Developing powerful teams
The RvA invests in enduring relationships with stakeholders. This contributes to new ways of applying accreditation and to the strengthening of the quality infrastructure.
Entering into solid relationships for the long term is another aspect of the concept of sustainability. The RvA purposefully invests in long-term relationships with stakeholders. It does the same with the ministries. With the ministries, the RvA is often at the cradle of new ways to apply accreditation as a policy instrument in order to achieve the ministers’ policy objectives.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZ) has a special position in relation to the RvA. The Secretary-General (SG) fulfils the role of ‘owner’ for the Minister and the Competition and Consumer Directorate is the policy-making directorate.
We experience a significant amount of support from the ministry for the use of conformity assessment under accreditation as a policy instrument. The ministry has a good overview of our various policy developments and is very involved.
The RvA regularly participates in consultations with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and implementing organisations with regard to improving services for citizens and businesses. The SG of the Ministry of Economic Affairs is the chair of this meeting.
In 2024, this ministry called on the RvA for inspections of amusement ride and play equipment. In addition, there is contact with the Ministry and the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate about electronic data exchange in healthcare, medical laboratories and medical devices, among other things.
The RvA is in contact with this ministry about topics such as the development of the Green Claims Directive and the regulation for a National Circular Plastics Standard. Additionally, institutions under accreditation are active within various European and national regulations. These include regulations for soil quality, rail and inland shipping, for example. The RvA consults with the Ministry and the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) on these topics.
The RvA supported this ministry with the European regulation for construction products, energy labels for homes and certification of work on gas combustion plants.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZ) and the Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure (RDI), we are working on the Cybersecurity Act, radio equipment, Cyber Resilience Act and Artificial Intelligence Act.
We are in discussions about the application of inspection and verification under accreditation within the Methane Regulation, EU ETS (trading system in emission allowances) and renewable energy.
This ministry seeks our expertise in the domain of an inspection of the rules for online gambling companies for remote gambling and certification within the standards framework regulations for youth protection and youth rehabilitation.
This ministry requests, among other things, our input in inspecting electrical equipment in barns to prevent barn fires and conducting tests on the composition of manure. In addition, the RvA works with the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) in testing for the presence of salmonella.
The RvA assists the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment with working conditions in asbestos, inspections of the safety of, among other things, lifts and pressure equipment, and handling abuses at temporary employment agencies. For the latter topic, inspection under the accreditation of temporary employment and secondment agencies is in development.
Accreditation is part of the Policy Compass, the policy instruments of policy officials.
Over the past year, the RvA has organized two workshops together with the Competition and Consumer Policy Directorate of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The first workshop focused on clarifying accreditation as a policy instrument and making it easier to work with accreditation.
In the second workshop, officials from policy ministries and state inspectorates brought in their own case positions. These workshops were extremely well attended.
