UKAS expands its international recognition

Accreditation is an important tool in the removal of technical barriers to trade and boosting international acceptance and recognition of goods and services. This is achieved though Multilateral Recognition Arrangements signed by accreditation bodies that have demonstrated their competence through peer evaluation. UKAS is currently a signatory to the Arrangements managed by the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).

As conformity assessment develops to meet global needs it is vital that accreditation continues to keep pace, thus ensuring that global recognition continues to provide global confidence. To this end the Arrangements continue to be developed and expanded, with UKAS ensuring that these new activities are added to its scope of recognition as applicable.

During the first quarter of 2024 UKAS is delighted to confirm that its scopes of the following Arrangements have been expanded:

EA Multilateral Agreement:

• Addition of Validation and Verification (ISO/IEC 17029) as a new field of conformity assessment

IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement:

• Addition of ISO/IEC 17029 to the validation and verification scope, along with the following sub-scopes associated with this:
  • ISO 14065: 2020 Bodies validating and verifying environmental information
  • ISO 14066 Competence requirements for teams validating and verifying environmental information
  • ISO 14064-3 Specification with guidance for the verification and validation of greenhouse gas statements

• Addition of the following BRCGS supply chain schemes as sub-scopes under Product Certification (ISO/IEC 17065):
  • BRCGS Global Standard – Food Safety
  • BRCGS Global Standard – Agents and Brokers
  • BRCGS Global Standard – Packaging Materials
  • BRCGS Global Standard – Storage and Distribution
  • BRCGS Global Standard – Consumer Products – Personal Care and Household
  • BRCGS Global Standard – Consumer Products – General Merchandise

• Addition of the following International Aerospace Quality Group scheme sub-scope under Management System Certification (ISO/IEC 17021-1):
  • IAQG 9104-1 – Aviation, Space, and Defence Quality Management System

Note: Full coverage of UKAS’s IAF MLA scope can be found here.