scope:

This International Standard describes the fundamentals of product certification and provides guidelines for understanding, developing, operating or maintaining certification schemes for products, processes and services.

It is intended for use by all with an interest in product certification, and especially by certification scheme owners.

NOTE 1 In this International Standard the term "product" can also be read as "process" or "service", except in those instances where separate provisions are stated for "processes" or "services". Definitions of product, process and service are given in ISO/IEC 17065.

NOTE 2 The certification of products, processes and services is a third-party conformity assessment activity (see ISO/IEC 17000) carried out by product certification bodies. The requirements for product certification bodies are specified in ISO/IEC 17065.