TS EN 45012

TS EN 45012 is a withdrawn standard that sets out general criteria for certification bodies operating quality system certification. Its focus is the way a certification body should be organised so that quality management system certification is conducted with competence, consistency, impartiality, and credibility. In practical terms, it addresses the certification process itself, not the certified company’s product performance.

What quality system certification means in practice

Quality system certification is different from product certification. The object of assessment is the management system used by an organisation, so the certification body must handle audit planning, evaluation, decision-making, and surveillance in a controlled and dependable way. The standard’s subject is the general framework for making those activities reliable across certification bodies.

In general technical terms, this kind of criteria document is concerned with auditor competence, separation of duties, independence of certification decisions, record control, and the consistent management of the certification cycle from application through maintenance. It is a framework for trustworthy conformity assessment, not a source for specific test methods, numerical limits, or product-level requirements.

What the scope means for users of the standard

• It provides general rules for bodies that carry out quality system certification.
• It concerns the organisation, decision process, and impartial operation of the certification body.
• It is not about product certification, laboratory accreditation, or a specific technical test method.
• This listing reflects the EN 45012:1989 basis and the withdrawn status of the TSE edition.