From 13 to 17 March 2023, the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS) underwent a comprehensive evaluation by the European Cooperation for Accreditation (EA). On 14th June 2024, the EA informed the SAS that it had successfully passed this eighth evaluation. The SAS is now a member of the EA for all accreditation areas it offers, i.e. for the first time also for 'proficiency testing providers' and 'reference material producers'. The SAS has thus confirmed its international recognition as a trustworthy accreditation body.
As a national accreditation body and member of the EA, the SAS regularly undergoes a peer evaluation by institutions of equal standing. The last evaluation took place in 2019. The current evaluation, which is based on proven and transparent criteria and procedures, is binding for the signatory status within the Multilateral Agreement (MLA) and the Multilateral Recognition Arrangements (MRA) of the EA as well as the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
The aim of these evaluations is to ensure that the national accreditation body fulfils the requirements of the international standard ISO/IEC 17011 and complies with the binding documents of the EA, ILAC and IAF and applies them in its accreditation system. This relates in particular to the requirements for the management system, the personnel resources and their expertise, the involvement of external experts, the performance of evaluations and the associated reporting, the coverage of all aspects of the standard and the technical areas of application as well as the decision-making process for the accreditation procedure by the national accreditation body.
The SAS has once again successfully completed this evaluation process. This means that, in addition to the two new areas, the existing multilateral agreements concerning calibration laboratories, testing laboratories, medical laboratories, certification bodies for products, processes and services, certification bodies for persons, certification bodies for management systems and inspection bodies remain valid. Mutual recognition of national accreditation systems and conformity assessment bodies (CABs) is thus widely supported. The reports and certificates of accredited CABs enjoy worldwide recognition and thus promote confidence in the quality of the products and services concerned. EA, ILAC and IAF MLAs and MRAs thus make a major contribution to the removal of technical barriers to trade.
Bern, 14 June 2024
