Certification Bodies
The certification activity on a voluntary basis of products or management systems has had over the years a strong evolution and dynamism. This Technical Section, in continuous collaboration with ACCREDIA, has followed and dealt with issues that said evolution generated in terms of consequences for the organisation of Certification and Inspection Bodies that had to comply with international standards. The interpreting of regulations, ways of organising for the implementation of requirements and comparison with what occurs at EA (European Accreditation) level are the areas in which this Technical Section is constantly active.
The Inspection Body performs an inspection activity as third-party, objective and impartial assessment. The Certification Body certifies products, processes, services, company management systems and staff skills according to recognized standards.
A Certification Body is often an Inspection Body as well, which operates under accreditation on a voluntary basis. The expertise, independence and impartiality of Certification and Inspection Bodies is supported by the accreditation process performed by ACCREDIA, Italian accreditation body.
The accreditation of Certification and Inspection Bodies is a process whose positive effects benefit all the stakeholders of the socio-economic sector:
- • For Institutions and Public Administration, the accreditation is a tool ensuring that the bodies comply with the laws, performing a service to protect health and safety of people and environment.
- • For companies, the possession of an accredited conformity assessment is a competitive plus and an index of quality offered to the market.
- • For consumers, choosing a certified product or service means making sure that the supplier has complied with legal obligations to be able to place on the market a product actually offering what it claims.
In this context, ASSOTIC represents the Certification and Inspection Bodies of any sector and offers a valid support in the management of issues related to the relationship with ACCREDIA and with what happens at EA (European Accreditation) level.
The support of ASSOTIC to the Certification and Inspection Bodies cannot miss, which are increasingly in need of discussing with the competitors and sharing positions and proposals related to the national and European regulations.
The main objectives of the Technical Section “Certification and Inspection Bodies operating on a voluntary basis” are:
- • Representing the Certification and Inspection Bodies, both in Italy and Europe, for technical, economic and political matters that have a direct impact on their activities.
- • Bringing the voice of the Bodies to any assembly where laws, regulations and rules affecting their certification and inspection activities, are proposed, discussed and decided.
- • Contributing to the simplification of Accreditation processes, with the objective to reduce costs at the expense of the operators of certificate of conformity, by suggesting improvements for the efficiency of the assessment processes and for the reduction of redundant constraints.
