Accreditation
Official recognition that a certification or testing body is competent to perform specific conformity assessment activities.
Definition
Accreditation is the formal recognition by an authoritative body that a certification, inspection, or testing organization is competent to perform specific conformity assessment activities. It is a prerequisite for notified bodies under the EU AI Act.
EU Framework: Accreditation in the EU is governed by Regulation (EC) 765/2008, which establishes:
- One national accreditation body per Member State
- Mutual recognition of accreditation across EU
- European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) oversight
EU AI Act Application: Article 29 requires that notified body candidates be accredited by national accreditation bodies. The accreditation must cover:
- Technical competence for AI system assessment
- Specific high-risk AI categories they will assess
- Conformity assessment procedures they will apply
Accreditation Process:
- Application to national accreditation body
- Documentation review
- On-site assessment by technical experts
- Competence evaluation against ISO/IEC 17065 or 17021
- Ongoing surveillance and periodic reassessment
Significance: Accreditation provides confidence that conformity assessments are performed competently and consistently, underpinning the EU's risk-based AI regulatory approach.
Related concepts: Notified Body, Certification Body, Conformity Assessment
Sources
- •Regulation (EC) 765/2008
- •ISO/IEC 17011