National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of ISO/IEC 17060:2022.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee CAS/1, Conformity assessment.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its committee manager.

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication has been prepared in good faith, however no representation, warranty, assurance or undertaking (express or implied) is or will be made, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by BSI in relation to the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of this publication. All and any such responsibility and liability is expressly disclaimed to the full extent permitted by the law.

This publication is provided as is, and is to be used at the recipient’s own risk.

The recipient is advised to consider seeking professional guidance with respect to its use of this publication.

This publication is not intended to constitute a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 30 June 2022.

Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work.

The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types of document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives or www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs).

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents) or the IEC list of patent declarations received (see https://patents.iec.ch).

Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not constitute an endorsement.

For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html. In the IEC, see www.iec.ch/understanding-standards.

This document was prepared by the ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO).

This first edition of ISO/IEC 17060 cancels and replaces ISO/IEC Guide 60:2004 which has been technically revised.

The main changes are as follows:

transformation of a Guide (ISO/IEC Guide 60) into an International Standard (ISO/IEC 17060);
inclusion of a new clause on the identification of the objects of conformity assessment;
inclusion of language on risk-based approach;
renumbering of Clause 4 in separate clauses;
alignment of the terminology and text for consistency with other ISO/CASCO standards.

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html and www.iec.ch/national-committees.

Introduction

Conformity assessment involves activities to demonstrate the fulfilment of specified requirements. The specified requirements can be applied to a range of objects of conformity assessment, including but not limited to products, processes, services, systems, installations, projects, data, designs, materials, claims, persons, bodies or organizations, or any combination thereof. Conformity assessment includes activities that provide various types of assurance that requirements set out in specifications such as international, regional, or national standards, guides, recommendations, or other normative documents are fulfilled.

Rapid technological development, integration of economic and production systems, and increased levels of international trade have emphasized the need for convergence among conformity assessment practices and systems. International standards are increasingly accepted as one effective vehicle to improve competition and eliminate technical barriers to trade. However, the use of harmonized international practices in the area of conformity assessment needs continuous attention, where different practices and approaches persist. This environment can result in additional costs for manufacturers, service providers, exporters and consumers, and poses challenges for regulatory authorities and industry.

The evolution of international, regional and private-sector conformity assessment systems and schemes is also noteworthy. These systems continue to expand, building confidence for the users of conformity assessment services (including industry, regulators and consumers) and promoting global acceptance through a variety of methods.

Different conformity assessment practices and requirements, together with the lack of recognition of conformity assessment results, can restrict the exchange of goods and services. Efforts are required to ensure that all conformity assessment systems and practices:

attempt to involve all interested parties,
are non-discriminatory, transparent, impartial, and
avoid unnecessary obstacles to trade.

Members of the conformity assessment community are encouraged to participate in the development of international standards and guides, to use them as the basis for their respective conformity assessment activities and systems, and to engage in information exchange and confidence building to increase knowledge and acceptance of other systems and approaches.

This document is intended to establish and promote conformity assessment policies and practices that facilitate trade and support the development of societal benefits and/or needs at international, regional, national and sub-national level.

They are characterized by openness, transparency, impartiality, confidentiality, coherence and effectiveness, thereby supporting credibility and consistency in conformity assessment.

This document is presented in a form suitable for use by conformity assessment bodies, accreditation bodies and other interested parties, whether governmental or non-governmental, at international, regional, national or sub-national levels. This document is intended to be used in conjunction with, or when preparing, International Standards relating to conformity assessment, and in conjunction with the World Trade Organization’s (WTO's) Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement.

1 Scope

This document recommends good practices for all elements of conformity assessment, including objects of conformity assessment, specified requirements, activities, bodies, systems, schemes and results.

It is intended for use by individuals and bodies that wish to provide, promote or use impartial and reliable conformity assessment services. Providers of conformity assessment can include conformity assessment bodies, accreditation bodies, peer-assessment agreement groups, and organizations providing declarations of conformity. Individuals or organizations that promote or use conformity assessment can include, as appropriate, regulators, trade officials, and owners of conformity assessment systems and schemes.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 Good practices in conformity assessment

5 Identification of the objects of conformity assessment

6 Specified requirements

7 Conformity assessment activities and bodies

8 Conformity assessment systems and schemes (programmes)

9 Conformity assessment results

Bibliography

BS ISO/IEC 17060:2022

Conformity assessment. Code of good practice

Current

Published:

30 Jun 2022