Conformity Assessment Scheme (CAS) Review Information | New Programmes

About UKAS Conformity Assessment Scheme Reviews

UKAS evaluates all Conformity Assessment Schemes (CAS) in the same way by following the process detailed in the European Cooperation on Accreditation publication EA-1/22 (but excluding those elements that are not applicable where, for example, the CAS is only to be used by a single conformity assessment body).

To evaluate a CAS requires specific information and EA-1/22 Annex 1 details the information UKAS requires to do this with Annex 2 providing useful guidance on conformity assessment schemes.

Other suggested reading for those writing CAS can be found in ISO CASCO publications ‘How to develop scheme documents – Guidance for ISO technical committees’ and ‘How to develop schemes for the certification of persons- Guidance of ISO/IEC 17024’ noting that although both documents are aimed at ISO technical committees they contain useful information for anyone writing CAS.

Conformity Assessment Bodies seeking accreditation to include a new CAS should continue to apply through the UKAS application process and the CAS evaluation will form part of the overall assessment of the body concerned. Specific information will be requested regarding the CAS using F530 Conformity Assessment Scheme (CAS) Evaluation Application Form.

Scheme owners requesting the evaluation of their CAS without an application for accreditation will need to apply to UKAS using F530 Conformity Assessment Scheme (CAS) Evaluation Application Form.

UKAS has also developed a readiness self-assessment tool for scheme owners operating across a range of sectors.  This tool will help scheme owners to ascertain whether they are ready or not to move forward to establish if the scheme is eligible to be used for accreditation purposes.