4. Conclusion

Multilateral recognition agreements were designed to make things easier for the applicants (the customers); after some thirty years of implementation, we can conclude that they have achieved their initial goal, in an economic context that has changed, to say the least, over the same period. However, "tried and tested everywhere" remains a goal to be achieved in various fields, such as inspection and product certification, where the national component is still very strong.

Accreditors have demonstrated that their actions reinforce the confidence that an applicant can have in a service provided within the scope of the accreditations issued. However, applicants still need to be sure that they are not the victim of deliberate or unintentional deception, on the basis of a contract review.

Moreover, accreditation does not absolve the customer...