Certification Popular Science | On the Occasion of World Accreditation Day, Do You Know These Fundamental Systems of the Market Economy? (Part One)

Release Date:

2020-06-12 13:22

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Certification Popular Science | On the Occasion of World Accreditation Day, Do You Know These Fundamental Systems of the Market Economy? (Part One)

Guided Attention

Editor's Note:

Certification, accreditation, inspection, and testing are fundamental systems for strengthening quality management and improving market efficiency under market economy conditions, closely related to ordinary consumers. As a consumer, are you familiar with these fundamental systems under the market economy? Starting today, the editor will systematically introduce them to you in five installments.

Table of Contents

I. The Concept and Connotation of Certification, Accreditation, Inspection, and Testing

II. The Origin and Development of Certification, Accreditation, Inspection, and Testing

III. The Functions and Roles of Certification, Accreditation, Inspection, and Testing

IV. The Development History of Certification, Accreditation, Inspection, and Testing in China

V. The Work System, Development Data, and Achievements of Certification, Accreditation, Inspection, and Testing in China

Issue One

The Concept and Connotation of Certification, Accreditation, Inspection, and Testing

Certification, accreditation, inspection, and testing are fundamental systems for strengthening quality management and improving market efficiency under market economy conditions. They are important tools for promoting supply-side structural reform and the "streamline administration, delegate power, and improve services" reform, and an essential part of market supervision work. Their essential attribute is "transmitting trust, serving development," featuring prominent market-oriented and international characteristics. They are known as the "health certificate" of quality management, the "letter of credit" of the market economy, and the "passport" for international trade.

The Party Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to certification, accreditation, inspection, and testing work. In February 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping made important remarks on "promoting the construction of the quality certification system." In January 2018, the State Council issued the "Opinions on Strengthening the Construction of the Quality Certification System and Promoting Comprehensive Quality Management," clearly identifying quality certification as an "important tool for promoting supply-side structural reform and the streamlining administration, delegating power, and improving services reform," and made comprehensive arrangements for the construction of the quality certification system. In the "Plan for Deepening the Reform of Party and State Institutions" adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee, it was clarified that the State Administration for Market Regulation "unifies the management of metrology standards, inspection and testing, certification, and accreditation work," and the responsibilities of the National Certification and Accreditation Administration Committee are incorporated into the State Administration for Market Regulation, retaining its name externally. Certification, accreditation, inspection, and testing will play an increasingly important role in strengthening market supervision, optimizing the business environment, and promoting high-quality economic development.

What is the National Quality Infrastructure?

National Quality Infrastructure

The concept of National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) was first jointly proposed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2005. In 2006, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) formally introduced the concept of National Quality Infrastructure, identifying metrology, standardization, and conformity assessment (mainly certification, accreditation, inspection, and testing) as the three pillars of the national quality foundation. These three constitute a complete technical chain and are important technical means for governments and enterprises to improve productivity, safeguard life and health, protect consumer rights, protect the environment, maintain safety, and improve quality. They effectively support social welfare, international trade, and sustainable development. To date, the concept of National Quality Infrastructure has been widely accepted by the international community.

National Quality Infrastructure

In 2017, after joint research by 10 relevant international organizations responsible for quality management, industrial development, trade development, and regulatory cooperation, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) published the "Quality Policy - Technical Guide" in 2018, proposing a new definition of quality infrastructure. The new definition states that quality infrastructure is a system composed of organizations (public and private), policies, relevant legal and regulatory frameworks, and practices that support and enhance the quality, safety, and environmental friendliness of products, services, and processes. It also points out that the quality infrastructure system involves five aspects: consumers, enterprises, quality infrastructure services, public quality infrastructure institutions, and government governance; it particularly emphasizes that the quality infrastructure system relies on metrology, standards, accreditation (separately listed from conformity assessment), conformity assessment, and market supervision.

What is Conformity Assessment?

