Technical assistance to quality infrastructure institutions in the Republic of Serbia
PromotionCampaign promoting the importance of accreditation and conformity assessment
Consortium consisting of AFNOR (Association Francaise de Normalisation), SIQ (Slovenian Institute of Quality and Metrology), DANAK (Den Danske Akkrediterings), and University of Ljubljana are implementing the EU funded Project entitled Technical Assistance to Quality Infrastructure Institutions in the Republic of Serbia.
The aim of the project is to provide technical assistance to key institutions and bodies in the field of standardization, accreditation, metrology, and conformity assessment bodies in the Republic of Serbia. Due to the cooperation between the Accreditation Board of Serbia, Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SCC) and regional SCC offices, a series of accreditation-related seminars will be held in the period between 25th February and 24th July 2010.
It was planned that the seminars/workshops would be held in 11 cities throughout Serbia at the SCC premises and regional SCC offices. During the planned 25 two-day interactive seminars/workshops business people and producers will be able to gain knowledge of practical application of relevant standards when compared to directives that will soon be transposed in our legislation. The presentations will be given by the representatives of MoERD, ATS, SCC, and by foreign experts.
The topics are adapted to the requirements of the representatives of the regional SCC offices and will pertain to the fields of certification, inspection, testing and accompanying legislation.
AWARENESS RAISING CAMPAIGN PROMOTING THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCREDITATION AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
SEMINAR PROGRAMME FOR SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2010
Calibration - Belgrade, 5 – 6th October and Novi Sad, 7 – 8th October
Lifts and Directive 95/16/EC - Belgrade, 9 – 10th November and Novi Sad 11 – 12th November
How to draft technical regulations – Belgrade, 16 – 19th November
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF ACCREDITATION AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT ON SAFETY AND QUALITY OF OUR LIVES?
Accreditation – the path to free market
Nowadays global market requires from all business operators (producers, dealers, importers and distributors) to fulfil a large number of requirements in the form of standards and technical regulations the requirements of which must be met prior to placing on the market. Technical specifications for products, services, processes, systems, persons or bodies may be requested by consumers or they may be stipulated by public administration bodies, while producers or suppliers – distributors, importers and dealers are obliged to undertake all necessary actions in order to protect high level of public interest such as safety, human health, animal and plant health, and environmental protection. This can be achieved by applying the accreditation system and conformity assessment and by observing basic principles of the World Trade Organisation and European Union. It will result in free movement of people, goods, services and capital.
What is conformity assessment?
Continuous increase in the number of specific standards and technical regulations leads to the increase of those bodies the task of which is to assess conformity of products, services, processes, systems and personnel to standards and regulations, and these are testing laboratories and laboratories, certification and inspection bodies with adequate level of competence and technical capacities. Conformity assessment bodies have a task to check whether requirements of standards and technical regulations were met, i.e. to confirm whether specified requirements pertaining to products, processes, management system, personnel or bodies were met.
Accreditation means trust
Why do we need independent assessment?
Conformity assessment procedure can be performed by producers or by completely independent bodies that can either be hired by producers or by clients with the aim of providing consumers with harmonised, safe, and reliable processes, products and services. In order to avoid possible conflict of interest and self-assessment, additional safety of the entire quality infrastructure is provided by accreditation as an independent assessment by “third parties” and by determination of CAB competence.
From accreditation to competitiveness
What is accreditation and why do we need it?
Accreditation as a harmonised procedure performed in accordance with SRPS ISO/IEC 17011 is an efficient method used by an independent and impartial institution (that is a national accreditation body) to confirm and monitor competitiveness of CABs. This method of assessment, confirmation and monitoring of competitiveness, performed by an impartial and independent “third party” that can be further subjected to assessment and monitoring performed by international and regional organisations for accreditation (peer evaluation), contributes to the establishment of a uniform world network of accreditation bodies and high level of trust in all participants on the global market. A uniform approach used on the occasion of determining the competence of CABs worldwide enables countries to conclude mutual agreements on the basis of assessment and recognition of accreditation systems, whereby the number of unnecessary checks of products in the international trade would be decreased, and conditions for free movement of people, goods, services and capital are created.
By signing of the Agreement between the Accreditation Board of Serbia and the European Cooperation for Accreditation the recognition of services of CABs accredited by the national AB would be ensured, while Serbia would become an active participant in EU trade, and trade with countries in the region, whereas this would be an important step in establishing a modern and harmonised quality infrastructure system and internal market.
Accreditation – the path to satisfied consumers
What are the benefits of accreditation?
