Sanction procedures for serious violations of the QS requirements
Serious violations of the QS requirements are not without consequences. The incidents are consistently dealt with in sanction procedures. An independent sanction board, chaired by a judge, will discuss the violations with a lawyer and experts. The results of QS audits and monitoring programmes primarily serve as the basis for the assessment. In addition, the QS scheme participant concerned will in any case be given the opportunity to submit a written statement on the violations found, which will also be used by the experts for decision-making. It is important to note that the sanction board always decides on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the individual circumstances, i.e. there is no fixed catalogue of sanctions.
The sanctions imposed by the sanction board can be reprimands, temporary suspensions of the QS scheme, an increase in the audit frequency or contractual penalties of up to 50,000 euros. Repeated violations may even lead to exclusion from the QS scheme, which can have considerable disadvantages for the positioning in the market.
Reasonable use of sanction payments: Funding for research
Sanctions serve another good cause: The contractual penalties flow into the QS Science Funds which are recognized as non-profit-making. These support research projects, scientific studies and further education, final theses (doctoral, diploma and master's theses) as well as young researchers in the fields of food safety, sustainability, animal health and animal welfare. One of the decisive factors for obtaining funding from the Science Funds is the high relevance of the research project for economic operators in the agricultural and food industry. An independent board of directors decides on the allocation of funds. Projects currently supported or completed by the QS Science Funds can be viewed here (only in German).
