Example: Accreditation in Vietnam

Bureau of Accreditation (BoA)


Accreditation activities in Vietnam started in 1990 after the issuance of an Ordinance on Product Quality. From 1990 to 1995, 56 different types of laboratories have been accredited against ISO/IEC Guide 25 by the Directorate for Standards and Quality (STAMEQ). By the end of 1995, and to promote international and regional integration on accreditation, the Ministry of Science and Technology (formally named Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment) issued Decision No 1479/QD-TDC on the regulations for certification and accreditation activities. Also in 1995, the Ministry of Science and Technology made a decision to establish the Bureau of Accreditation (BoA) under the Directorate for Standards and Quality. The Bureau of Accreditation is responsible for all accreditation activities in Vietnam, including the accreditation of testing and calibration laboratories, certification bodies, inspection bodies and auditor registration.


The BoA’s primary objectives are to contribute to increasing the managerial and technical competence of conformity assessment bodies (CABs) based on international standards and to provide confidence for customers and regulators in the market of the results of accredited CABs. BoA’s vision is to be an accreditation body with regional status.

Vietnam has been a full member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) since 1992, a full member of the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) since 1995 and a full member of the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC) since 1995. In August 1998, BoA applied to join the APLAC MRA. After assessment, VILAS was approved to sign the APLAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement in October 2000, and the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement in November 2000 in the fields of testing and calibration.