Accreditation and approval
The distinction is sharp and it organises the whole system. Accreditation qualifies the body, approval authorises it in a field.
| Accreditation | Approval | |
|---|---|---|
| Who grants it | the national accreditation body | the authority competent for the field |
| What it attests | technical competence for a defined field | authorisation to carry on a regulated activity |
| Framework | international conformity assessment standards | sector regulation |
Accreditation attests competence. Approval confers a right to operate.
In several regulated fields, approval presupposes accreditation: the authority authorises only bodies whose competence has been attested. The order between the two is therefore not optional.
The national accreditation body
An institutional point useful for understanding the reach of an accreditation. It is issued by a single body and recognised across Europe.
Since 2006 Belgium has had a single national accreditation body, attached to the competent federal public service, in accordance with the European regulation setting the requirements in this area. Its scope is consulted before a participant is appointed.
Three characteristics follow.
It covers several types of body, notably testing laboratories, inspection bodies and certification bodies, each assessed against the corresponding international framework.
It verifies periodically that accredited bodies continue to meet the requirements, particularly as to impartiality, technical competence and traceability.
Its accreditations are recognised beyond the borders, through European and international mutual recognition agreements, giving a Belgian accreditation reach beyond the national territory.
Verifying that a body is authorised
Three checks, simple and rarely made.
The scope of accreditation. A body is not accredited for everything: accreditation applies to defined fields, and one must ensure it covers the inspection required.
Approval for the field concerned. In regulated fields the authority publishes the list of approved bodies, allowing direct verification.
The identification number. Each approved body has a unique number, appearing on the documents it issues and allowing their authenticity to be checked.
That last check is particularly useful where a report is produced by a third party, notably in a transaction.
What the involvement covers
The general principle holds whatever the field. A certificate covers only what it expressly states.
The body verifies compliance with a defined framework, at a given moment, within a defined scope.
Those three limits are cumulative and they define exactly what the document produced is worth, developed in the article on certificates and their value. They are read on the document, not on the standing of the body.
What it never covers
Four limits worth knowing before relying on an inspection. They concern the sample, the date, the scope and liability.
It does not replace design. A body verifies compliance; it does not design and does not assume design decisions.
It does not cover fields not requested. An inspection of a services installation says nothing about acoustics or accessibility.
It does not extend over time. An inspection attests a state at a date, and later modifications fall outside its reach.
It does not transfer liability. Inspection does not discharge designer or contractor from their own liabilities, covered in the article on good practice and liability.
That last limit is the most misunderstood. A favourable report is a useful item of evidence, not an exoneration.
What this means for a professional
Four rules.
Check the scope of accreditation before commissioning an inspection, rather than assuming a body covers everything.
Define the object of the mission precisely, because what is not requested will not be inspected.
Have the inspection take place at the right moment, since some points are no longer verifiable once covered.
Do not treat a favourable report as a general guarantee, its reach being limited to its object.
This article reflects the position of the rules at the date of checking and serves professional orientation. It does not constitute legal advice and does not replace consulting the official lists.