FAQ
About Accreditation
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is the determination by the national accreditation body whether the conformity assessment body meets the requirements for performing certain conformity assessment activities laid down in the relevant Serbian or international and European harmonized standards and, where applicable, any additional requirements defined for specific schemes including the requirements set out in relevant sectoral schemes for conformity assessment.
For more detailed information, please refer to the 'Accreditation section' page.
For which conformity assessment activities can I be accredited?
The fields of conformity assessment in which the ATS performs accreditation are specified in the document ATS-PA08, The ATS fields of activity.
For detailed information, please refer to the 'ATS Scope of Work' page.
How do I find an accredited body for conformity assessment?
The list of all conformity assessment bodies accredited by the ATS can be found on the ATS website (The register of accredited conformity assessment bodies) and can be browsed based on the type of accreditation, accreditation number, or by a CAB’s name or address or any word within the scope of accreditation.
According to what standards are conformity assessment bodies accredited?
For detailed information, please refer to 'the Types of Accreditation page.
What are the advantages and benefits of accreditation?
For detailed information, refer to the 'Benefits of accreditation' page.
What is the difference between accreditation and certification?
Accreditation proves the competence of the conformity assessment body to perform specific testing, calibration, inspection, or certification.
Certification provides proof of conformity of management systems, products, or people with requirements determined by the technical regulation, standard,s or specification.
The accreditation process
What are the steps in the accreditation process?
See the section for detailed information about the accreditation process 'Accreditation Process'
How to submit an application for accreditation?
If you want to be accredited for the specific type of conformity assessment activities, you should submit an application for accreditation. The application should be followed by the supporting documents listed in the application and specified for each type of accreditation respectively.
How much are the accreditation fees? (fee of the preliminary visit, the fee for the first accreditation, a fee of the renewal of accreditation, fee for extending the scope of accreditation and etc.)
Accreditation fees, borne by applicants for accreditation and accredited conformity assessment bodies, are determined in the 'Decision on accreditation fees'
Is a preliminary visit mandatory?
The applicant for accreditation can declare that he/she wants to carry out a preliminary visit during which his/her readiness for assessment should be assessed and for which he/she bears the prescribed fees. You can read detailed information about the preliminary visit in the Rules of Accreditation, ATS-PA01
How long does the accreditation process take?
The initial accreditation procedure lasts, in accordance with the Law on Accreditation (''Official Gazette of the RS'', No. 73/2010, 47/2021), for a maximum of eight months from the date of submission of the applicant for accreditation. Exceptionally, the eight-month period can be extended at the written request of the applicant, and for a maximum of four months from the date of expiry of the eight-month period. See, ATS-PA01
Extending the scope of accreditation
When can CAB apply for an extension of the scope of accreditation?
An accredited conformity assessment body can apply for an extension of the scope of accreditation at any time during the validity of the accreditation, which includes the extension of the scope of accreditation in the process of renewing the accreditation, provided that in that case no separate application for extension of the scope of accreditation is submitted (an application is submitted for renewal of accreditation), i.e. in the requested scope of accreditation, conformity assessment tasks for which the CAB requests an extension are identified. Assessment for the purpose of extending the scope of accreditation can be realized through an independent procedure or together with regular assessment in the accreditation cycle. All phases in the procedure are implemented as in the case of the initial assessment, excluding the implementation of the preliminary visit. Extending the scope of accreditation does not affect the validity period of accreditation. See, ATS-PA01
Other questions
Where can I buy the appropriate standard?
The standards, in which the requirements for certain types of accreditation are laid down, can be purchased at the Institute for Standardization of Serbia.
How can we check if an organization is accredited?
In accordance with the Law on Accreditation (''Official Gazette of the RS'', No. 73/10 and 47/21), the Accreditation Body of Serbia keeps a public Register of Accredited Bodies for Conformity Assessment, which is publicly available (https://www.ats.rs/en/accredited-organizations/directory). Data on all accredited conformity assessment bodies accredited by ATS with a detailed scope of accreditation (PDF document) are publicly available in the aforementioned Register of Accredited CABs. The purpose of the scope of accreditation is to provide users with an insight into the possibilities of CABs accredited by ATS. You can access the register of accredited bodies, members of the European co-operation for accreditation, and signatories of the EA MLA Agreement.
Do you have a different kind of question?
Should you need an answer to the question that is not mentioned in this section, please do not hesitate to contact us via the contact form and we will reply to you in a timely manner.
Application of the Rule ATS-PA05
What to do in a situation where a location that is a local legal entity also has accreditation from the NAB of the country in which the location is located (LAB)?
Before signing the agreement with the client, it is necessary to clearly determine which legal entity shall be responsible for the contract and under whose name the process of accredited conformity assessment shall be carried out. The entire procedure shall then be carried out in accordance with the management system of the accredited body engaged to perform the conformity assessment activity. All reports and certificates that are issued shall state the accreditation within which the activities are performed (the legal entity of the location accredited by LAB or the legal entity of the parent organization accredited by, for example, ATS).
Who is responsible for reviewing the contract, if it is done at the local level?
This is decided by the CAB. If the responsibility is transferred to the local level, the registered legal entity (parent organization, headquarters) shall take appropriate policies, harmonize procedures, and surveillance activities. In accordance with the interpretation of ''responsibility for accredited activities'' (point 5.1.6 ATS-PA 05).
Can a local branch staff sign contracts on behalf of a registered legal entity?
Signing a contract is a key indicator of accountability. There are two basic cases:
- a separate contract is signed with each client. In this case, the contracts shall be signed by the staff of the registered legal entity.
- a standardized contract is signed with clients. In that case, a standardized contract, e.g. in the form of a form in which the conditions, prices, and content of the assessment are specified, shall be approved by the staff of the registered legal entity. Acceptance of work related to such a contract can be signed by local staff authorized to represent the registered legal entity.