History of NAAU

In fulfilment of the Law of Ukraine “On Consumer Protection” No. 1023-XII dated 12.05.1991 and Decree of the Cabinet Ministries of Ukraine “On Organization of Product Certification” No. 95 dated 27.02.1992, in 1992, the system of obligatory product certification began to develop in Ukraine. This system was called UkrSEPRO (Ukrainian product certification).

The State Committee of Ukraine on Standardization, Metrology and Quality of Products (Derzhstandart of Ukraine) was assigned functions of the National Certification Body.

Certification system could not function without relevant infrastructure – network of test laboratories (centers) and product certification bodies. Therefore, development of the UkrSEPRO system began from the creation of accreditation system of testing laboratories and products certification bodies. For that purpose, in 1992 drafts of the first four basic methodic-organizational documents of the UkrSEPRO system were developed:

  •  “General Provisions”;
  • “Accreditation of testing laboratories”;
  • “Regulations on product certification bodies and their accreditation procedure”;
  • “Preparation and conduct of product certification”.

At that time the well-developed test basis existed in Ukraine, but it had to confirm its technical competence through accreditation and confirmation of the possibility to perform conformity assessment.

Establishing the network of product certification bodies independent from developers, manufacturers, suppliers and customers became a very difficult organizational issue. The solution was found through the creation of “CB appointment” system by means of assignment of relevant CB functions on research institutes, special design offices or standardization and metrology centers. Appointment was carried out by issuing common orders between Derzhstandart of Ukraine and relevant Ministry (authorities). The orders included obligatory requirements to the necessity of gradual separation of structural department from the appointed organization. Legally and financially independent certification body was created on the basis of this department, with its further accreditation for technical competence.

With the purpose of the UkrSEPRO system approval, the draft normative statement was developed and adopted later as the Decree of Cabinet of Ministers “On Standardization and Certification” No. 46-93 dated 10 May, 1993.

The next important step towards creation of the UkrSEPRO system was development and implementation of “List of products subject to the obligatory certification in Ukraine” and “Status of the importation procedure of products to the customs territory of Ukraine, which are imported and subject to the obligatory certification”, which started since 1.07.1994. By the time obligatory certification was implemented Derzhstandart had already accredited about 200 testing laboratories and 100 were designated or accredited as product certification bodies.

Implementation of the Law of Ukraine “On Accreditation of Conformity Assessment Bodies” brought the Ukrainian accreditation system to compliance with international and European rules and procedures in sphere of conformity assessment.

This law separated functions of conformity assessment and accreditation. Before NAAU establishment accreditation functions were fulfilled by the State Committee of Ukraine on standardization, metrology and certification. After NAAU establishment accreditation and conformity assessment functions in Ukraine were separated.

By the order of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine (ME) No.5 dated 04.01.2002 NAAU was founded and NAAU Regulations were approved.

  • Sergii Kazantsev was appointed as Chairman of NAAU by the order of ME dated 10.04.2002 No. 71/1-П.
  • Dmytro Zorgach was appointed as Chairman of NAAU by the order of ME dated 27.10.2008 No. № 95-п.
  • Volodymyr Chekalin was appointed as Chairman of NAAU by the order of ME dated 15.07.2010 No. 82-п.
  • Volodymyr Rushchak was appointed as Chairman of NAAU by the order of ME dated 12.07.2013 No. 60-п.
  • Viktor Gorytskyy was appointed as Chairman of NAAU by the order of ME dated 30.12.2015 No. 208-п.
  • Igor Ianchev was appointed as acting Chairman of NAAU by the order of ME dated 15.11.2019 № 82-п.
  • Sergii Popyk was appointed as acting Director of NAAU by the order of ME dated 20.05.2020 № 77-п.
  • Sergii Kostiuk was appointed as acting Director of NAAU by the order of ME dated 05.12.2022 № 126-п.

By the common order of NAAU and Derzhspozhyvstandart of 09.07.2002 No. 419/1 works on accreditation carried out by Derzhstandart have been handed over to NAAU since 15.07.2002.

“Rules for determination of accreditation work cost” were approved by the order of ME dated 13.08.2002 No. 248 and coordinated with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. Rules and amount of payment for works on accreditation of conformity assessment bodies are approved by NAAU.

With the purpose of using the accreditation mark by accredited CABs description and rules of using the national accreditation mark (order of ME dated 21.11.2002) were developed and approved; the accreditation mark was registered in the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine on 27 November 2002.

