Accreditation literally means: giving confidence. We want to be able to blindly trust that the quality of products and services is correct. We want to know that the results of blood tests are correct, that meat does not contain too many bacteria, that escalators are safe to use, that electronics engineers are acting professionally. All of this is only possible when certificates and reports substantiate what is being claimed.
Accreditation is a way to demonstrate quality and competence. It has positive effects for authorities, purchasers, industry, manufacturers and consumers.
Some accreditation is mandatory, which means that some testing and inspection bodies must be accredited in order to operate their business. On the vehicle side, companies carrying out vehicle inspection and the inspection of tachographs and speed limiters need to be accredited.