TS EN 45003

TS EN 45003 is a withdrawn standard that sets out general criteria for bodies that accredit laboratories. Its technical focus is not the laboratory test itself, but the credibility of the accreditation body: how such an organisation is structured, how it makes decisions, and how it maintains confidence in its assessments. In practice, laboratory accreditation is a third-party conformity assessment activity intended to show that a laboratory has the competence to perform specific work consistently and reliably.

Why accreditation bodies need common criteria

In general technical terms, accreditation is more than issuing a certificate. It depends on impartiality, defined responsibilities, competent personnel, controlled procedures, and traceable decisions. Accreditation bodies commonly operate through application review, assessment, surveillance, and periodic reassessment, so the way the organisation is governed matters as much as the technical review itself. This standard addresses that organisational layer for bodies that accredit laboratories.

Laboratory competence versus accreditation

A laboratory’s competence is usually associated with method control, personnel skill, equipment management, measurement quality, and proper records. Accreditation is the external recognition of that competence by an independent body. TS EN 45003 is aimed at the general criteria for the accrediting body, not at the laboratory’s day-to-day test procedures. Based on EN 45003:1989, it reflects an early European framework for laboratory accreditation practice.

• Covers general criteria for bodies that accredit laboratories.
• Addresses the organisational basis of trustworthy accreditation decisions.
• Supports understanding of laboratory accreditation as a conformity assessment activity.
• Withdrawn document with historical and reference value.