Conformity Assessment

According to the definition in the international standard ISO/IEC 17000 "Conformity Assessment - Vocabulary and General Principles", Conformity Assessment refers to "the confirmation that specified requirements relating to a product, process, system, person, or body are fulfilled." The joint publication "Conformity Assessment Builds Trust" by the International Organization for Standardization and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization points out that commercial customers, consumers, users, and government officials have expectations regarding the quality, environmental protection, safety, economy, reliability, compatibility, operability, efficiency, and effectiveness of products and services. The process of demonstrating that these characteristics meet standards, regulations, and other normative requirements is called conformity assessment.

Conformity Assessment

Conformity assessment provides the means to determine whether relevant products and services meet these expectations according to applicable standards, regulations, and other norms. It helps ensure that products and services are delivered as required or promised. In other words, conformity assessment builds trust, meets the needs of market economy entities, and promotes the healthy development of the market economy.

For Consumers

Consumers benefit from conformity assessment because it provides a basis for choosing products or services.

For Enterprises

Manufacturers and service providers need to determine whether their products and services comply with legal regulations, standards, and specifications and meet customer expectations, thereby avoiding losses in the market due to product failures.

For Regulatory Authorities

Regulatory authorities also benefit from conformity assessment because it provides them with the means to enforce laws and regulations and achieve public policy objectives.

Main Types of Conformity Assessment

Conformity assessment mainly includes four types: testing, inspection, certification, and accreditation. According to the definition in the international standard ISO/IEC 17000 "Conformity Assessment - Vocabulary and General Principles":

Testing is "the activity of determining one or more characteristics of a conformity assessment object according to a procedure."

Simply put, it is an evaluation activity based on technical standards and specifications using instruments and equipment, with the evaluation result being test data.

Inspection is "the examination of a product design, product, process, or installation and the determination of its conformity with specific requirements, or the determination of its conformity with general requirements based on professional judgment;"

in simple terms, it is an activity relying on human experience and knowledge, using test data or other evaluation information to make a judgment on whether it complies with relevant regulations.

Certification is "third-party attestation related to products, processes, systems, or persons;"

in simple terms, it refers to conformity assessment activities where a third-party certification body certifies that products, services, management systems, or personnel meet relevant standards and technical specifications.

Accreditation It is a "third-party certification formally indicating that a conformity assessment body has the capability to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks."

In simple terms, it refers to conformity assessment activities where an accreditation body certifies the technical competence of certification bodies, inspection bodies, and laboratories.

From the above definitions, it can be seen that the objects of inspection, testing, and certification are products, services, and business organizations (directly facing the market); while the objects of accreditation are institutions engaged in inspection, testing, and certification (indirectly facing the market).

Attributes of conformity assessment activities

According to the attributes of the entities engaged in conformity assessment activities, they can be divided into first-party, second-party, and third-party.

First-party. Refers to conformity assessment conducted by suppliers such as manufacturers and service providers, for example, self-inspection and internal audits carried out by production enterprises to meet their own R&D, design, and production needs.

Second-party. Refers to conformity assessment conducted by demanders such as users, consumers, or purchasers, for example, inspections and acceptance checks performed by the purchaser on procured goods.

Third-party Refers to conformity assessment conducted by an independent third-party organization separate from both suppliers and demanders, such as product certification, management system certification, and various accreditation activities. Certification, accreditation, and inspection and testing activities that provide socially recognized proof all belong to third-party conformity assessment.

Compared with first-party and second-party conformity assessment, third-party conformity assessment is carried out by institutions with independent status and professional competence strictly according to nationally or internationally accepted standards and technical specifications. It has higher authority and credibility, thus gaining widespread recognition from all market parties. It not only effectively ensures quality and protects the interests of all parties but also enhances market trust and promotes trade facilitation.

Manifestation of conformity assessment results

The results of conformity assessment are usually publicly disclosed to society in written forms such as certificates, reports, and marks. Through this public proof, the problem of information asymmetry is resolved, gaining widespread trust from relevant parties and the public. The main forms include:

— Certification certificates and marks;

— Accreditation certificates and marks;

— Inspection certificates and test reports.

Source: CNCA (Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People's Republic of China)

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