Conformity assessment

Manufacturers are always responsible for the compliance of their products with all legal requirements. Sometimes, product legislation prescribes that the manufacturer must involve a conformity assessment body. Sometimes this is done on a voluntary basis.

Conformity assessment is a process demonstrating whether specified requirements relating to a product, process, service, system, person or body have been fulfilled. This can be done through calibration, testing, certification or inspection.

A conformity assessment body may or may not be accredited. In some sectors accreditation is mandatory. Accreditation is an attestation by an accreditation body that a conformity assessment body continuously meets the requirements in European or international standards to carry out specific conformity assessment activities. The Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assessment is Sweden’s national accreditation body(Swedac). Read more about conformity assessment bodies and accreditation on Swedac’s website.