Overview
ISO/IEC Guide 68:2002 - Arrangements for the recognition and acceptance of conformity assessment results offers introductory, practical guidance for developing, issuing and operating arrangements that enable participating bodies to recognize and accept conformity assessment results across borders. The Guide focuses on unregulated marketplace transactions (international trade outside specific government regulatory regimes) and explains how cooperation among conformity assessment bodies and accreditation bodies builds user confidence in assessment outcomes. It is general in nature and does not prescribe resource development or special governmental requirements.
Key Topics and Requirements
- Scope and intent: Guidance applies to cross‑border, unregulated marketplace transactions and voluntary multilateral recognition arrangements rather than mandatory government regulatory agreements.
- Elements of an agreement: Typical agreement elements described include title, introduction/preamble, signatories, scope, conditions for eligibility, individual and collective obligations, duration, points of contact and official signatures.
- Eligibility and conformity demonstration: Requirements for entry generally include documented conformity to internationally recognized requirements, competence, and sustained resources to fulfil obligations.
- Methods for building confidence:
- Direct method (peer assessment): evaluation of a body by representatives of other potential signatories to demonstrate equivalent competence and procedures.
- Indirect method: reliance on external assessment systems (for example, accreditation by recognized accreditation bodies) to demonstrate competence.
- Combination approaches are also covered.
- Operational measures: Harmonization recommendations such as transparency, testing/inspection methods, report formats, accreditation procedures, surveillance/re‑assessment, complaint and dispute resolution, and controlled use of common logos or marks.
- Examples and practices: Informative Annex A cites existing operational arrangements (e.g., multilateral recognition arrangements among accreditation bodies such as the IAF MLA) as practical examples.
Practical Applications
- Facilitates cross‑border trade by reducing duplicated testing, inspection or certification.
- Supports acceptance of product, service and system conformity results in international supply chains.
- Helps accreditation bodies, certification/registration bodies, testing and inspection laboratories design or join mutual recognition arrangements and multilateral agreements.
- Useful for organizations seeking to promote equivalence and public confidence in conformity assessment outcomes.
Who Should Use This Standard
- Conformity assessment bodies (testing, inspection, certification/registration)
- Accreditation bodies and their regional/international forums
- Trade organizations, exporters/importers and conformity assessment program managers
- Policy advisors and private-sector stakeholders involved in voluntary recognition arrangements
Related Standards
- ISO/IEC Guide 2:1996 (general vocabulary) - normative reference
- ISO/IEC 17000 series (conformity assessment fundamentals) and ISO/IEC 17040 (peer assessment) are referenced as complementary documents for detailed requirements and peer assessment practice.