Frequently Asked Questions

Where is it possible to obtain a mine action certification? 

In Ukraine, the right to conduct certification of mine action operators is held by:

1. Certification Authority of the Mine Action Centre of the State Emergency Service:
Address: 14017, Chernihiv Region, Chernihiv
EDRPOU Code: 26630158
Phone: (0462) 677-022
E-mail: [email protected]

2. Interregional Centre for Humanitarian Demining and Rapid Response of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine:
Address: 63212, Vatutine Village, Kharkiv District, Kharkiv Region
EDRPOU Code: 33879077
Phone: 05740 68 3 29
E-mail: [email protected]

3. Demining Centre of Military Unit A2641 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:
Address: 32300, 56 Stepan Bandera Street, Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi Region
EDRPOU Code: 24982999
Phone: 03849 50290
    E-mail: [email protected]

4. State Certification Centre of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine:
Address: 01024, Kyiv, 20/1 Kruglouniversytetska Street
EDRPOU Code: 14319662
Phone: +38 (044) 461-91-30
E-mail: [email protected]

How to submit documents for certification?

All information and documentation must be provided in both paper and electronic formats. The information and documentation in paper form must be signed by the head of the applicant organisation and stamped by the legal entity (mine action operator).

Copies of documents provided on paper must be certified by the mine action operator in accordance with Chapter 11, Section II of the Rules of Organisation of Record-Keeping and Archival Storage of Documents in State Authorities, Local Self-Government Bodies, Enterprises, Institutions and Organisations, approved by the order of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine dated June 18, 2015, No. 1000/5.

Documents in electronic form should be submitted as scanned copies in PDF format on USB flash drives.

In what language should documents be submitted for certification in case of international organisation?

All information and documentation must be provided in both paper and electronic formats. The information and documentation in paper form must be signed by the head of the applicant organisation and stamped by the legal entity (mine action operator).

Copies of documents provided on paper must be certified by the mine action operator in accordance with Chapter 11, Section II of the Rules of Organisation of Record-Keeping and Archival Storage of Documents in State Authorities, Local Self-Government Bodies, Enterprises, Institutions and Organisations, approved by the order of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine dated June 18, 2015, No. 1000/5.

Documents in electronic form should be submitted as scanned copies in PDF format on USB flash drives.

What types of certification are there?

In Ukraine currently certification is conducted for the following mine action processes:

1. Initial Certification – when a mine action operator submits an application for certification for the first time.
2. Recertification – to extend the current certification.
3. Expansion of the Certification Scope – when a mine action operator submits an application for the certification of specific mine action processes while holding valid certification for other processes.

Which processes in mine action can be certified?

What are the full and shortened certification schemes?

What are the full and shortened certification schemes?

The full certification scheme consists of four stages and is mandatory for:

1. Initial certification of a mine action organisation, as well as:
2. In cases of the previous certification withdrawal;
3. When serious non-conformities and violations of the certification agreement requirements by the mine action organisation are detected during monitoring within the validity period of the previous certificate;
4. If the certificate suspension mechanism was applied to the mine action organisation during the validity period of the previous certification;
5. If there were changes in the organisation's management structure, personnel, equipment, technology, or changes in SOPs.

The shortened certification scheme consists of three stages and can be applied for:

1. Recertification of a mine action organisation, provided that no incidents occurred as specified for the full scheme, and it involves the exclusion of the on-site compliance assessment stage from the full certification scheme.
2. The decision to apply the shortened certification scheme can be made if the last monitoring is conducted no later than three months before the application submission date for recertification, and the mine action operator has ensured compliance with:

• Monitoring schedule;
• Implementation schedule for planned activities under certified mine action processes;
• Reporting deadlines and quality to the Information Management System administrator in the mine action field;
• Requirements outlined in the certification agreement.

3. The shortened certification scheme is not applied if, during the certification period, the scope (or part of the scope) of the operator was suspended or limited (except when the mine action operator voluntarily applied to the Certification Authority of the Mine Action Centre to suspend certification (or part of the certification scope) for no more than one year; limitation of the scope (or part of the scope) of certification for certain processes; cancellation of certification), and it is being claimed for recertification, as well as in the presence of the following confirmed facts:

• The mine action operator had three or more critical non-conformities during the current certification period;
• Violations were committed by the mine action operator, resulting in complaints from mine action entities and other stakeholders, executive authorities, law enforcement agencies, and state supervisory (control) bodies, and the facts of these violations were confirmed;
• The mine action operator failed to provide proper conditions for monitoring or did not adhere to established monitoring schedules;
• More than three cases of non-compliance with planned activities under certified processes during the certification period;
• More than five cases of non-submission, late submission, or submission of incorrect reports to the Information Management System administrator in the mine action field during the certification period;
• Incidents (accidents) occurred during work conducted by the mine action operator during the certification period.