Readers will recall that ISO/CASCO is the ISO Committee on conformity assessment. It serves as both a policy committee for ISO Council and a technical committee for drafting International Standards.
Through its standards development and policy work, ISO/CASCO strives to promote mutual recognition and acceptance of national and regional conformity assessment systems throughout the world.
The ISO/CASCO Working group (WG) 21 has launched the revision of ISO/IEC 17021:2011, Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems, and held its first two meetings in November 2012 and April 2013.
The Technical Experts have agreed on the scope of the revision, identified the clauses that needed revising & started the revision of the standard, which will shape the accreditation of management system certification bodies for the next five years.
Their timetable is for:
July 2013 – Committee Draft (CD)
Early 2014 – Draft International Standard (DIS)
Late 2014 – Final Draft International Standard (FDIS)
End 2014 – Final publication
It is anticipated that a transitional period of between 12 – 18 months will be granted to accredited certification bodies to smooth the migration from the current version ISO/IEC 17021:2011 to the new revised International Standard dependant on the degree and impact of the revisions.