Key Concepts: Definition

Relevant Definitions (ISO/IEC 17000)

Attestation: issue of a statement that fulfilment of specified requirements has been demonstrated

Declaration of Conformity: first party attestation

Certification: third-party attestation related to products, processes, systems or persons

Accreditation: third-party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks

Inspection: examination of a product design, product, process or installation and determination of its conformity with specific requirements or, on the basis of professional judgement, with general requirements

Audit: systematic, independent, documented process for obtaining records, statements of fact or other relevant information and assessing them objectively to determine the extent to which specified requirements are fulfilled

Peer assessment: assessment of a body against specified requirements by representatives of other bodies in, or candidates for, an agreement group

Conformity assessment system: rules, procedures and management for carrying out conformity assessment

Conformity assessment scheme (or programme):  conformity assessment system related to specified objects of conformity assessment, to which the same specified requirements, specific rules and procedures apply