10 Renewing or resigning membership

10.1.1 Participation in the BMPA Quality Pork Charter is renewed annually. Charter participants shall receive a renewal notice from the service provider 6-8 weeks prior to the 1^st of April each year. 

10.1.2 The Charter participant shall inform the service provider if any products have been delisted from the previous certification period and these shall be removed from BMPA Quality Pork Charter certificate at the time of renewal. New products may be added to the scope during the certification period either through system of prior approval or following approval at the time of the surveillance audit. All requests shall be made to the service provider to amend the certificate accordingly.

10.2.1 Audit fees shall be paid before the due date of the next certification period and cannot be refunded. 

An exception to this could be that, due to commercial reasons, a Charter participant decides to voluntarily withdraw from one pork module however, commits to participation in an alternative pork module on the same site and subject to there being more than three months of the certification period remaining, that portion of the remaining audit fees may be transferred to the alternative pork module less the administration costs incurred by the service provider. 

10.2.2 Once the audit fees have been paid for the next period of certification, the service provider shall arrange to forward the BMPA Quality Pork Charter certificate of conformity for the new certification period to the Charter participant and copy of this shall be held by the BMPA. 

10.2.3 Audit fees are agreed between the Charter participant and service provider prior to the commencement of the certification period. The contract between the BMPA and the service providers shall not exceed a term of three years, and audit fees shall remain the same for the duration of that period.

10.2.4 If the service provider does not receive a renewal remittance within 14 days following the due date, a reminder shall be issued. If a renewal remittance is still not received within 28 days of the due date, the Charter participant may be suspended from BMPA Quality Pork Charter. 

If no contact is made with the service provider before the expiry of the certificate of conformity, certification shall be withdrawn, and the Charter participant shall return the Quality Pork Charter certificate of conformity to the service provider without delay and not make any further claims relating to the BMPA Charter and pork modules. 

10.3.1 Charter participants may decide to voluntarily withdraw their certification. This shall be done in writing to the service provider enclosing the BMPA Quality Pork Charter certificate of conformity and confirming the last date that assured product shall be produced. Where a participant decides to voluntarily withdraw their certification during the period of certification, the participant shall not be entitled to any return of audit fees for the remaining part of the period of certification.

10.3.2 Charter participants who voluntarily withdraw from certification shall cease from the date given to the service provider to make any claims whether explicit or implied, that they or their products are certified against the BMPA Quality Pork Charter. 

10.3.3 Where an approved site is scheduled for closure with no prospect of transfer to an alternative site, the Charter participant shall make the service provider and BMPA aware of the closure date. Once the business has ceased at the site address the Charter participant shall return the Quality Pork Charter certificate of conformity within 14 days of the closure date, to the service provider that issued it.