Automotive industry
Main articles: Motor vehicle type approval and Vehicle category
Vehicle type approval is the confirmation that production samples of a design will meet specified performance standards. Traditionally, there are two systems of type approval in Europe. The first one is based on the EC directives and regulates the approval of whole vehicles, vehicle systems, and separate components. The second one is part of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe regulations (UNECE) and also regulates the approval of whole vehicles, vehicle systems, and separate components. Recent changes to the requirements have seen the General Safety Regulation (GSR) EC661/2009 amending Directive 2007/46/EC by substituting the equivalent UNECE regulations in place of the EC directives. In effect the directives are being replaced by UNECE regulations. This now makes compliance with the UNECE regulations for type approval submissions compulsory from 1 November 2012 and compulsory for all vehicles entering to service from 1 November 2014.
The new Framework Directive (Directive 2007/46/EC establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles) rules the approval schemes of the new motor vehicles and their trailers in the European Union:
- European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA), this currently applies to passenger cars. from 29 October 2012, ECWVTA was extended to cover all new road vehicles and their trailers.
- United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) regulations.
- National Small Series Type Approval (NSSTA) – the key advantages of this scheme are that some technical requirements may be reduced in comparison with ECWVTA; however, the number of vehicles that can be manufactured is limited.
- Individual vehicle approval (IVA) (previously single vehicle approval)
Telecommunications
Each jurisdiction that regulates communications requires all types of equipment, and especially radio communications equipment, that are not specifically exempted (by reason of low power output, for instance) to be tested for conformance to local regulations before it is approved for use in that jurisdiction. Such conformance might include power and noise characteristics, use of permitted frequencies only, frequency stability, and various other electrical parameters.
Certificates of conformity, conformance or compliance
American commerce
A certificate of conformance is defined in American commerce as a document certified by a competent authority that the supplied good or service meets the required specifications. A certificate of conformance is a lot/datecode specific certification that provides traceability of the goods back to the point of manufacture.
American nuclear business
A certificate of conformity may be required of vendors of goods to nuclear generating stations to get the vendor to legally commit to stating compliance with applicable laws and regulations.