search of the database.

You can find a delimitation of the requirements in the document Steps to become a logistics scheme participant on the QS website.

Brokers can independently register in the QS scheme at the stage meat wholesale with the production scope Broker Meat and Meat Products. In the QS scheme, brokers are defined as companies that carry out trading activities, act as sales companies of manufacturing companies or are specified as distributors of goods. They can organize logistics activities in their own or via service providers. In contrast to meat wholesalers, brokers become owners of the goods without themselves encountering the goods. Instructions on how you can participate in the QS scheme as a broker can be found here.

Meat wholesalers are companies that store packaged and unpackaged food themselves in the designated business premises. They carry out trading activities by selecting their suppliers themselves or on their behalf and purchase goods for the purpose of further trading. You can find instructions on how you can participate in the QS scheme as a meat wholesaler here.

The scope of the QS Guideline Logistics of Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes refers to companies that store and/or transport packaged and unpackaged foods that have to be stored under controlled conditions at their own locations, but do not own the goods. The scope of the guideline also covers in particular the following processes within the scope of storage activities: primary packaging for industrial goods, vacuuming, picking (incl. transport packaging for end consumer products), repalletising, tumbling (inverting), freezing and thawing. Own storage locations of QS scheme partners of the slaughtering/ cutting and processing stages, which have their own EU approval number and whose scope of activity does not exceed the scope described above.

Note: If the storage facility is part of the production site at QS scheme partners and does not have a separate approval (own EU approval number), the requirements are also checked as part of the audits at the slaughtering/ cutting and processing and meat wholesale stages. No additional registration in the QS scheme is required for this.

As an alternative to participation via certification in accordance with the QS Logistics Guideline, participation can also take place via a certificate recognised by QS.

These include:

• IFS Logistics,

• IFS Food and

• IFS Cash & Carry/Wholesale.

• BRC Storage and Distribution

• BRC Food Safety

No, registration is only mandatory for the transport and storage of QS goods.

If logistics companies are commissioned for the transport of QS goods on the spot market on a short-term basis within the framework of individual daily contracts (e.g. in the case of high seasonal volumes), no QS registration and approval is necessary. However, if the logistics company is commissioned regularly, i.e. repeatedly for planned tours, or if a permanent contract is concluded, registration and approval in the QS scheme must take place.

No, logistics companies that transport QS goods by direct delivery or from the central warehouse to the food retail shops are exempt from the obligation to register in the QS scheme.

QS certification is required for subcontractors if they are regularly, i.e. recurrently, commissioned for planned tours by a QS scheme participant for the transport of QS goods. QS certification is also required if permanent (i.e. not order-related) contracts exist between the subcontractor and the ordering QS scheme participant.

This regulation also applies if subcontractors carry out logistics activities that are covered by the scope of certification at the slaughtering/ cutting, processing and wholesale stages.

The client (QS scheme partner) who commissions logistics processes in the sense of storage and transport activities is responsible for compliance with the requirements. He must inform the logistics company if a delivery with QS goods is involved.

If only the staff and tractor are provided by the external service provider to transport QS goods in semi-trailers of the contracting company, which itself has QS approval, no QS registration or approval is necessary.

The GMP+ recognition only applies to the transport of unpacked, loose potatoes and onions in bulk or in bulk containers and cannot be used for the transport of meat and meat products.

The way of participating in the QS scheme depends on your production scope. Slaughtering, deboning, processing or wholesale companies can register themselves in the QS database. To do this, please click the button initial registration on the homepage and enter all relevant data. Food retailers and butchery businesses participate via so-called coordinators. A current list of butchery coordinators is available on our website. To participate as a food retailer, please contact us.

1. You can check the current eligibility of delivery without login, using the public scheme participant search.

2. You can store commissioned subcontractors with your login data in the QS database in order to be automatically informed by e-mail in the event of changes to delivery authorisations (detailed instructions can be found in the support section of the database).

You can find detailed instructions on how to register in the QS database here. Registration takes place at the level meat wholesale and the production type 87 - logistics of meat and meat products.

In this case, in addition to the declaration at level 19 - Wholesale meat trade, a separate declaration must be made at level Wholesale/logistics fruit, vegetables, potatoes with production type 84 - Logistics fruit, vegetables, potatoes. You can find the corresponding instructions for this level here.

To participate in the QS scheme, the following steps are required:

• Registration in the QS database (www.qs-plattform.de//index_english) via Initial Registration. With the initial registration you enter, among others, information about your company and choose a certification body, which shall perform the audit. After successful registration you will receive your login data for the database and always have the opportunity to change any information you entered.
• Contacting the certification body: After registration in the database please contact the certification body and arrange an audit date.
• Performing the audit: After passing the audit, the certification body enters the report into the database and authorizes it. QS will then check the audit report.
• Sending the contract: After QS has checked the audit report you get the scheme contract for the wholesale stage in duplicate. When both signed documents have been received by the QS office, one countersigned copy will be sent back to you.
• You will receive the eligibility of delivery once the signed documents have been received in the QS office and have been countersigned. After receiving the eligibility of delivery, your company can be found as eligible to deliver in the public search of the database.

You can find a delimitation of the requirements in the document Steps to become a logistics scheme participant on the QS website.

Brokers can independently register in the QS scheme at the stage meat wholesale with the production scope Broker Meat and Meat Products. In the QS scheme, brokers are defined as companies that carry out trading activities, act as sales companies of manufacturing companies or are specified as distributors of goods. They can organize logistics activities in their own or via service providers. In contrast to meat wholesalers, brokers become owners of the goods without themselves encountering the goods. Instructions on how you can participate in the QS scheme as a broker can be found here.

Meat wholesalers are companies that store packaged and unpackaged food themselves in the designated business premises. They carry out trading activities by selecting their suppliers themselves or on their behalf and purchase goods for the purpose of further trading. You can find instructions on how you can participate in the QS scheme as a meat wholesaler here.

The scope of the QS Guideline Logistics of Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes refers to companies that store and/or transport packaged and unpackaged foods that have to be stored under controlled conditions at their own locations, but do not own the goods. The scope of the guideline also covers in particular the following processes within the scope of storage activities: primary packaging for industrial goods, vacuuming, picking (incl. transport packaging for end consumer products), repalletising, tumbling (inverting), freezing and thawing. Own storage locations of QS scheme partners of the slaughtering/ cutting and processing stages, which have their own EU approval number and whose scope of activity does not exceed the scope described above.

Note: If the storage facility is part of the production site at QS scheme partners and does not have a separate approval (own EU approval number), the requirements are also checked as part of the audits at the slaughtering/ cutting and processing and meat wholesale stages. No additional registration in the QS scheme is required for this.

As an alternative to participation via certification in accordance with the QS Logistics Guideline, participation can also take place via a certificate recognised by QS.

These include:

• IFS Logistics,

• IFS Food and

• IFS Cash & Carry/Wholesale.

• BRC Storage and Distribution

• BRC Food Safety