ISO/IEC 17060:2022

Conformity assessment - Code of good practice

This document recommends good practices for all elements of conformity assessment, including objects of conformity assessment, specified requirements, activities, bodies, systems, schemes and results. It is intended for use by individuals and bodies that wish to provide, promote or use impartial and reliable conformity assessment services. Providers of conformity assessment can include conformity assessment bodies, accreditation bodies, peer-assessment agreement groups, and organizations providing declarations of conformity. Individuals or organizations that promote or use conformity assessment can include, as appropriate, regulators, trade officials, and owners of conformity assessment systems and schemes.

Évaluation de la conformité — Code de bonne pratique

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 04-Apr-2022
• ICS: 03.120.20 - Product and company certification. Conformity assessment
• Technical Committee: ISO/CASCO - Committee on conformity assessment
• Drafting Committee: ISO/CASCO - Committee on conformity assessment
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 05-Apr-2022
• Due Date: 26-May-2022
• Completion Date: 05-Apr-2022

Relations

• Revises: ISO/IEC Guide 60:2004 - Conformity assessment - Code of good practice
• Effective Date: 23-Apr-2020

Overview

ISO/IEC 17060:2022 - Conformity assessment - Code of good practice is an international standard published by ISO/IEC that recommends good practices for all elements of conformity assessment. It provides high-level guidance for defining and managing the objects of conformity assessment, specified requirements, conformity assessment activities and bodies, systems and schemes, and conformity assessment results. The document promotes impartial, transparent and reliable conformity assessment to support trade and regulatory confidence.

Key topics and technical requirements

ISO/IEC 17060:2022 addresses these core areas:

• Identification of objects of conformity assessment
  • Clear definition of intended use, characteristics, boundaries and assessability of objects (products, processes, services, systems, data, people, organizations, etc.).
• Specified requirements
  • Requirements must be technically relevant, transparent, coherent and consider stakeholder views; they should avoid unnecessary obstacles to trade and apply a risk-based approach.
• Conformity assessment activities and bodies
  • Expectations for conformity assessment bodies and accreditation bodies to operate impartially, manage risks to impartiality, protect confidentiality, demonstrate competence, process applications and complaints promptly, maintain records, and publish service information.
• Conformity assessment systems and schemes
  • Systems and schemes should be designed and administered transparently, non-discriminatorily and in ways that facilitate acceptance of results and avoid technical barriers to trade.
• Conformity assessment results
  • Guidance on producing and recognizing reliable results, including acceptance of relevant assessment outcomes to avoid duplication.

The standard emphasizes openness, transparency, impartiality, confidentiality, coherence and effectiveness, and encourages a risk-based approach across conformity assessment activities.

Practical applications

ISO/IEC 17060:2022 is practical for:

• Designing or revising conformity assessment schemes and programmes
• Establishing policies and procedures for conformity assessment bodies and accreditation bodies
• Developing normative documents and specified requirements suitable for first-, second- or third-party assessment
• Supporting regulatory authorities, trade officials and industry in harmonizing practices to reduce technical barriers to trade
• Guiding peer-assessment groups, scheme owners and organizations issuing declarations of conformity

Using this code of good practice helps organizations increase the credibility, acceptance and international recognition of conformity assessment results.

Who should use it

• Conformity assessment bodies (testing, inspection, certification)
• Accreditation bodies and peer-assessment groups
• Regulators, trade officials and scheme owners
• Standardizers and organizations drafting normative documents

Related standards

• ISO/IEC 17000:2020 (vocabulary and general principles) - referenced for terms and definitions
• ISO/IEC 17007 - guidance for drafting normative documents suitable for conformity assessment

Keywords: ISO/IEC 17060:2022, conformity assessment, code of good practice, specified requirements, conformity assessment bodies, accreditation, risk-based approach, conformity assessment schemes.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 17060
First edition
2022-04
Conformity assessment — Code of
good practice
Évaluation de la conformité — Code de bonne pratique
Reference number
© ISO/IEC 2022
© ISO/IEC 2022
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
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© ISO/IEC 2022 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Good practices in conformity assessment . 3
5 Identification of the objects of conformity assessment . 3
6 Specified requirements . 3
7 Conformity assessment activities and bodies . 3
8 Conformity assessment systems and schemes (programmes). 4
9 Conformity assessment results .5
Bibliography . 6
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© ISO/IEC 2022 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are
members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical
committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical
activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the
work.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance
are described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria
needed for the different types of document should be noted. This document was drafted in
accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives or
www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject
of patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the
Introduction and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents) or the IEC
list of patent declarations received (see https://patents.iec.ch).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to
the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html. In the IEC, see www.iec.ch/understanding-standards.
This document was prepared by the ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO).
This first edition of ISO/IEC 17060 cancels and replaces ISO/IEC Guide 60:2004 which has been
technically revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— transformation of a Guide (ISO/IEC Guide 60) into an International Standard (ISO/IEC 17060);
— inclusion of a new clause on the identification of the objects of conformity assessment;
— inclusion of language on risk-based approach;
— renumbering of Clause 4 in separate clauses;
— alignment of the terminology and text for consistency with other ISO/CASCO standards.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards
body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html and
www.iec.ch/national-committees.
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© ISO/IEC 2022 – All rights reserved

