Accredia - Italian Accreditation System

1.07.2010 A sentence of TAR enhances the value of accreditation

[ 01-07-2010 ]
Further recognition of the recognition given by Government authorities to accreditation issued by ACCREDIA

Lecce - The regional administrative court of Puglia, with a sentence issued on Jan. 12, 20120 (n. 00103/2010), rejected the appeal brought by "Ambientale S.r.l." against a ruling by the Ministry for agricultural, food and forestry policies, refusing the request for the granting of authorisation upon the issue of certificates of analysis of the wine producing sector.

"Ambientale Srl" had appealed to the TAR, claiming that they were in possession of the sole legal requirement for the authorisation to issue certificates of analysis in the wine producing sector - accreditation by a Body operating in conformity with European standard EN 45003 (now ISO/IEC 17011).
"Ambientale Srl" was accredited by PJLA (Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc.), a body recognised by ILAC - International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, and signatory to the Mutual Recognition Agreements (MLA).
The appeal was deemed to lack foundation since the Leg. Decree 156/1997 provides that the accreditation body operates not only in conformity with standard ISO/IEC 17011, but is also designated by the competent administration as EA member.

In order to be authorised to issue certificates of analysis in the wine producing sector, the laboratory would have had to be accredited by a body designated by MIPAAF and also signatory member of the EA MLA - in Italy currently ACCREDIA (and previously SINAL) is the body authorised to grant accreditations in conformity with all the relevant requirements.
The sentence thus constitutes further recognition of the value of accreditation issued by ACCREDIA, which is the sole body authorised to issue accreditations in Italy, under Reg. 765/2008.