The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and Sweden’s accreditation authority, Swedac, have agreed on a framework that allows UK-based conformity assessment bodies to undergo accreditation assessments locally while retaining access to selected European Union regulatory schemes. The agreement was unveiled at the Global ACI Annual Meetings in Panama on 26 October 2026. It initially covers the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and Renewable Energy Directive III (RED III).
Under the arrangement, UKAS will conduct accreditation assessments of verification and certification bodies based in the United Kingdom on behalf of Swedac. Swedac will remain the EU-based authority responsible for granting accreditation. The framework is intended to provide a route for UK conformity assessment bodies to meet relevant EU requirements without additional costs and delays that can occur when assessment teams are brought in from abroad.
EU accreditation requirements behind the UKAS-Swedac arrangement
Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 requires conformity assessment bodies participating in certain verification and certification programmes to be accredited by an EU-based accreditation body. The UKAS-Swedac framework addresses this requirement by separating the conduct of assessments from the authority responsible for granting accreditation. The approach is designed to maintain the rigour of accreditation assessments while making the process more accessible to UK-based conformity assessment bodies.
The agreement combines assessments carried out locally by UKAS with recognition through Swedac. This structure enables eligible bodies to participate in the covered EU schemes while aligning with EU accreditation rules. Both organisations aim to support confidence in accredited conformity assessment services for businesses, regulators and the public.
Initial coverage: CBAM verification and RED III sustainability requirements
The initial scope includes CBAM, which is designed to address carbon leakage by placing a comparable carbon cost on imports. Carbon leakage occurs when carbon-intensive production shifts to countries with less stringent carbon constraints, potentially undermining domestic decarbonisation efforts. The agreement also includes RED III as a second covered scheme.
RED III establishes EU sustainability and greenhouse-gas requirements for renewable energy, including crops used in biofuel production. The Directive also seeks to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and accelerate the transition to clean energy through targets for the share of energy derived from renewable sources by 2030. Both frameworks depend on reliable, verifiable information and therefore specify the use of accredited certifiers and verifiers.
Accreditation is described as providing assurance about the accuracy and integrity of submitted data and supporting confidence in regulatory compliance. For UK-based conformity assessment bodies, access to these schemes creates opportunities to provide services within markets governed by EU requirements. The agreement is intended to facilitate that access while maintaining confidence in accredited conformity assessment services.
Statements from UKAS and Swedac on cooperation
Matt Gantley, UKAS chief executive, said the agreement strengthened cooperation between the two accreditation organisations. He said it demonstrated their commitment to practical solutions for market access. Gantley added that the framework would reduce unnecessary duplication by combining local assessment convenience with EU-wide recognition.
Gantley said this would be done without weakening the robustness of accreditation procedures. He also highlighted accredited services as a factor in maintaining confidence in quality and integrity while lowering barriers to trade. Alexandra Wilton Wahren, Swedac director general, said cooperation was intended to translate mutual trust into practical arrangements supporting trade.
Wahren said enabling UK conformity assessment bodies to obtain accreditation against EU requirements for CBAM and RED III would benefit businesses on both sides. She also said it would strengthen confidence in movement of goods between the United Kingdom, Sweden and the wider EU market.
Additional schemes planned beyond CBAM and RED III
The UKAS-Swedac agreement currently covers assessments relating to CBAM and RED III. Both organisations are working towards expanding its scope to include additional schemes that require accreditation by an EU-based body. The expansion work would also allow conformity assessment bodies established outside the European Union and European Economic Area (EEA) to be recognised.
Any expansion is described as building on the initial framework for UK-based verification and certification bodies seeking to meet accreditation requirements associated with covered European regulatory schemes.