UKAS and Swedac cooperation cuts EU CBAM & RED III trade barriers

Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 requires conformity assessment bodies (CABs) participating in a number of verification and certification programmes to be accredited by an EU-based accreditation body.

Under the new UKAS/Swedac agreement, UKAS will carry out accreditation assessments of UK-based verification and certification bodies on behalf of Swedac, with Swedac remaining as the EU-based accreditation granting authority.

This allows UK CABs to comply with EU requirements and participate in relevant schemes, without incurring the additional expense and delays that often arise from using internationally-based assessment teams.

CBAM and RED III

The leading examples of two such European schemes are the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the Renewable Energy Directive III (RED III).

By placing a comparable cost on carbon imports, CBAM is designed to prevent ‘carbon leakage’, where carbon-intensive production moves to countries with less-stringent carbon constraints, thereby undermining domestic decarbonisation efforts.

RED III sets EU sustainability and greenhouse-gas requirements for renewable energy, including crops used in the production of biofuels. More broadly, the Directive aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and accelerate the shift to ‘clean energy’ by setting targets for the proportion of energy that must come from renewable sources by 2030.

CBAM and RED III play a pivotal role in protecting the integrity of climate policy and helping reach net zero targets.

As both schemes also rely on credible and verifiable data, they specify the use of accredited certifiers and verifiers.

In addition to generating confidence in the integrity and accuracy of data, this increases assurance in regulatory compliance and expands potential marketplaces, including for UK-based CABs.

This agreement is an important step forward in strengthening cooperation between UKAS and Swedac, both of whom are recognised as world leaders in accreditation.  More significantly, it demonstrates both organisations’ commitment to producing practical solutions that support market access, reduce unnecessary duplication and deliver real value for conformity assessment bodies.  The UKAS/Swedac agreement combines the convenience of local assessments with the benefit of EU-wide recognition, without compromising on the robust nature of accreditation assessments.  This lowers barriers to trade for CABs, whilst continuing to underpin confidence in the quality and integrity of accredited conformity assessment services for businesses, regulators and the general public, said Matt Gantley, CEO at UKAS.

Initially, the UKAS/Swedac agreement covers CBAM and RED III assessments.  Both accreditation bodies are working toward extending the agreement to include other schemes with a similar requirement for use of an EU-based accreditation body, where conformity assessment bodies will be recognised from outside the EU/EEA.

This strengthened cooperation between Swedac and UKAS is about turning trust into practical solutions for trade. By enabling UK conformity assessment bodies to obtain accreditation against EU requirements for CBAM and RED III, we are supporting businesses on both sides, reducing barriers to trade and strengthening confidence in the movement of goods between the UK, Sweden and the wider EU market, said Alexandra Wilton Wahren, Director General, Swedac.