TS EN ISO/IEC 17065

TS EN ISO/IEC 17065 is a conformity assessment standard that addresses the competence, consistent operation and impartiality of bodies certifying products, processes and services. It frames how a certification body should run a credible third-party activity and treats product certification within the same overall structure as process and service certification, while allowing separate provisions where needed.

The technical framework for certification bodies

In general technical terms, certification of products, processes and services means independent verification of stated characteristics, requirements or defined conditions. Impartiality is central because certification decisions must not be influenced by conflicts of interest. Competence refers to the ability of personnel and the organization to carry out tasks consistently, from application review to surveillance and recertification. The standard focuses on establishing that structure in a reliable and repeatable way.

What this scope distinguishes

• It places certification activity within third-party conformity assessment.
• It states that bodies do not need to offer certification for every kind of product, process and service.
• It explains that the term “product” can be read as “process” or “service” except where separate provisions apply.
• It brings competence and impartiality together as the core operating principles for certification bodies.

For organizations building or assessing a certification scheme, this standard is important because it defines the organisational principles behind trustworthy certification. Technical expertise, decision independence, consistent issue of certificates and clear definition of scope are the main conceptual themes surrounding this standard.