CHARTER
EURASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
AND CERTIFICATION
1. General Provisions
The Eurasian Association for Conformity Assessment and Certification (hereinafter referred to as “ECA” or “the Association”) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization established in accordance with applicable legislation.
ECA operates on the principles of legality, transparency, impartiality, and professional integrity.
The Association acts as a coordination and development platform supporting the credibility, consistency, and international acceptance of conformity assessment activities.
The aims of ECA are to:
- promote confidence in accredited conformity assessment results;
- support international recognition of certification, inspection, and audit outcomes;
- facilitate global trade by reducing technical barriers;
- promote the application of international standards (ISO/IEC);
- support cooperation among stakeholders in conformity assessment;
- contribute to the development of reliable and transparent conformity assessment systems;
- support emerging areas such as sustainability and energy efficiency;
- ensure compliance with applicable international regulations and good practices.
2. Description of the Organisation’s Operations
ECA operates as a regional coordination platform for conformity assessment stakeholders.
The Association carries out its activities through:
- coordination and facilitation of cooperation among members;
- promotion of accredited certification and auditing practices;
- organisation of training, workshops, and professional exchange;
- development of voluntary conformity assessment schemes;
- maintenance of information resources, including registers where applicable;
- dissemination of best practices and guidance documents.
3. Legal Status
ECA is a non-governmental, non-profit legal entity. The Association operates independently from governmental authorities and is not controlled or managed by any government entity.
ECA does not distribute profits to its members. All income and resources of the Association are used solely to support its objectives.
The Association may:
- enter into agreements and contracts;
- cooperate with national and international organisations;
- participate in professional initiatives, programmes, and working groups;
- establish internal rules, procedures, and governance structures.
4. Geographic Scope of Activities
ECA operates across the Eurasian region. The Association includes members from different national jurisdictions and supports cross-border cooperation.
ECA facilitates:
- exchange of information on national regulatory requirements;
- mutual understanding of conformity assessment practices;
- access of organisations to international and regional markets.
Through its activities, ECA contributes to the recognition of conformity assessment results and the harmonisation of practices across the Eurasian region.
5. Activities of the Association
ECA carries out the following activities:
- promotion of accredited certification and auditing practices;
- organization of training, seminars, and knowledge exchange;
- maintaining information resources (including registers, where applicable);
- representation of members’ interests in international dialogue.
All activities are conducted in compliance with applicable national and international regulations. ECA operates across the Eurasian region.
ECA supports the objectives and principles of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated.
In relation to GAC, the Association intends to:
- support implementation of internationally recognized accreditation practices;
- contribute to stakeholder dialogue and exchange of experience;
- facilitate awareness and understanding of GAC activities within the Eurasian region;
- facilitate cooperation and information exchange between conformity assessment bodies operating in different countries across the Eurasian region.
- support harmonization of conformity assessment practices in line with global frameworks.
6. Importance of Accreditation
Accreditation is fundamental to ECA and its members as it:
- ensures competence, impartiality, and consistency of conformity assessment bodies;
- provides confidence to regulators, businesses, and consumers;
- enables international recognition of conformity assessment results;
- supports the functioning of global trade systems.
ECA members rely on accredited conformity assessment results in delivering their services across national and international markets.
The relationship between ECA and the global accreditation framework is essential to achieving the Association’s objectives.
ECA contributes to strengthening the global accreditation infrastructure through regional engagement and stakeholder representation.
7. Related Organisations
ECA maintains professional cooperation with:
- national accreditation bodies;
- certification and inspection bodies;
- training and expert organisations;
- international stakeholders in conformity assessment.
Such cooperation is based on principles of independence, neutrality, and professional collaboration.
8. Membership
Membership in ECA is open to:
- industries associations;
- assesment bodies;
- training and expert organizations;
- other stakeholders
Members shall:
- comply with the Charter and internal rules;
- support the objectives of the Association;
- maintain professional integrity and competence.
Membership may be terminated voluntarily or in case of non-compliance with ECA principles.
9. Principles of Operation
ECA operates in accordance with the following principles:
- impartiality and independence;
- transparency and openness;
- professional competence;
- non-discrimination;
- alignment with international best practices.
10. International Cooperation
ECA promotes cooperation with international organizations, accreditation bodies, and stakeholders.
The Association supports global initiatives aimed at strengthening trust in conformity assessment, including cooperation with organizations such as APAC and Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated.
11. Impartiality and Governance Framework
Commitment to Impartiality
ECA is committed to ensuring impartiality, independence, and objectivity in all its activities.
The Association identifies, analyses, and manages risks related to conflicts of interest on an ongoing basis.
ECA ensures that no single interest group dominates its decision-making processes.
Independence
ECA operates independently from:
- accreditation bodies;
- conformity assessment bodies;
- commercial, financial, or political interests.
The Association does not engage in activities that could compromise its neutrality or create conflicts of interest.
Impartiality Committee
ECA establishes an Impartiality Committee to safeguard the independence and objectivity of its activities.
The Committee shall:
- monitor risks related to impartiality;
- review potential conflicts of interest;
- ensure balanced representation of stakeholders;
- provide recommendations to the Executive Body.
The Committee shall include representatives of different stakeholder groups, such as:
- certification bodies;
- industry representatives;
- independent experts;
- other relevant stakeholders.
Members of the Committee shall act in a personal capacity and not represent commercial interests.
Transparency
ECA ensures transparency of its activities through:
- publication of key information and decisions;
- maintaining accessible communication channels;
- providing stakeholders with relevant information about its activities.
Conflict of Interest Management
ECA implements procedures to identify and manage conflicts of interest.
All individuals involved in decision-making shall:
- declare potential conflicts of interest;
- refrain from participation in decisions where conflicts exist.
Principles of Funding
ECA operates on a non-profit basis and ensures that its funding structure supports independence, impartiality, and sustainability.
The Association’s funding may include:
- membership fees;
- revenue from events, training, and publications;
- voluntary contributions and grants, where applicable.
Financial Independence
ECA ensures that no single member, group of members, or external party exercises undue financial influence over the Association.
Financial resources shall not compromise:
- impartiality of decisions;
- independence of governance;
- neutrality of the Association;
- international cooperation activities.
ECA does not distribute profits to its members.
12. Public Interest and Stakeholder Representation
ECA recognises the importance of representing the public interest in conformity assessment activities.
The Association seeks to balance the interests of:
- industry;
- conformity assessment bodies;
- regulators;
- consumers and society.
Stakeholder Representation
ECA promotes balanced participation of different stakeholder groups in its governance and activities.
Efforts are made to ensure that:
- no single stakeholder group dominates decision-making;
- diverse perspectives are considered;
- decisions reflect broader societal and market needs.
Inclusion of Independent Perspectives
ECA encourages the involvement of:
- independent experts;
- academic representatives;
- public interest stakeholders.
Such participation may be ensured through:
- the Impartiality Committee;
- advisory roles;
- consultation mechanisms.
Observer Participation
ECA may invite observers from:
- international organisations;
- accreditation bodies;
- other relevant stakeholders.
Observers may participate in discussions to enhance transparency and alignment with international practices.
Transparency and Accountability to Stakeholders
ECA maintains open communication with stakeholders and ensures that its activities:
- are understandable and accessible;
- reflect stakeholder expectations;
- contribute to trust in conformity assessment systems.
President
Semenova L.
