Published : 20/08/2025

On August 20, 2002, the China National Accreditation Centre for Conformity Assessment (the Centre) was officially inaugurated in Beijing, marking the end of the era of multiple management systems for accreditation bodies in China.

This is another significant achievement in establishing a new international accreditation regime in accordance with international regulations after China's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Starting from April 2002, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the National Certification and Accreditation Administration have adjusted and integrated the original relevant bodies into the China National Accreditation Board for Certifiers (CNAB), the China National Accreditation Committee for Laboratories (CNACL), and the China National Accreditation Board for Certification Personnel and Training Bodies.

The Centre undertakes the secretariat work of these three national accreditation boards.

The accreditation work of various quality management system certification bodies and the accreditation work of various certification bodies including compulsory product certification, voluntary product certification, and agricultural products, food certification, etc., were all unified under the accreditation work of the three national accreditation boards since then.

Various quality management systems include Quality Management System (ISO9000), Environmental Management System (ISO14000), Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS), Telecommunications Quality Management System (TL9000), Automotive Industry Quality Management System (QS-9000), Aerospace Quality Management System (AS9000), Food Safety Management System (HACCP), Quality Management System for Medical Device Manufacturing Enterprises (ISO13485), Information Security Management System, and Software Maturity Capability Assessment, etc.

By merging the original multiple accreditation systems, the Centre can implement unified management and supervision of all certification bodies in China to prevent confusion in the certification market.

At the same time, the accreditation centre launched new unified accreditation certificates and accreditation marks. Those certification bodies that have already been accredited by the original accreditation bodies can be issued new accreditation certificates after passing the annual surveillance audit.