Conformity assessment involves a set of processes that show your product, service or system meets the requirements of a standard.

Undergoing the conformity assessment process has a number of benefits:

• It provides consumers and other stakeholders with added confidence.
• It gives your company a competitive edge.
• It helps regulators ensure that health, safety or environmental conditions are met.

The main forms of conformity assessment are testing, certification, and inspection.

The Government of SAARC Member States has recognized that, one of the objectives and functions of SARSO is to promote Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) on Conformity Assessment procedures amongst the SAARC Member States. 

The SAARC Agreement on ‘Multilateral Arrangement on Recognition of Conformity Assessment’ (MARCA) is aimed to facilitate the Parties to accept results of Conformity Assessment with a view to eliminate Technical Barriers to Trade within SAARC Region. The Board of Conformity Assessment (BCA) has been established as per relevant provision of SAARC Agreement on Multilateral Arrangement on Recognition of Conformity Assessment (MARCA), and is responsible for planning, coordinating and monitoring of all conformity assessment work of SARSO.