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TO THE MEMBERS OF CASCO AND

2020-05-19 ORGANIZATIONS IN LIAISON

CASCO statement on COVID 19

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is to inform you that a statement from CASCO on COVID 19 has been
published on ISO.org. This was following a decision from the CASCO Chairman
Policy and Coordination group (CPC) taken at the last meeting on 6 and 7 May
based on stakeholder feedbacks and inputs from the Strategic Alliance and
Regulatory group (STAR) that met on 5 May. The purpose is to highlight that the
CASCO Toolbox (ISO/IEC 17000 series of standards) enables the conformity
assessment community to face the extraordinary period which the world is
currently facing. The requirements for the competence, impartiality and
consistent operations of bodies as well as the risk-based approach and the
possibility to use remote techniques ensures that CASCO standards continue to
support the reliability of the conformity assessment system.
The statement is also enclosed in annex to this letter for your convenience. We
encourage you to share this information within your conformity assessment
network.

Yours faithfully,

Sean Mac Curtain Reinaldo B. Figueiredo

Director, Conformity Assessment ISO/CASCO Chair
CASCO Secretary
 CASCO
May 2020

CASCO STATEMENT ON COVID 19

The current COVID-19 situation is causing unprecedented levels of uncertainty for businesses,
consumers, regulators and governments. Conformity assessment, delivered by numerous
members of the conformity assessment community, has a vital role in delivering assurance to
these groups.

Conformity assessment is a demonstration that specified requirements are fulfilled. When people
trust the effectiveness of specified requirements to deliver real benefits, then demonstrations of
fulfillment of the specified requirements by bodies who are competent, consistent and impartial
have a proven ability to reduce uncertainty and risk.

CASCO with its unique Toolbox (ISO/IEC 17000 series of standards), is enabling all the
Conformity Assessment community to continue to serve the market, regulators, companies and
end users in a flexible way providing continued confidence in fulfilment of requirements in this
critical and extraordinary period which the world is currently facing.

CASCO standards set requirements for the competence, consistent operation and impartiality of
bodies performing conformity assessment activities to ensure its ability to reduce uncertainty and
risk. Thus, a body fulfilling CASCO standards systematically deals with external events such as
the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically:

1. The Conformity Assessment Bodies are operating utilising competent people

continuously trained in accordance with the latest available technologies, standards and
safety protocols.
2. The Conformity Assessment Bodies are governed with established management
systems enabling them to operate in all types of environments, including pandemic
periods, in a consistent and effective manner.
3. The risk-based approach is an important element to focus on to protect the health and
safety of all those involved in the delivery of conformity assessment. The risk-based
approach also applies to maintaining the impartiality of the conformity assessment bodies
and conducting of their activities to continuously provide reliable results.
4. The use of alternative approaches (e.g. remote auditing/assessment methods) is
considered a reliable tool to support the continuous delivery of the conformity assessment
services in spite of several lockdowns, travel restrictions and partial productions,
processes and services shut-downs.

Many bodies performing conformity assessment activities demonstrate their fulfillment of CASCO
standards by internal, peer, customer, regulatory or independent recognition processes. CASCO
will continue to work and communicate with a range of stakeholders to ensure that CASCO
standards continue to support the reliability of the conformity assessment system. This involves
dialogue with key organizations such as the IAF and ILAC as well as others.

The overall CASCO approach to standards for conformity assessment helps to ensure effective
conformity assessment and will contribute to reducing uncertainty and risk when unforeseen
events and disruptive changes arise. CASCO will continue to respond to the needs of the market
in these extraordinary circumstances.

/
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For further information, visit CASCO webpage (https://www.iso.org/casco.html) or contact the

CASCO secretariat (casco@iso.org)