Accreditation Law

Food and consumer products must meet a high quality level in the movement of goods within the European Union. This is ensured and controlled, among other things, by certification and labelling of products, by certification of management systems and by laboratory tests. The confidence of the market and the consumer in CE marking, GS mark, test and quality seals, private sector standards of trade and in the results of laboratory tests should be protected. Therefore, the activities of conformity assessment bodies such as testing laboratories and certification bodies are monitored throughout the European Union on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 (on accreditation and market surveillance) and other national legislation in many sensitive areas of work. One of the aims of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 is to ensure the highest level of neutrality and objectivity in the work of conformity assessment bodies.

Within the scope of accreditation of certification bodies and testing laboratories, the Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH examines the technical competence of these conformity assessment bodies and monitors them continuously after positive accreditation. In this respect, the Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH verifies the compliance of conformity assessment bodies with requirements laid down in international standards. These requirements are regulated, for example, in DIN EN ISO/IEC 17065 for bodies that certify products, processes and services, in DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 for testing and calibration laboratories and in DIN EN ISO/IEC 17021 for bodies that audit and certify management systems. In case of loss of competence or serious breach of duty of a conformity assessment body, the Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH can restrict, suspend or withdraw the accreditation. It is itself bound by the requirements of DIN EN ISO/IEC 17011, which also demands neutrality and objectivity for the administrative actions of the national accreditation bodies.

For organic inspection bodies and for certification bodies for the production of biofuels, an accreditation by the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) is required in addition to accreditation by the German Accreditation Body GmbH.