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| Conformity Assessment InformationTo view documents which are , Adobe Acrobat's Reader is required. This software may be downloaded without charge. The software is identified in order to assist users of this information service. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. If you are unable to use the Adobe Acrobat Reader Software and require a copy of a PDF document, please request a copy to be sent to you from maureen.breitenberg@nist.gov.
Conformity assessment includes all activities concerned with determining directly or indirectly that relevant requirements in standards or regulations are fulfilled.   Conformity assessment procedures provide a means of ensuring that the products,   services, or systems produced or operated have the required characteristics,   and that these characteristics are consistent from product to product, service   to service, or system to system. Conformity assessment includes: **sampling   and testing;****inspection;****certification; management   system assessment and registration**; **accreditation**   of the competence of those activities and **recognition** of an   accreditation program's capability. A specific conformity assessment process   may include one or more of these conformity assessment activities. While each   of these activities is a distinct operation, they are closely interrelated.   In addition, standards are interwoven into all aspects of these activities and   can have a major impact on the outcome of a conformity assessment process. Conformity   assessment activities form a vital link between standards (which define necessary   characteristics or requirements for products) and the products themselves. Together   standards and conformity assessment activities impact almost every aspect of   life in the United States. The documents and website links listed below are   designed to provide an easy way to access some of the basic information on conformity   assessment procedures and issues. In the future, we plan to expand the site   to include more information on these topics.

**NIST Reports on Conformity Assessment**
- The ABC'S of Standards-Related Activities in the United States (NBS IR 87-3576)   
- The ABC'S of Certification Activities in     the United States (NBS IR 88-3821)    
- The ABC'S of the U.S. Conformity Assessment     System (NIST IR 6014)   
- Laboratory Accreditation as in the United     States (NIST IR 4576)   
- The U.S. Certification System from a Governmental     Perspective (NIST IR 6077)   
- List of Conformity Assessment-Related Acronyms

**Federal Conformity Assessment Guidance**
- Final Guidance on Federal Conformity Assessment     Activities   **NIST Directories of Domestic Certification Bodies**    - Directory of U.S. Private Sector Product Certification Programs (NIST SP     903)         - SP 903 Introduction    
    - SP 903 Entries A-B    
    - SP 903 Entries C-H    
    - SP 903 Entries I-P    
    - SP 903 Entries R-Z    
    - SP 903 Appendices    
    - SP 903 Indices
  - Directory of Federal Government Certification and Related Programs (NIST SP 739 1999 EDITION)  **NIST Directories of Domestic Laboratory Accreditation Bodies**    - Directory of Federal Government Laboratory Accreditation/Designation Programs     (NIST SP 808)   
  - Directory of State and Local Government Laboratory Accreditation/Designation Programs (NIST SP 815: 2002 Edition)     
  - Directory of Professional/Trade Organization Laboratory Accreditation/Designation     Programs (NIST SP 831: 1999 Edition)         - Table of Contents & Introduction    
    - Directory  **Mutual Recognition Activities - International**    - Common     Criteria Project  is an international initiative by CSE (Canada), SCSSI     (France), BSI (Germany), NLNCSA (Netherlands) (CESG (UK), NIST (USA) and NSA     (USA) to to develop criteria for evaluation of IT security.   
  - International     Accreditation Forum (IAF)  has developed a mutual recognition scheme for     accreditors of quality system registrars/certifiers. IAF is expected to expand     the system to include accreditors of environmental system registrars and is     considering a scheme in the certification area.   
  - International     Automotive Task Force (IATF)  is an "ad hoc" group of automotive manufacturers     and their respective trade associations, formed to provide improved quality     products to automotive customers worldwide. IATF members include the following     vehicle manufacturers: BMW, Daimler Chrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors (including     Opel Vauxhall), PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Renault SA, Volkswagen and their respective     trade associations - AIAG (U.S.), ANFIA (Italy), FIEV (France), SMMT (U.K.)     AND VDA (Germany).   
  - International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)        - IEC         Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components (IECQ)  is a comprehensive,         world-wide, third-party approval and certification program that assesses         electronic components to quality requirements.   
    - IEC         CB Scheme (also known as the IECEE Scheme)  is a world-wide scheme         to allow a manufacturer to obtain a test certificate for a defined product         from an approved National Certification Body (NCB). The manufacturer can         then present this certificate to NCBs in other countries whose certification         marks he wants for his products.   
    - IEC         Full Certification Scheme (IEC CB FCS)  is based on mutual recognition         of the Conformity Assessment Certificates (CACs) issued by its members         as the basis for the certification of electrical products at the national         and international level.   
    - IEC         Scheme for Certification to Standards for Explosive Atmospheres (IECEx)          is designed to facilitate international trade in electrical equipment         intended for use in explosive atmospheres (Ex equipment).
  - International     Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)  is developing an ILAC Multilateral     Recognition Arrangement for evaluation of laboratory accreditation bodies.   
  - International     Organization for Legal Metrology (OIML)  is developing a voluntary system     for mutual recognition of type approvals and verification of measuring instruments.   
  - Global     Harmonization Task Force (GHTF)  is an effort to respond to the growing     need for international harmonization in the regulation of medical devices.     The five founding members of the GHTF are: Canada, United States, European     Union, Japan, and Australia.  **Mutual Recognition Activities - Regional**    -  European Union (EU) Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA)     Information  
  A [NIST] Guide to EU Standards and Conformity Assessment, NIST SP 951
- Text of NIST SP 951 (for             printing)
A [NIST] Guide         to the EU Low Voltage Directive, NIST GCR 01-812
- Text of NIST GCR 01-812           (for printing)    
A [NIST] Guide to         the EU Directive on Electromagnetic Compatibility, NIST GCR 01-813
- Text of NIST GCR           01-813 (for printing)    
A [NIST] Guide         to the EU Machinery Directive, NIST GCR 01-814
- Text of NIST GCR           01-814 (for printing)      
A [NIST] Guide to the         EU Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive, NIST GCR 01-816
- Text of NIST GCR 01-816           (for printing)      
A [NIST] Guide to the         EU In vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive, NIST GCR 01-817
-  Text of NIST GCR             01- 817 (for printing)  
A [NIST] Guide         to the EU Safety of Toys Directive, NIST GCR 01-823
- Text of NIST             GCR 01- 823 (for printing)      
A [NIST]         Guide to the EU Directive Concerning Liability for Defective Products         (Product Liability Directive), NIST GCR 01-824
-  Text             of NIST GCR 01- 824(for printing)      
A [NIST] Guide         to the EU Directive on General Product Safety, NIST GCR 01-825
-  Text of             NIST GCR 01- 825(for printing)      
A [NIST] Guide to the         EU Directive on Radio Equipment and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment,         NIST GCR 01-826
- Text of NIST GCR             01-826 (for printing)      

