Accreditation is a process whereby the accreditation body assesses an institution and confirms it is competent for work in accordance with the internationally recognized regulations.

HAA implements accreditation based on the following:

• Law on Accreditation (Official Gazette 158/2003), Decree on the establishment of the Croatian Accreditation Agency (Official Gazette 158/2004, 44/2005.) and the Statute of the Croatian Accreditation Agency (Decision about complying with the Statute of the Croatian Accreditation Agency Official Gazette 76/2005.)
  
  
• Sector and implementation laws such as:  Law on Food  (Official Gazette 20/2003), Law on Organic Farming (Official Gazette 12/2001), Regulations on cause analysis of stum, vine and other products based on fruit vine (Official Gazette 102/2004), Rules about protection from electromagnetic fields  (Official Gazette 204/2003) etc.

HAA was established to implement technical legislation in the Republic of Croatia, which would provide quality support, reduce operating risks and increase the competitiveness at the national and international market.

HAA ensures:

• Relevant market services for testing, calibration, measuring, certification and inspection at the territory of the Republic of Croatia
• recognizing report on testing and certification for conformities issued in the Republic of Croatia and other markets
• technical support to the Croatian economy in proving competence at the international market
• confidence in quality and safety of products and services on the Croatian market
• technical support to the state administration bodies in implementing regulations in the area of citizens' safety and health, environmental protection, consumers' protection and other public interests.

HAA represents the Republic of Croatia in front of the European and International organizations for accreditation and actively participates in their work.

HAA has become a full member of the EA (European co-operation for Accreditation ) since 17 November 2005.

HAA is an associate member of ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) from 2001.

HAA also cooperates with IAF (International Accreditation Forum ).

Economy

Sound calibration and testing measures decrease production costs, product discrepancies, anticipate innovations and help in making decisions on risk assessments.

Reliable product certificates increase consumers' confidence, product beneficiaries as well as market competitiveness.

In the management system the reliable certificates increase trust in the business system of the company and its competitiveness and enable access to new markets.

Selection of an accredited body ensures competent service providers and confident business partners. Since the assessment is performed by an independent accreditation body, it is time and money consumable and it reduces business risk.

Assessed accredited organization has been constantly monitored by HAA during the accreditation process. In case of complaint to work of accredited organization, HAA will take necessary measures.

Only those organizations accredited by HAA are entitled to use the HAA sign.

State Administration Bodies

Accreditation has been internationally recognized for ensuring trust in the work of institutions, authorized for testing, calibration, certification and inspection by the state administration office for the purpose of protecting public interests.

Accredited organizations

Accreditation guarantees increasing organizational and technical competence of the laboratories, certification and inspection organizations.

End users/consumers and clients

Accreditation provides confidence in safety and quality of products and services, if tested, certified or under the supervision of the competent organizations that satisfy the internationally acceptable criteria.

• Testing laboratories - testing and calibrations in order to identify certain characteristics and determining safety of industrial products, safety and quality of food, citizens' health protection, consumer and environment protection.
  
  
• Calibration laboratories - calibrating of measuring and testing equipment
  
  
• Certification organizations - certification services:
  
  

  Products in accordance with standards for products and in accordance with certification standards
  Quality management system (HRN EN ISO/IEC 9001)
  Environment management system (HRN EN ISO 14001)
  Other management system (safety, health)
  Personnel (quality systems assessors, welders, nondestructive testing examiners).
  

• Inspection organizations - inspection in construction area, production of pressure equipment, organic farming, fuel distribution, calibration certificate, motor vehicle area and other areas.

List of accredited bodies in the Republic of Croatia may be found on the web site of HAA, under the selection Registers.

Accreditation is performed in accordance with International Standards Organization (ISO) and European Standards (EN), which have been accepted in the Republic of Croatia as Croatian Standards (HRN).

• Testing and calibration laboratories HRN EN ISO/IEC 17025
• Certificate organizations for products HRN EN 45011
  
• Certificate organizations for system quality management HRN EN 17021
  
• Certificate organizations for environment system management HRN EN ISO/IEC 17021
  
• Certificate organizations for personnel HRN EN ISO/IEC 17024
  
• Supervision/inspection organizations HRN EN ISO/IEC 17020
• Medical laboratories HRN EN ISO 15189

Standards can be purchased from the Croatian Standards Institute, Ulica grada Vukovara 78, Zagreb www.hzn.hr.

Accreditation proves competency for performing testing, calibration, certification or technical surveillance/inspection.

Certification provides the certificate of conformity of the management system, products or persons with specific standard or specification (HRN EN ISO 9001).

Accreditation certificate proves the competence of an organization for performing certain testing, calibration, certification or technical surveillance/inspection in accordance with the requirements of certain standard.

Technical competence certificate proves competence for performing specific testing, calibrations, certification or technical surveillance/inspection in accordance with sector laws and implemented regulations with partially completed requirements for certain standards.