Types of accreditation
Voluntary and mandatory
Accreditation is a voluntary choice of bodies and laboratories, but in some cases it is mandatory because it is a necessary prerequisite by law or specific sector regulations.
Voluntary accreditation
Accreditation is required by bodies and laboratories wishing to demonstrate their competence on the market through formal recognition by an independent body.
Bodies and laboratories voluntarily seek accreditation to increase their competitiveness by improving organizational efficiency and performance on the market.
By virtue of the independent attestation, by an authoritative body, of their competence and impartiality, accredited bodies and laboratories enjoy greater reliability and reputation. Certifications, inspections, verifications, tests and calibrations carried out under accreditation.
Voluntary accreditation is not subject to specific regulations, as the general rules on economic activities apply.
Mandatory accreditation
Accreditation is a prerequisite required of bodies and laboratories by laws, directives or regulations, in order to carry out conformity assessment activities in mandatory and regulated sectors, which are the subject of Agreements with Ministries.
Mandatory Sectors
Accreditation is mandatory for bodies and laboratories carrying out conformity assessment activities in mandatory sectors, in which the European Union has defined requirements that are essential to protect consumer safety and the environment, referring detailed technical specifications to harmonized standards.
In these sensitive sectors, such as the health and agri-food sectors, certain categories of persons, processes, services and products may only be placed on the market after they have been certified as complying with the requirements laid down in laws, directives or regulations.
In regulated sectors, accreditation is an essential prerequisite for obtaining Ministries’ authorization, and any notification of the European Commission by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, to issue certifications, inspections, verifications, tests and calibrations.
Regulated Sectors
Accreditation may be mandatory for bodies and laboratories intending to operate in regulated sectors where technical specifications and requirements, laid down by the competent authorities or sectoral regulations, apply. In these contexts, accreditation is a necessary requirement to carry out conformity assessment activities for certain activities or categories of persons, products, processes or services.
An example is the agri-food sector of Geographical Indications (GI), with regard to organic farming, Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG).
Agreements with Ministries
Thanks to Agreements with Ministries for accreditation in mandatory and regulated sectors, Accredia promotes effective industrial policies for consumer safety and business competitiveness.
Accreditation is a tool to support public policies and the correct application of standards in key sectors such as procurement, health, environment, energy and data protection. In these sensitive sectors, the Government and the institutions identify accreditation as the mandatory prerequisite to ensure greater reliability of certifications, inspections, verifications, tests and calibrations.
Accreditation supports the Government in the development of increasingly efficient and effective industrial policies , helping to guarantee consumer safety, rationalize company controls and simplify Public Administration procedures, and promote the competitiveness of Italian companies on international markets.
On the basis of specific Agreements with Ministries, Accredia is called upon to qualify certifications, inspections, verifications, tests and calibrations in mandatory sectors, regulated by European directives or regulations or national measures, to protect consumer health and environmental safety.
All Agreements
Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security
- Environmental noise emission of equipment for use outdoors – Directive 2000/14/EC
- Scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community – Directive 2003/87/EC
- Promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources – Directive 2009/28/EC
- Specifications for petrol, diesel and gasoil and the introduction of a mechanism to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and specifications for fuel used by inland waterway vessels – Directive 2009/30/EC
- Energy Efficiency – Directive 2012/27/EU
- Voluntary participation by organizations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) – Regulation EC 1221/2009
- Fluorinated greenhouse gases – EC Regulation 842/2006 as amended by EU Regulation 517/2014
- Monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon dioxide emissions from maritime transport – EU Regulation 757/2015 amending Directive 2009/16/EC
Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport
- Transportable pressure equipment – Directive 2010/35/EU – TPED
- Certification for Railway Interoperability – Directive 2008/57/EC
- Certification of entities in charge of freight wagon maintenance – EU Regulation 445/2011
- Cableway installations designed to carry persons – Directive 2000/9/EC, as of 21 April 2018 repealed by EU Regulation 424/2016
- Definition of the European Electronic Toll Service and its technical elements – Decision 2009/750/EC
Ministry of the Internal Affairs
- Private security professionals, security institutions and related services, operational centres and remote surveillance centres – Disciplinary Head of Police – Ministerial Decree 115/2014
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests
- Organic Farming – EC Regulation 834/2007
- PDO, PGI and TSG registered quality products – Regulation EC 1151/2012
- Wine – Regulation EC 491/2009
- Spirit Drinks – Regulation EC 110/2008
- Certification of EU Fertiliser Products – EU Regulation 2019/1009
Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy
- Toy Safety – Directive 2009/48/EC
- Measuring Instruments – Directive 2014/32/EU – MID
- Hot water boilers – Directive 1992/42/EC
- Pressure equipment – Directive 2014/68/EU – PED
- Equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres – Directive 2014/34/EU – ATEX
- Non-automatic weighing instruments – Directive 2014/31/EU – NAWID
- Radio Equipment and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment – Directive 2014/53/EU – RED
- Electromagnetic compatibility – Directive 2004/30/EU – EMC
- Installations and protective devices against atmospheric discharges – Presidential Decree 462/2001
- Earthing installations of systems powered up to 1,000 V – Presidential Decree 462/2001
- Earthing systems of installations supplied with voltage over 1,000 V – DPR 462/2001
- Electrical installations located in workplaces with danger of explosion – Presidential Decree 462/2001
Ministries of Enterprises and Made in Italy and Labor and Social Policies
- Machinery – Directive 2006/42/EC
- Lifts – Directive 2014/33/EU
- Personal Protective Equipment – EU Regulation 425/2016 and subsequent amendments and supplements
Ministries of Enterprises and Made in Italy and Internal Affairs
- Appliances burning gaseous fuels – EU Regulation 426/2016 – GAR
Ministries of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Internal Affairs and Labor and Social Policies
- Simple pressure vessels – Directive 2014/29/EU
Schemes owners
Faced with new market needs, an organization may define a specific system of requirements and procedures, and create a new certification scheme to obtain accreditation.
Developments in the market and changes in the socio-economic context may give rise to the need of new certification activities for persons, management systems, products and services, to be issued under accreditation. To meet these needs, a private or public organization may develop a new certification scheme, known as a ‘private scheme, by defining specific rules, requirements and procedures.
Private schemes can either be developed ad hoc by the scheme owner or be based on already recognized technical rules and standards, such as the international ones issued by ISO, in order to guarantee a high level of quality and credibility.
In order to have conformity assessment activities under a private scheme carried out by an accredited body, the ‘scheme owner’ has to demonstrate that it represents added value for the market and is promoted by many stakeholders.