Introduction
Conformity assessment involves activities to demonstrate the fulfilment of specified requirements. The
specified requirements can be applied to a range of objects of conformity assessment, including but
not limited to products, processes, services, systems, installations, projects, data, designs, materials,
claims, persons, bodies or organizations, or any combination thereof. Conformity assessment includes
activities that provide various types of assurance that requirements set out in specifications such as
international, regional, or national standards, guides, recommendations, or other normative documents
are fulfilled.
Rapid technological development, integration of economic and production systems, and increased
levels of international trade have emphasized the need for convergence among conformity assessment
practices and systems. International standards are increasingly accepted as one effective vehicle to
improve competition and eliminate technical barriers to trade. However, the use of harmonized
international practices in the area of conformity assessment needs continuous attention, where different
practices and approaches persist. This environment can result in additional costs for manufacturers,
service providers, exporters and consumers, and poses challenges for regulatory authorities and
industry.
The evolution of international, regional and private-sector conformity assessment systems and schemes
is also noteworthy. These systems continue to expand, building confidence for the users of conformity
assessment services (including industry, regulators and consumers) and promoting global acceptance
through a variety of methods.
Different conformity assessment practices and requirements, together with the lack of recognition of
conformity assessment results, can restrict the exchange of goods and services. Efforts are required to
ensure that all conformity assessment systems and practices:
— attempt to involve all interested parties,
— are non-discriminatory, transparent, impartial, and
— avoid unnecessary obstacles to trade.
Members of the conformity assessment community are encouraged to participate in the development of
international standards and guides, to use them as the basis for their respective conformity assessment
activities and systems, and to engage in information exchange and confidence building to increase
knowledge and acceptance of other systems and approaches.
This document is intended to establish and promote conformity assessment policies and practices that
facilitate trade and support the development of societal benefits and/or needs at international, regional,
national and sub-national level.
They are characterized by openness, transparency, impartiality, confidentiality, coherence and
effectiveness, thereby supporting credibility and consistency in conformity assessment.
This document is presented in a form suitable for use by conformity assessment bodies, accreditation
bodies and other interested parties, whether governmental or non-governmental, at international,
regional, national or sub-national levels. This document is intended to be used in conjunction with, or
when preparing, International Standards relating to conformity assessment, and in conjunction with
the World Trade Organization’s (WTO's) Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement.
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© ISO/IEC 2022 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 17060:2022(E)
Conformity assessment — Code of good practice
1 Scope
This document recommends good practices for all elements of conformity assessment, including objects
of conformity assessment, specified requirements, activities, bodies, systems, schemes and results.
It is intended for use by individuals and bodies that wish to provide, promote or use impartial and
reliable conformity assessment services. Providers of conformity assessment can include conformity
assessment bodies, accreditation bodies, peer-assessment agreement groups, and organizations
providing declarations of conformity. Individuals or organizations that promote or use conformity
assessment can include, as appropriate, regulators, trade officials, and owners of conformity assessment
systems and schemes.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 17000:2020, Conformity assessment — Vocabulary and general principles
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 17000 and the following
apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
conformity assessment
demonstration that specified requirements (3.5) are fulfilled
Note 1 to entry: The process of conformity assessment as described in the functional approach in Annex A can
have a negative outcome, i.e. demonstrating that the specified requirements are not fulfilled.
Note 2 to entry: Conformity assessment is explained in ISO/IEC 17000:2020, Annex A as a series of functions.
Activities contributing to any of these functions can be described as conformity assessment activities.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17000:2020, 4.1, modified — The original Notes 2 and 4 to entry have been deleted,
the original Note 3 to entry has been renumbered as Note 2 to entry and the words “ISO/IEC 17000:2020”
have been added before “Annex A”.]
3.2
conformity assessment scheme
conformity assessment programme
set of rules and procedures that describes the objects of conformity assessment (3.6), identifies the
specified requirements (3.5) and provides the methodology for performing conformity assessment
Note 1 to entry: A conformity assessment scheme can be managed within a conformity assessment system (3.3).
© ISO/IEC 2022 – All rights reserved

Note 2 to entry: A conformity assessment scheme can be operated at an international, regional, national, sub-
national, or industry sector level.
Note 3 to entry: A scheme can cover all or part of the conformity assessment functions explained in
ISO/IEC 17000:2020, Annex A.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17000:2020, 4.9, modified – In Note 3 to entry, the words “ISO/IEC 17000:2020” have
been added before “Annex A”.]
3.3
conformity assessment system
set of rules and procedures for the management of similar or related conformity assessment sche
...