Announcing new IAF MD 25 Criteria for evaluation of Conformity Assessment Schemes

Bulletin date:
Bulletin number:
2024-02

Action required

IAF MD 25:2023 Criteria for Evaluation of Conformity Assessment Schemes is a new mandatory document issued by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) for all accreditation bodies (ABs) that are a signatory to the IAF. New procedures by an AB may impact SCC’s customers and other stakeholders as outlined below. First issued in January 2022, the application of this new mandatory document (MD) begins January 7, 2024.

 

Affected customers

This mandatory document only applies to the following accreditation programs that SCC currently operates:

  • Certification of Management Systems Accreditation Program (MSAP)
  • Certification of Product, Process and Services Accreditation Program (CBAP)
  • Certification of Persons Accreditation Program (CPAP)
  • Validation and Verification Body Accreditation Program (VVBAP)
     

Within these accreditation programs, the MD applies to both accredited and applicant organizations, as well as current and future conformity assessment schemes (CASs) and scheme owners (SOs). 


Additionally, there are schemes that do not apply:

  • schemes included or invoked by legislation/regulation 
  • schemes that are developed by national, regional or international standardisation bodies

  • schemes within IAF (MLA) or ILAC (MRA) sub-scopes whereby the scheme owner is a signatory of a MOU. (Note: Criteria for the inclusion of a CAS into the IAF MLA can be found in IAF PL3).

     

Background

An as international signatory under the IAF MRA, SCC is required to meet all requirements and/or international obligations prescribed by IAF. Mandatory documents are issued by IAF to ensure that ABs operate their accreditation programs in a consistent and equivalent manner. MD 25 is such a document, and it contains the   minimum requirements for conformity assessment schemes to be applied by IAF member accreditation bodies, including SCC, when evaluating national, regional or international conformity assessment schemes to ensure they meet the requirements specified in ISO/IEC 17011, clause 4.6.3: “the AB shall have a policy and documented procedures to determine the suitability of the conformity assessment schemes and standards for accreditation purposes.”

 

  • In compliance with requirements in IAF MD25, SCC has examined the schemes it is operating within its accreditation programs to determine which ones are applicable and is establishing a new process of evaluation. 

     

New requirements

Relevant conformity assessment scheme owners that are impacted by this IAF MD25 will be contacted by SCC to conduct an evaluation.

 

Deadline

SCC’s implementation timeline:

January to March 2024

SCC will contact scheme owners whose conformity assessment schemes(s) will need to be evaluated by SCC. Scheme owners will need to submit the required documentation to be assessed by SCC.

 

April to June 2024

SCC will conduct the evaluation of applicable conformity assessment schemes.

 

July to September 2024

SCC will inform scheme owners of the results from the evaluation of applicable conformity assessment schemes.

 

September 2024 onward

SCC will establish a schedule for periodic evaluations of schemes. 
 

 

This timeline may be modified as needed.

 

Questions?

Please contact Abdel Kassou, Manager Compliance and Assessment Services, abdel.kassou@scc-ccn.ca or +1 613 238 3222 for more information.