The number of bodies interested in voluntary accreditation is increasing since they recognise the importance of accreditation in terms of the increase of the level of trust in business activities of bodies and competitiveness on the market, and in terms of attaining ever higher level of safety and security of products, level of efficiency and productivity, and easier access to new markets by means of free movement. However, their companies would have benefits thereof and increase their income.
There are many fields today where accreditation is a condition for offering products and services or placing them on the market. Accreditation provides accredited companies with proof that the highest standards were observed, while providing consumers with additional proof that the risk of product deficiency is reduced.
Public administration bodies, economic entities and consumers can use the services of accredited laboratories, inspection and certification bodies in order to confirm whether the required product or service is harmonised with certain requirements-standards, and to ensure additional impartial assessment of products and services in accordance with nationally or internationally recognised criteria.
Together we can attain quality
● reliable
● professional
● verified
Quality infrastructure – new regulations and requirements for lifts and their impact on building design and maintenance
9th – 10th November (Tuesday and Wednesday) 2010, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SCC), Belgrade, 15 Resavska Street
N o s e m i n a r r e g i s t r a t i o n f e e r e q u i r e d
b u t p a r t i c i p a t i o n c o n f i r m a t i o n i s m a n d a t o r y.
The participants will receive: programme presentations and refreshments during breaks.
We would like to ask interested participants to confirm their participation at:
Serbian Chamber of Commerce, 13-15 Resavska Street
Phone 011 3300 949, Fax 011 3238- 612
e- mail: edukacija@pks.rs
11th – 12th November (Thursday and Friday) 2010, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF VOJVODINA, Novi Sad, 11 Hajduk Veljkova Street,
Official entrance No. 5, Hall 14
N o s e m i n a r r e g i s t r a t i o n f e e r e q u i r e d
b u t p a r t i c i p a t i o n c o n f i r m a t i o n i s m a n d a t o r y.
The participants will receive: programme presentations and refreshments during breaks. We would like to ask interested participants to confirm their participation at:
Phone: 021-480-37-13
e-mail: bojana.miljus@pkv.rs
SEMINAR PROGRAMME AND SCHEDULE
Day 1
10 a.m. - 10.15 a.m.
● Opening address (ATS, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, SCC, Project)
10.15 a.m. – 11 a.m.
● Legal framework of EU quality infrastructure – free movement of goods and protection of public interest - Vitomir Fister, Legal Expert of the European Commission in charge of accreditation and conformity assessment issues as part of the national CARDS 2006 programme – Technical assistance to quality infrastructure institutions in the Republic of Serbia
● Discussion
11 a.m. – 11.45 a.m.
● Technical legislation – new legal framework in Serbia, Nikola Mirković, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development
● Discussion
11.45 a.m. – 12 noon
● Break
12 noon -12.45 p.m.
● Role of the Accreditation Board of Serbia in the field of conformity assessment - Ljubica Živanić, Head of the Certification Department at the Accreditation Board of Serbia
● Discussion
12.45 p.m. – 1.30 p.m.
● EU Legal framework governing lift safety, Mirko Đapić PhD, Expert in the new approach area – lift safety, Vojko Koron, Slovenian Expert in the new approach area – lift safety
● Discussion
1.30 p.m. – 2 p.m.
● Break
2 p.m. – 3.45 p.m.
● EU Legal framework governing lift safety – follow-up, Review of good practice in the field of lift safety – experiences from Slovenia, Mirko Đapić PhD, Expert in the new approach area – lift safety, Vojko Koron, Slovenian Expert in the new approach area – lift safety
● Discussion
3.45 p.m. – 4 p.m.
● Closing address and collection of applications for round-table and individual discussions on day 2
(ATS, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development -DMDM, Project)
Day 2
10 a.m. – 10.30 a.m.
● Draft of the new lift regulation, Zoran Bakić, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development
10.30 a.m. – 12 noon
● A round-table discussion on the subject of future challenges and possible answers – moderators: Accreditation Board of Serbia, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development and experts: Ljubica Živanić, Accreditation Board of Serbia; Nikola Mirković, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development; Zoran Bakić, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development; Mirko Đapić PhD, Expert in the new approach area – lift safety; Vojko Koron, Slovenian Expert in the new approach area – lift safety.
12 noon – 12.15 p.m.
● Break
12.15 p.m. – 3 p.m.
● Individual discussions with participants that applied on day 1: Ljubica Živanić, Accreditation Board of Serbia; Nikola Mirković, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development; Zoran Bakić, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development; Mirko Đapić PhD, Expert in the new approach area – lift safety; Vojko Koron, Slovenian Expert in the new approach area – lift safety.