jacquesmcmillantelenetbe Has Accreditation fulfilled the expectations Jacques McMillan Former European Commission Official responsible for regulatory policy for the free movement of goods and market surveillance ID: 576464
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Slide1
Jacques McMillan jacques.mcmillan@telenet.be
Has Accreditation fulfilled the expectations?
Jacques McMillanFormer European Commission Official responsible for regulatory policy for the free movement of goods and market surveillance
+32 (0)475 68 00 82
1Slide2
Jacques McMillan jacques.mcmillan@telenet.be
Introduction
From technical barriers to trade to product safety legislation;From prevention of new technical barriers and harmonisation to the development of common tools over and beyond product safety to include the framework elements
From common tools to the development of TRUST.
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2Slide3
Jacques McMillan jacques.mcmillan@telenet.be
The evolutions
The move from the concentration on products to the inclusion of framework elements accompanied the evolutions at the national level where there was a move away from the “all government system” to a gradual outsourcing of: first, product specification writing
then, testingthen, certification/inspectionthen, accreditation
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3Slide4
Jacques McMillan jacques.mcmillan@telenet.be
The point of departure of the New Approach
1979 EC Cassis de Dijon Court case: Member states can only stop products for non respect of “essential” health safety requirements.
Ergo: we should only harmonise essentials and leave everything else out of EU legislation
the New Approach
in 1985
BUT this is a legal principle, not a means to creating trust
The original idea was that this “
everything
else
”
would sort itself out without public authority intervention, but this was a
dream
: it was too simple!
We needed to build a full policy on the basis of the new approach
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4Slide5
Jacques McMillan jacques.mcmillan@telenet.be
Who wanted what in the 80s
Governments wanted to downsize their activities but wanted more controls on products, especially mass produced, on manufacturers & on CABs.
Manufacturers were faced with product liability (85/347) and needed CA support, but wanted reduction of multiple certificates.CABs wanted more freedom but also a level playing field.
Consumers wanted credible
guarantees
on the quality & safety of products & on
an
overall
clear & transparent
system
.
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5Slide6
Jacques McMillan jacques.mcmillan@telenet.be
The « Sum » of trust
Level of Safety+ Quality of products
+Quality of measurements+ Qaulity of eco operators+ Quality of CA procedures
+ Quality of third parties (CABs)
+ Quality of Accreditation
+ Quality of market surveillance
+ Quality of controls from third countries
--------------------------------------------------
== Safe products
------------------------------------------------------
(Markings, CE & others)
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6Slide7
The New Legislative Framework
Accreditation
Public authority activity
1 national accreditation body (NAB) per Member State
Prevention of competition for
NABs
Set of requirements for NABs
EA (European co-operation for accreditation)
Cross border accreditation (EA role)
Peer evaluation (EA role)
Rules
applicable to
mandatory
&
voluntary
area
+32 (0)475 68 00 82
Jacques McMillan
jacques.mcmillan@telenet.be
7Slide8
Accreditation last control before marketSo Accreditation must control: the quality
of CABs for public authoritiesfor
the benefit of:CABs, public authorities, manufacturers and consumersmust set level playing field for manufacturers and CABs
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Why Accreditation & not something else?a technical quality tool
based on international textsindependent
transparent: can be seen to operatetransparent peer evaluation of memberspeer evaluation system
overviewed by public authorities & other stakeholderspulls the level of quality upthere is no other system that gives the same level of trust through such transparency
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EA versus EU Accreditation bodyEA is transparent and can be seen to operateIn EA dog watches dog
In EA better bodies do not want to be dragged down: so cooperation and mutual support
so quality developmentsingle body more opaque, less motivation for quality development, less checks and balances64 000 $ question: who controls it?
10Slide11
Why Regulation 765/2008?To stabilise the rules of the system
To clearly set responsibilities of national authorities, EU Commission, ABs,
etc.It is directly applicableTo act as guardrail against temptations:to go commercial
to multiply bodiesto reinvent wheelsTo protect and promote the EU system in the face of the world market
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Has the system answered expectations?YES but with room for improvement.
The system is in place and clearly works
wellAcceptance of accredited certificates has become natural
Their credibility is rarely questionedThe strength and seriousness of the EU system is recognised throughout the rest of the world and vastly copied (who is jealous?)
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Has the system answered expectations?In general terms:Manufacturers are satisfied – system credible; more systematic recourse to CA; no longer need multiple certificates.
Market place is safer & more transparent.
Public authorities satisfied but recognise that market surveillance remains necessary.Consumers satisfied: products safer, quality is up & where problems, more quickly identified & treated in the open, within a coherent clear system.Slide14
Has the system answered expectations?Regulation will need further refinement in the years to come (financing of accreditation, definition of independence & vis a vis whom)
The collective strength and credibility of EA still needs to be reinforced: role of peer evaluation
National authorities are still attracted by reinvention of wheelsSlide15
Challenges for Accreditation in EUNeed for a financial system to protect against temptation to go commercial
Accreditation to remain control of CABs and not for products/personnelMust remain horizontal tool and not go sectoral
The objective remains one certificate, one marketAvoid proliferation of certification systems (9000, 14000, 17000, 18000 etc.)
15Slide16
Conclusions?Thank you for your attention