Product Certification Liaison Group

The purpose of the Product Certification Liaison Group is to:   

•  Enable technical advice to be obtained through the identification of sources of expertise in specific areas upon which UKAS can draw at need
• Consider input from the ‘market place’ and from users/beneficiaries of product certification schemes, especially with respect to their relevance, validity and effectiveness.   Representative ‘user’ bodies may include trade organisations, retailers, major purchasing authorities, regulators, insurers etc
• Generate increased confidence in the UKAS approach to product certification accreditation and to promote the credibility and added value of accredited product certification. From time to time, there may be a need to relate the discussions of the Group to the broad spectrum of product conformity, which includes voluntary product certification, testing & calibration, inspection, QMS sector schemes etc.   The technical criteria of mandatory product conformity under EU Directives is not covered by the Product Certification Liaison Group
• Provide input into UKAS’ contribution to multi-lateral and mutual recognition agreements at European and International levels
• Provide a forum for discussing general concerns about product certification
• Assist in the identification of potential assessors and sources of assessors
• Identify the need for the establishment of any specialist task group

Constitution

The Product Certification Liaison Group is an advisory, non-executive committee providing a forum for the exchange of input from various bodies with an interest in UKAS activities within product certification.

Participation in the Group will be invited from UKAS, ABCB, IIOC and other relevant bodies.

UKAS will provide the Chairman of the Group.   Membership of the Group will be by mutual agreement and be reviewed every year. A secretary to the Group will be appointed by UKAS.

At the invitation of the Chairman, other parties may attend meetings of the Group. On such occasions the minutes shall clearly state the affiliations of the invited participants.

Procedures

Decisions on issues discussed by the Group should be reached by consensus, i.e. not by voting.

The Group will meet as necessary when there are sufficient items or urgent items to justify a meeting.   Provisional dates should normally be set at the previous meeting depending on the perceived need at the time.

Where appropriate, matters for comment, discussion or approval should be dealt with by postal or electronic communication, e.g. where there is a matter requiring urgent attention by the members or when there are insufficient items to warrant a meeting.

The Chairman and the Secretary should agree the agenda prior to distribution of the papers for the meeting. The Secretary shall ensure that the Group members receive briefing papers as necessary at least two weeks before the meeting to permit time for consultation and consideration. Papers for meetings are not public documents. For consultation purposes members may copy them with discretion, unless specifically described as confidential.

The Secretary will provide draft minutes to the Chairman within two weeks of the meeting.   Unconfirmed minutes will be submitted to the members within a further two weeks.

On matters requiring specific technical expertise, task groups may be set up. UKAS will identify and appoint a Chairman for the task group, either following recommendation from the Group or on the basis of other knowledge of the required skills and expertise. The Group will agree the membership of the task group. The task group will appoint a Secretary as necessary.

Task groups will be set up for a limited period, normally not more than one year, with a specific remit of actions and will be disbanded once the actions are completed. They will meet only as often as necessary to complete the tasks in the timescale set. Task groups will report to the Product Certification Liaison Group either through the Secretary or by attendance of the task group Chairman at the Product Certification Liaison Group meeting as appropriate.

Product Certification Liaison Group Membership