The first session of TCA was held on 18 December 2002. TCA members determined TCA structure (8 subcommittees), considered Regulations on TCA, elected Chairman of TCA and his deputies – heads of subcommittees. Following the consideration results, Regulations on TCA were adopted by the order of NAAU No. 96 dated 28.12.2002.

Regulations on Accreditation Council and its membership were approved as well. The first meeting of Accreditation Council took place on 6 March 2003.

The first revision of “Regulations on NAAU Commission on Appeals” (GD-15.00.05) was approved by the order of NAAU No. 192 dated 12.03.2003.

During its activity NAAU as a national accreditation body received methodical, informative and financial assistance within the framework of the following international and European programs:

  1. TRANSFORM (founded by the government of Germany). Seminars, joint assessments, internship in the German accreditation body DACH were carried out within the framework of the program (2003).
  2. TACIS (funded by the European Union). Training in SWEDAC (Swedish accreditation body) and evaluation of the national accreditation system by Swedish specialists were carried out within the framework of the program (2004).
  3. Seminar «World Trade and Conformity Assessment, Quality Infrastructure Development» founded by the government of Sweden (SIDA, 2005).
  4. Twinning project “Strengthening of Standardization, Market Surveillance, Metrology, Conformity Assessment and Consumer Policy in Ukraine” (Twinning project UA 06/PCA/TR04, 2008-2010).
  5. Twinning project “Strengthening Capacity of the National Accreditation Agency of Ukraine” (Twinning project UA 06/PCA/TR07). The project was carried out by a Dutch-Swedish consortium NEN-RvA-NMI-SWEDAC. Content of project: teaching in the field of accreditation and feature of application for different sectors of economy, participation of NAAU specialists in meetings of EA General Assemblies and committees, conducting accreditation with participation of parties from Ukraine, the Netherlands and Sweden (2008-2010).
  6. Project “Technical Assistance to Ukrainian Quality Infrastructure in Ukraine” (EuropeAid/126112/SER/UA). Founder – the European Union. Content of project for NAAU: support of NAAU participation in the work of EA committees, submission of proposals in relation to amendments to the Law of Ukraine «On accreditation of conformity assessment bodies» (2009-2010).
  7. Program of sector budgetary support ‘Assistance to mutual trade by removing technical barriers in trade between Ukraine and the European Union”. Implementation period: 2011 – 2015.
  8. Twinning project «Further strengthening of the National Accreditation Agency of Ukraine» (Twinning project UA 10/ENP-PCA/TR/24). That project was carried out by the British-German Consortium BSI-NPL-BAM. Implementation period: 2011 – 2013.
  9. Project "Realizing export potential of the wood and processed wood value chain in Ukraine by strengthening the related quality infrastructure", executor - United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), 2019-2022.
  10. PTB Project “Support to the implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine in the field of Metrology”, May 2019 - April 2022.
  11. Twinning project "Strengthening the institutional capacity of the Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine in the field of National Quality Infrastructure", February 15, 2021 - May 14, 2023.
  12. International technical assistance project "Utilization and Implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine in the Field of Trade", the executor is the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. November 12 - June 30, 2023.
  13. PTB project “Using regional synergies in the area of quality infrastructure”.

In the beginning of its activity NAAU was temporarily located at the following address: Kiev, Svyatoshynska Street, 2.

Since May, 2003 NAAU was located at the following address: Kiev, Vozzyednannya Avenue, 15/17.

Since November, 2009 NAAU was located at the following address: Kiev, Generala Almazova Street, 18/7 (former Kutuzova street, 18/7).

Since July 2023 NAAU has been located at the following address: Tarasa Shevchenko Boulevard 23, Kyiv.

History of NAAU international cooperation

NAAU is a category А member of the European Co-operation for Accreditation (EA) and a signatory to the EA Multilateral Agreement (EA MLA) in such areas of accreditation as testing and calibration laboratories, medical laboratories, products, processes and services certification bodies, management systems certification bodies, personnel certification bodies and inspection bodies.

NAAU is a full member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and a signatory to the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC MRA) in such accreditation areas as testing and calibration laboratories, medical laboratories, as well as inspection bodies.

NAAU is a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and a signatory to the IAF Multilateral Arrangement in the following scopes: “Product Certification”, “Certification of Persons” and “Management Systems Certification” (for the following sub-scopes for the standards ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 50001, ISO 13485, ISO 45001).

Thus, accreditation provided by NAAU in the above-mentioned areas is equivalent to accreditation provided by national accreditation bodies that are signatories to the above agreements in more than 80 countries of the world.