Standards

This document recommends good practices for all elements of conformity assessment, including objects of conformity assessment, specified requirements, activities, bodies, systems, schemes and results. It is intended for use by individuals and bodies that wish to provide, promote or use impartial and reliable conformity assessment services. Providers of conformity assessment can include conformity assessment bodies, accreditation bodies, peer-assessment agreement groups, and organizations providing declarations of conformity. Individuals or organizations that promote or use conformity assessment can include, as appropriate, regulators, trade officials, and owners of conformity assessment systems and schemes.

This International Standard describes the fundamentals of product certification and provides guidelines for understanding, developing, operating or maintaining certification schemes for products, processes and services. It is intended for use by all with an interest in product certification, and especially by certification scheme owners.

NOTE 1 In this International Standard the term “product” can also be read as “process” or “service”, except in those instances where separate provisions are stated for “processes” or “services”. Definitions of product, process and service are given in ISO/IEC 17065.

NOTE 2 The certification of products, processes and services is a third-party conformity assessment activity (see ISO/IEC 17000) carried out by product ertification bodies. The requirements for product certification bodies are specified in ISO/IEC 17065.