Accreditation = Confirmation and recognition of technical competence

Definition under “Accreditation” means the procedure by which an authoritative body gives formal recognition that a conformity assessment body in accordance to the standards and technical regulations, is competent to carry out specific tasks as testing, calibration, certification, and inspection.

Certification = Confirmation that prescribed requirements are fulfilled.

Definition under “Certification” means the action of independent third party, which verifies that product, process or service in question fulfills all the specified requirements of relevant standards, technical regulations or other normative acts in force.

The difference between the two seemingly similar definitions lies in the fact that in the first case, the formal recognition of competence is based on proven technical knowledges and therefore requires the consultation of a technical expert for the scope to be accredited, while the second case primarily involves ensuring conformity with a given norm, e.g. a management system or a product.
Accreditation therefore relates to specific technical tasks such as those of a testing or calibration laboratory, or of a certification or inspection body, for which specific norms set out the required degree of competence.

The accreditation procedure in Republic of Albania is based on legislation in force, on international standards adopted by Republic of Albania and on other documents issued by international accreditation organizations.

National Accreditation Directorate has the following tasks:

• * Accreditation of testing laboratories
• * Accreditation of calibration laboratories
• * Accreditation of certification bodies
• * Surveillance of accredited bodies
• * Suspension and withdrawn of accreditation.
• * Representing of Republic of Albania at International organizations on the accreditation area.
• * Cooperation with national accreditation bodies in other countries in order to achieve membership in regional or international mutual recognition agreements or to achieve bilateral agreements
• * Providing advice to State Administration in matters concerning accreditation and other assessments and approvals of competence for carrying out conformity assessment procedures
• * Maintaining, update and gives the information on the status of accreditation of the accredited bodies
• * Cooperation with General Directorate of Standardization, National Directorate of Calibration and Metrology, relevant ministries and other interested associations on accreditation issues

Accreditation means the formal recognition of the technical and organizational competence of an authority to execute a specific service as described in the scope of accreditation. Competence is the key to transparency, confidence and comparability.

Competence
Personnel	Technical infrastructure	Organisational structure
Technical know-how	Decisive criteria	Independence
Practical experience in the relevant technical field /td>	Premises and equipment	Impartiality
Continuous education	Procedures	Quality Management

Accreditation is a confidence-building measure, which allows authorities, economy and society to judge, if testing, inspection or certification bodies (conformity assessment bodies) fulfill specific tasks with the demanded high reliability.