The accreditation network

National accreditation bodies cooperate within a global network to ensure that conformity assessments for accreditation are accepted worldwide without the need for reassessment.

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System of trust

Accreditation confirms the competence of testing laboratories, inspection and certification bodies. A tiered system of mutual recognition underpins the international acceptance of conformity assessment results. At the base of this system, most countries operate their own national accreditation body – in Switzerland, the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS).

Regional accreditation organisations

National accreditation bodies are then organised into regional cooperative groups. For example, the European network is formed by the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA). The EA holds a special position:

• It is officially recognised by the European Union (EU).
• It operates the EA Multilateral Agreement (MLA).
• It organises peer evaluations across Europe.
• It ensures that accreditation is harmonised throughout Europe.

Other regional organisations

• Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC)
• Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC)
• African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC)
• Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC)

These regional organisations form the middle tier of the system.

Peer Evaluation System

Each group operates its own peer evaluation system, through which accreditation bodies assess one another. Teams of international experts from the regional organisations evaluate the competence, independence and standards compliance of their individual member bodies. The aim is to ensure that all members operate to an equivalent standard and can therefore mutually recognise one another. This mechanism builds trust through verifiable equivalence.

Multilateral Agreements: MLA and MRA

On the basis of successful peer evaluations, the organisations enter into mutual recognition agreements:

• In Europe: EA Multilateral Agreement
• Globally: Global ACI Multilateral Recognition Arrangement

In practice:

«Accredited once – accepted everywhere»: test results are accepted internationally, eliminating the need for retesting and reducing trade barriers.

Global ACI

At the top tier is the global umbrella organisation, Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI) – formed in 2026 by a merger of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) to eliminate duplication. Global ACI also conducts peer evaluations between regional groups to ensure that the peer evaluation system is equivalent worldwide.

As a result, a test report from Switzerland can be accepted in, for example, South Korea or the United States, without the need for further testing. Where assessments are required in other countries, these are carried out where possible by other national accreditation bodies.

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