In the area of Product Certification, the NAB performs demo witness assessments in the initial accreditation or scope extension assessments for the CABs that are not designated as NB yet by notifying authority and applied first time in the field of CPR (Reg.No. 305/2011) for a certain scope and makes decision about CAB’s competence according to this demo witness assessment.
The question is whether CABs can use the reports and outcomes of this demo witness assessment as a basis for certification decision and issuing real certificate under CPR for relevant producer, after being accredited by NAB and being designated as Notified Body by authorities without performing a new audit to relevant producer?
Does any other NAB faced a similar case in their country and what is the general implementation about this issue in other EA member countries?
Note: The national authority requests the NAB’s opinion about this issue and expects the NAB to determine some rules in accreditation procedures for preventing this issue.
March 2017
When CPR came into force there was two options for the initial accreditation:
One possibility with DEMO witness assessment and the other possibility with conditional accreditation.The first possibility takes place in the initial accreditation for the CABs which are not notified. If the AB follow all the procedures regarding accreditation then it is not needed new audit to the relevant producer after the Notification.( DEMO witnessing assessment) – however the NB would need to carry out a review to ensure that the processes used in the DEMO witnessed are still valid in terms of the processes under which the CAB achieved Notification.
The second possibility was a practice suggested by the European Union. This means accreditation shall be gained without witness assessment and under the condition that the first witness assessment will take place with the AB. (conditioning accreditation)