Norwegian Accreditation is the national accreditation body of Norway, and is established by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Fisheries in accordance with EU Regulation 765.
Safe products and services
Norwegian Accreditation’s main objective is to ensure safe products and services in the Norwegian market, and to ensure market access for Norwegian products and services internationally. This we do by accrediting Norwegian public and private conformity assessment bodies.
Examples of such bodies are laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies, verification bodies, proficiency testing providers, biobanks and producers of referanse materials. We assess these bodies against international requirements for competence, management systems, work methods and quality of services.
Norwegian Accreditering is Norway`s national accreditation body for technical accreditation, and is established as a govermental body in accordance with EU regulation 765. You can read our accreditation policy here.
Norwegian Accreditation’s office is situated in Lillestrøm, close to Norway’s capital Oslo. The number of permanent employees is 40, and the name of the Director General is Inger Cecilie Laake.
GLP-inspection and accreditation of environmental verifiers
Norwegian Accreditation has been given the responsibility for inspection of Norwegian facilities against OECS’s principles for Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency has placed the responsibility for accreditation of Environmental Verifiers with Norwegian Accreditation. The latter is a part of the European Environmental Management Audit Scheme (EMAS).
Laws and regulations
As a government agency, Norwegian Accreditation is subject to the laws and regulations that apply to such agencies. Our social mandate is provided by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries through annual letters of award. The letter of award makes appropriations from the Norwegian Parliament available to Norwegian Accreditation. Expenditure, revenue limits, budget approvals, and reporting are specified.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, represented by the Department of Trade Policy, supervises Norwegian accreditation through the management dialogue specified in the letter of award. Norwegian accreditation is audited by the Office of the Auditor General, in line with current regulations.
All public agencies are required to maintain an up-to-date archive plan at all times. The purpose of the archive plan is to deliver a thorough overview of the organisation's archival records. Norwegian Accreditation's archive plan is a living document that is updated regularly or in the event of events of importance to the archive work, such as the acquisition of a new professional system. See archive plan here.
Access to accreditation services
Norwegian Accreditation carries out all of it’s activities in a non-discriminatory way. This means that Norwegian Accreditation’s services are open to all bodies applying for accreditation which complies with the relevant accreditation requirements and conditions, and which pays the accreditation fees charged.
Financing
Fees for Norwegian Accreditation’s services are decided by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Fisheries. The fees shall cover the costs incurred by handling of the individual applications for accreditation/GLP and surveillance and renewal of already accredited/GLP-inspected bodies.
Norwegian Accreditation receives financial support over the State budget to cover costs related to participation in international associations for accreditation and GLP, development of existing accreditation schemes and for providing information to the public about accreditation. As a national accreditation body, Norwegian Accreditation is obliged to participate in the European and international associations for accreditation bodies. Here you will find an overview of relevant corporate governance documents for Norwegian Accreditation.
Read more about financing of our services here
Code of Conduct
Ethical quality in the provision of services and the exercise of authority is a prerequisite for confidence in Norwegian Accreditation as a government agency. With regard to ethical guidelines for us, reference is made to the Code of Conduct for the Public Service and the guidelines on gifts in the service published by the Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Administration (formerly the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation).
Ethical guidelines for the civil service are guidelines of a general nature, and we have also prepared internal personnel policy guidelines and personnel regulations based on the regulations. Ethical guidelines are also included in the training plan for new employees, and this is regularly brought up as a topic in common meeting places.
International cooperation
Norwegian Accreditation participates actively in the European and international associations for accreditation. Norwegian Accreditation is a signatory to all of the existing multilateral recognition agreements for which we have accredited conformity assessment bodies in Norway. This ensures confidence in reports and certificates issued by Norwegian accredited conformity assessment bodies. Here you can read more about the international cooperation.
Accreditation is used by the EU and EFTA and also internationally to enhance international trade. Within the EU and EFTA there is an increasing awareness of accreditation as a useful tool in support of trade agreements. As a consequence, accreditation is used in an increasing number of areas.
Norwegian Accreditation’s strategy
Norwegian Accreditation shall cover the need for accreditation services in Norway. Read more about our values and goals in our strategy plan for the period 2024-2029.