Optimization of our services
Always critical of what we do
At the RvA, we take a critical look at our own actions. To gain insight into where we can improve, we are in constant dialogue with our clients and stakeholders.
Our customers on the User Council
In 2025, the RvA held two meetings with our customers representatives on the User Council. In addition to key performance indicators such as turnaround times, strategic topics were also discussed. For example, in the spring of 2025, a strategy session was held to determine the recalibration of the RvA strategy. During this session, we brainstormed about important trends and developments in our customers markets.
The User Council considers efficiency to be important and questioned the RvA on this matter in a constructive and critical manner. Topics such as an assessment programme, the labour market, the handling of complaints, objections and disputes, sustainability and information security were discussed. The RvA also updates the User Council on the implementation of digitisation projects and the development of dashboards. The User Council has issued a positive recommendation regarding the 2026 fees.
RvA Strategic Conference
The theme of our annual RvA Strategic Conference in 2025 was ‘Resilience and prosperity: the challenges facing the TIC sector and accreditation’.
The message from the four speakers and the six-member panel to the more than 125 customers and stakeholders was inspiring: We must strengthen Europe from within the TIC sector by eliminating barriers across the European market as far as possible. Through cooperation and the acceleration of processes, Europe can catch up with China and the US.
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, Sandor Gaastra, called on the ICT sector to make clear to The Hague and Brussels what the challenges are.
Scientist Haroon Sheikh of the Scientific Council for Government Policy encouraged the ICT sector to harness the power of European standardisation and regulation to make a European mark on the global stage. Hanane Taidi, Director General of the TIC Council sees quality infrastructure as a key means of stimulating the internal European market. Finally, René Dijkstra of Raditec and Royal Association SME-Netherlands called for an increase in competitiveness and for more people to be trained in engineering.
The overall conclusion of the conference was that there is sufficient potential, energy and willingness within the TIC sector and accreditation to tackle the challenges and thus raise our resilience and prosperity in Europe to a higher level.
Impartiality assemblee
It is essential that the RvA acts impartially. Involving stakeholders in ensuring that impartiality aligns with the requirements of the ISO/IEC 17011 standard to which the RvA must comply.
In 2025, this meeting took place under the chairmanship of the Supervisory Board of the RvA with eight participants in the impartiality meeting – these are representatives of the RvA’s stakeholders. Among other things, the risk analysis regarding impartiality prepared by management was discussed. The development and methodology used in this risk analysis were audited in advance by an independent external auditor.
The RvA highly appreciates the constructive exchange and advice provided by all participants.
International cooperation
The RvA has been active abroad for many years, in line with our ambition to play a meaningful role on the international accreditation stage. In addition to our membership of the European Co-operation for Accreditation (EA), we contribute to the international policy development of accreditation, for example in the field of harmonisation.
Furthermore, the RvA is committed to strengthening the organisational development of European accreditation bodies. We do this in the interests of the relevance and future-proofing of accreditation as a tool. To achieve this, a broader impetus is needed at European level for the development of accreditation bodies.
The power of the quality infrastructure
Together with the Dutch Standards Institute (NEN) and the institutions and companies that carry out testing, inspection and certification, the RvA forms part of the quality infrastructure. These institutions and companies are largely represented in two sector organisations: Fenelab (Federation of Dutch Laboratories) and NVCi (Dutch Association of Certification Bodies).
In addition to technical and policy-related consultations, the RvA’s board holds more administratively oriented consultations with the boards of Fenelab, the Association of Scheme Administrators (VvS) and NVCi. We also maintain a relationship with the Van Swinden Laboratory (VSL), which is not only accredited but also acts as a partner in its capacity as a national metrology institute within the Dutch quality infrastructure.
In 2026, administrative consultations will commence with representatives of the collective medical laboratories. These administrative consultations contribute to constructive cooperation with our stakeholders.
Platform quality infrastructure
The RvA, NEN, VSL, NVCi, Fenelab and VvS have joined forces to form the Quality Infrastructure Platform. It works to raise awareness of the quality infrastructure with the aim of making ‘the Netherlands as a business’ better, safer and more sustainable.
Testing, inspection and certification based on standards can contribute to the achievement of social and economic objectives. They regularly keep each other informed of developments within the quality infrastructure. In addition, they work together to provide the TIC sector and public authorities with relevant information.
