The German Accreditation Body (DAkkS) has successfully completed the routine on-site evaluation carried out by the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA). From 14 to 18 September 2026, a total of 14 assessors from European accreditation bodies assessed the work of DAkkS. In addition to the Berlin office, they also attended several assessments at various locations across Germany. Overall, the evaluation results are very positive.

International EA team assesses the work of DAkkS

An international team of 14 assessors from 13 European accreditation bodies, led by Kevin Belson of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, spent a week at the DAkkS office in Berlin. The aim of the evaluation was to verify compliance with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 and, in particular, the international standard DIN EN ISO/IEC 17011.

A week dedicated to EA evaluation

Last week, the evaluation team gained a detailed insight into DAkkS and its accreditation activities. As part of the EA evaluation, they examined the organisation of DAkkS as a whole, its impartiality, staffing levels, the competence of its staff and assessors, and its management system. Nevertheless, the evaluation activities primarily focused on accreditation activities.

To this end, the EA team observed eleven on-site assessments carried out by DAkkS. Additionally, a file review was conducted at DAkkS’s Berlin office, during which numerous random samples of cases were drawn from all accreditation activities and technical units. DAkkS staff at the Frankfurt am Main and Braunschweig sites also participated in the evaluation, either on-site or via video conference.

The on-site evaluation concluded with the official closing meeting last Friday.

Positive results confirm the work of DAkkS

The EA team gained a comprehensive overview of DAkkS’s work through the observed assessments, the review of the procedural files and the numerous interviews with staff members. From the perspective of DAkkS, the overall outcome of the evaluation is very positive.

In its summary report, the EA team confirmed that all accreditation activities had met the required standards, ranging from testing and calibration laboratories to inspection bodies, certification bodies and biobanks. This was the first time that the latter activity had been assessed.

While the conclusion was generally positive, areas where the DAkkS could improve were also identified.

A number of procedural spot checks identified an issue concerning the planning of assessment activities within the accreditation cycle. This cycle covers the period between two completed reassessments and, in the case of DAkkS, lasts five years – the maximum permitted under DIN EN ISO/IEC 17011. In a few isolated cases, it was criticised that the assessment programme was not up to date and that the relevant assessments did not always fully cover the accredited scope.

Next steps in the evaluation process

The EA evaluation has not yet been concluded with the on-site evaluation. The findings identified must be rectified by DAkkS through appropriate measures.

Once the final evaluation report has been submitted to the EA-MAC (EA Multilateral Agreement Council) and a recommendation has been drafted for a relevant task force group within the EA-MAC to make a decision, a vote will be held on DAkkS’s continued membership of the EA’s multilateral recognition agreement (EA-MLA). A final positive decision is expected within the next year.

DAkkS will report on the further progress of the evaluation.