Conformity assessment

Conformity assessment is the set of procedures, testing, inspection, and certification that demonstrates a product, process, or service meets a specified standard or technical regulation before it can be placed on a market. For traded goods it produces the evidence customs and market-surveillance authorities rely on, such as an EU declaration of conformity backing CE marking, a UKCA mark for Great Britain, or a third-party certificate from a notified or accredited body. The WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement disciplines how members set and recognize these procedures so they do not become disguised trade barriers. Mutual recognition agreements let one party accept another’s assessment results.