Skip to main content

Approve or reject

The Decision​

Every verification task results in one of two decisions: Approved or Rejected.

There is no partial approval, conditional approval, or "approved with reservations" outcome. If all claims are substantiated by the evidence provided, you approve. If any mandatory claim is not adequately substantiated, you reject. A rejection does not end the DPP process — the operator addresses your stated concerns, updates the DPP or evidence, and can re-submit for re-verification.

When to Approve​

Issue an Approved decision when all of the following conditions are met:

  1. All claimed values are substantiated. Every DPP field flagged in your task has a corresponding evidence document that explicitly supports the declared value. The document value matches the DPP value in number, unit, and applicable conditions.

  2. Documents are from credible issuers and within validity dates. The issuing bodies are appropriate for the document type (accredited laboratories, recognised certification bodies, qualified LCA practitioners). All certificates and test reports are within their validity periods as of the DPP's issue date.

  3. Document scope covers the claimed product. The evidence documents specifically cover the product, model, material, or process declared in the DPP — not a different product or a broader general policy statement that does not specifically address the claim.

  4. No material inconsistencies exist between documents and the DPP. You have not identified any contradictions, unexplained discrepancies, or gaps in the evidence chain.

If all four conditions are met, approve. Do not withhold approval because documents are not perfect — they rarely are. The standard is whether the evidence reasonably and professionally substantiates the claims as required for EU Battery Regulation compliance.

When to Reject​

Issue a Rejected decision when any of the following applies:

  • A mandatory document is missing. A claim type that requires specific supporting documentation has no document attached, or the document provided is not the appropriate document type for that claim.

  • A claimed value does not match the document. The DPP states a value that differs from what the evidence document shows. Even a small numerical discrepancy that could indicate a unit conversion error or a transcription mistake is grounds for rejection — the operator needs to resolve the inconsistency before the DPP is published.

  • A document is expired. A certificate or test report has passed its validity end date. An expired document does not substantiate a current compliance claim.

  • A document's scope does not cover the claimed product. For example, the safety test report covers a different cell model than the one being declared, or an ISO certificate covers a manufacturing site that does not produce the material in question.

  • Document integrity is in question. As described in Review a Task, documents that appear altered or internally inconsistent must not be approved.

Writing Effective Rejection Comments​

Your rejection comment is the most operationally important output of a rejection decision. It tells the operator exactly what needs to be fixed. A vague comment leads to unnecessary back-and-forth; a specific comment enables the operator to resolve the issue efficiently and resubmit.

The anatomy of an effective rejection comment:

  1. Reference the specific document or DPP field
  2. State the discrepancy or gap precisely
  3. State what is needed to resolve it

Examples of effective rejection comments:

"The test report (Doc ref TRF-2024-001, issued by SGS) states a cycle life of 1,200 cycles at 25°C and 80% capacity retention. The DPP field 'Cycle Life' declares 1,500 cycles. These values do not match. Please either provide a test report substantiating 1,500 cycles, or update the DPP field to reflect 1,200 cycles."

"No LCA study has been provided in support of the carbon footprint declaration of 38.5 kg CO₂e/kWh (field CF-001). An LCA study prepared in accordance with EU Battery Regulation Annex II methodology, or an equivalent recognised standard, is required. Please provide the underlying study."

"The REACH compliance certificate attached (Cert ref REACH-2021-0047) expired on 31 December 2023. A current, valid REACH compliance certificate is required. Please upload a certificate valid as of the DPP submission date."

"The ISO 14001 certificate (BSI, cert ref FS123456) covers the operator's Frankfurt facility only. The DPP declares that the cathode active material is sourced from a Seoul facility. Please provide evidence of environmental management certification for the Seoul facility, or clarify the sourcing claim."

Examples of comments that are too vague to be actionable:

  • "Cycle life doesn't match." (Which document? What values?)
  • "Certificate is invalid." (Which certificate? What is wrong with it?)
  • "More documentation needed." (For which claim? What specific documentation?)

Submitting Your Decision​

When you are ready to submit:

  1. Click Approve or Reject at the bottom of the task detail page
  2. A decision dialog opens:
    • If approving: enter an optional comment (recommended — note the key documents you relied on) and click Confirm Approval
    • If rejecting: enter a mandatory comment (see above) and click Confirm Rejection
  3. Your decision is recorded immediately

This action cannot be undone. Once confirmed, your decision is written to the DPP's immutable audit trail and the operator is notified.

Effect of Your Decision on the DPP​

On Approval​

  • The verification task is marked Approved in the DPP's audit trail, including your name, organisation, decision date, and comment
  • The DPP's verification status updates to reflect the completed verification
  • The operator receives an email notification
  • If all other DPP requirements are met, the operator can proceed to publish the DPP

On Rejection​

  • The task is marked Rejected in the DPP's audit trail with your full comment
  • The operator receives an email notification with your rejection comment
  • The DPP returns to a state requiring further action from the operator
  • The operator can update the DPP or evidence and assign a new verification task (which may be assigned back to you or to a different verifier)

Your decision is visible in the DPP's permanent record regardless of what the operator does subsequently. If the operator later resolves your rejection and receives an approval from a subsequent verification, both the original rejection and the subsequent approval are visible in the audit trail.