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Netherlands
Our work in figures
This is the overview of the RvA’s operational activities in 2023. In some cases, the information from 2022 has been added for comparison.
Accreditations granted
New accreditations are regularly granted for the various standards. At the same time, mergers and acquisitions are also taking place in all segments, resulting in accreditations being withdrawn. On balance, the total number of accreditations granted has decreased slightly.
Accreditations worldwide in 2023
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Rest of Europe
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Worldwide
New accreditations
The number of initial applications was about the same in 2023 as in 2022. Compared to 2022, the weighted average of the processing time in 2023 has decreased by 18%.
Extensions
The number of applications for scope extension was also substantially higher in 2023 than in 2022 for almost all activities. The total weighted average of the processing time of the assessment of the extension applications in 2023 is over 3% higher than in 2022. The average processing time does show large differences per activity and per individual request.
Less intensive assessment
A less intensive assessment applies to 15% of the accreditations granted. This is a slight increase compared to 2022, where 14% of the accreditations granted were subject to a less intensive assessment.
Disputes, suspensions and withdrawals
If an RvA assessment team is of the opinion that a client does not meet the requirements, the team files a so-called nonconformity (NC). It is possible that the client does not agree with the team’s interpretation of the requirements. In that case, the assessed party has the option of filing an interpretation dispute. The handling of such a dispute reveals how the standard should be interpreted. Most disputes originate from ISO 15189.
Outcomes of interpretation disputes 2023
The outcomes of interpretation disputes (including ‘Pending’)
Processing complaints
In accordance with the General Administrative Law Act, the RvA has a complaints procedure in place for any complaints about the RvA as an administrative authority. This QA008 procedure can be accessed directly via our website.
We processed 21 complaints in 2023. Most of them were about the scheduling and deadlines of an assessment.
Over the past few years, work has been done on the accessibility of the RvA and the approach via the website has also been improved. This has led to more frequent contact. However, it has also led to a complaint sometimes not being a real complaint but rather a request for information.
Complaints give us insight into our actions. This allows us to improve our processes. In response to the complaints, seven internal improvement processes were started. The effectiveness of improvement processes is monitored during the internal audit.
Objections, appeals and freedom of information requests
In the event of dissatisfaction or doubts about the work of an accredited organisation, a notification can be submitted to the RvA. As a rule, the person submitting the notification has already complained to the accredited institution. If this is not the case, the RvA will, as it sees fit, incorporate the information into the supervision of the accredited organisation.
Notifications contribute to the ability to express justified confidence in the accredited institution. The increase in the number of notifications can be partly attributed to the improvement of the RvA’s accessibility, which has received a lot of attention over the past year.
Most of the notifications concerned organisations that are accredited in the field of inspection and certification. The notifications are primarily about the performance of activities by the organisation in question and failure thereby to comply with the accreditation requirements.
In principle, notifications or alerts are investigated during the next regular assessment. In response to a notification, the RvA’s Executive Board may decide to carry out an extra assessment if the content of what has been alerted is such that doubts are raised about the reliability of the work of the accredited organisation. From the notifications we received in 2023, no additional assessments were scheduled; in 2022 there were 10 additional assessments.
Processing of objections, appeals and freedom of information requests
Two objections were submitted in 2023. One objection was withdrawn. In response to the other objection, a discussion took place at the end of 2023 that led to an adjustment to the decision. As a result of this, it is expected that the objection will be withdrawn. This has not yet happened at the time of drawing up this public report.
Five FOI requests (Open Government Act) were also submitted; two of them have been withdrawn, two have been partially granted and one request has been rejected in its entirety.
