The Directorate General of Accreditation (Drejtoria e Përgjithshme e Akreditimit – DPA) is Albania’s national accreditation body and the public authority responsible for accrediting conformity assessment bodies in the country.Accreditation activities in Albania began around 1993 within the General Directorate of Standardization (DPS) and were transferred to the newly established DPA in March 2004. Operating under the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation, DPA assesses the competence of organizations that perform testing, calibration, inspection, and the certification of products, management systems and persons.

DPA represents Albania in the international and European accreditation community and participates in mutual recognition arrangements that support the acceptance of accredited results across borders. It is a member of the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). The organization became a signatory to the EA Multilateral Agreement (EA MLA) in stages covering testing, inspection, management systems certification, personnel certification and medical laboratory accreditation. DPA is also a signatory to the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC MRA), helping ensure that accredited conformity assessment results issued in Albania are recognized internationally.

The purpose of accreditation is to determine the competence of conformity assessment bodies carrying out testing, calibration, inspection, product certification, management system certification and personnel certification. DPA conducts accreditation assessments, maintains records of accredited bodies, cooperates with accreditation organizations in other countries, provides accreditation-related training, and advises public authorities on accreditation and technical competence matters. It also handles complaints and appeals related to accreditation and supports regulatory authorities in approval and oversight activities.

The organization works with a range of stakeholders, including government institutions, conformity assessment bodies, industry representatives, consumer organizations and technical experts. Through its accreditation activities and international recognition arrangements, DPA helps support confidence in conformity assessment services, facilitates trade, and contributes to the alignment of Albania’s quality infrastructure with European and international practices.

DPA is headed by a General Director and is organized into specialized departments covering testing, calibration and medical laboratories, certification and inspection bodies, development activities, and finance and administrative services. This structure supports the accreditation of a broad range of conformity assessment activities across the Albanian economy.

For more information, please visit its official website.