Being ‘certified’ means that a certain specification of requirements, norm or standard is met. A certificate is therefore evidence that something fulfils certain specific, imposed requirements. Certification also means that what is certified must be followed up and checked, to ensure that what the certification concerns still applies. For example: Does the certified person still possess sufficient knowledge? Does the certified process or service function in accordance with the applicable standard? Or, in the case of a certified product; do all examples of something which is manufactured correspond with the certified example? Certification must be carried out in accordance with a certification system, with specific established rules. A certification body can carry out its own tests and controls or outsource these tasks and allow other bodies to carry them out instead. 

The Swedish accreditation body Swedac is a government agency which issues “certification under accreditation”, which is equivalent to the old term “state authorisation”. 

Certification applies for a limited period of time, with five years being a common period of validity. The following four criteria must be fulfilled for certification: 

• fulfilment of requirements
• compliance control
• time limitation
• accreditation

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