  - The     European Organization for Conformity Assessment (EOTC)  - this site contains     information on conformity assessment in Europe, including a list of notified     bodies, information on new approach directive, a list of Conformity Assessment     related documents from the European commission Enterprise DG, and other information     relate dot conformity assessment.   
  - Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) MRA Information        
  - Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) Mutual     Recognition Agreement Information  **Information on NIST's National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP)**    - Visit     the NVLAP Web Site  **Information on NIST's Laboratory Accreditation Program for State Labs and Related Legal Metrology Activities**    - Visit     OWM's site for information on the State Laboratory Program and Other Metrology     Related Issues  **Information on NIST's National Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation (NVCASE) Program**    - Information on the NVCASE Program   
  - Federal Register Notice on NVCASE Subprogram for     Accreditors of Telecommunication Equipment Certification Bodies  **Information on NIST's Measurement Related Conformity Assessment Programs**    - Information     on NIST's Calibration Services    
  - Information on NIST's Accreditation Program for     Calibration Laboratories    
  - Information on NIST's     Standard Reference Materials    
  - Information on Standards Reference Data  **Information on the National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA)**    - Visit   the NACLA Web Site  **Information on Quality System Registration and Related Standards and Activities**    - Information on ISO 9000 and Related Quality System     Standards  **Information on Environmental Management System Registration and Related Standards and Activities**    -  Information on ISO 14000 and Related Environmental   Management System Standards  **Certification Information Related to the Use of Fair Labor Practices**    - Information on SA 8000 and Other Labor Related   Conformity Assessment Programs/Issues  **Information on ISO/IEC 17025 - General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories (formerly ISO/IEC GUIDE 25)**    - The Accreditation Process According to FDIS   17025 (English)   OR  (Español/Spanish)  **NIST Reports on Foreign Conformity Assessment Bodies/Activities**    - Profiles of National Standards-Related Activities (NIST SP 912)  
  Introduction
Country Profiles
Appendix I and II

  - Standards Setting in the European Union - Standards     Organizations and Officials in EU Standards Activities (NIST SP 891)     
  - An Overview of the Development of Technical Infrastructure     in the Asia-Pacific Region:   The Work of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation     (APEC) Sub-Committee on Standard and Conformance (SCSC) an the Specialist     Regional Bodies (SRBs) (NIST IR 6325)       Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Conformity Assessment     Infrastructure (NIST SP 941)
**Links to Other Sites of Interest**
- U.S. Private Sector, International and Regional Conformity     Assessment Related Links      
**Contact:  maureen.breitenberg@nist.gov**
  
**GSIG Home|Int'l/Regional Activities|Conformity Assessment|MRAs|Training|Contact GSIG**

 			        For technical questions concerning the Global Standards and         Information Group, contact us:

Global Standards and         Information Group, Standards Services Division, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, MS 2100, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2100							Phone: (301) 975-6094, Fax: (301) 975-4715, Email: gsig@nist.gov

Date created: January 02, 1999        	Last updated: January 15, 2003

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