Accreditation Body of Montenegro (ATCG) is the national accreditation body which, in the public interest, carries out accreditation of conformity assessment bodies (laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies, etc.) with the aim of assessing and confirming their competence in accordance with internationally accepted accreditation requirements and criteria.

ATCG constitutes the cornerstone of the accreditation system in Montenegro and is responsible for its continuous improvement, recognition, and integration into the regional and international accreditation framework.

The mandate of ATCG is clearly defined and does not overlap with the competences of other state authorities or public institutions. The core mandate and tasks of the ATCG include:

• establishing and publishing accreditation criteria and rules based on the relevant harmonised accreditation standards and mandatory documents of the European and international accreditation organizations;
• conducting accreditation of conformity assessment bodies in order to assess and confirm their integrity and technical competence to perform activities related to testing (including medical testing), calibration, inspection, certification of products, processes and services, certification of management systems, certification of persons, verification and validation, as well as in other accreditation areas in accordance with the requirements of interested parties and the needs of development of the national accreditation system;
• maintaining a public register of accredited conformity assessment bodies;
• participating in the work of European and international accreditation organizations and cooperating with national accreditation bodies of other countries;
• concluding and maintaining international agreements in the field of accreditation;
• planning and delivering training for ATCG assessors and technical experts;
• promoting the role and benefits of accreditation;
• performing other activities in the field of accreditation in accordance with the law.

ATCG performs its activities in accordance with the Law on Accreditation, its founding act, the Statute, the requirements of the international standard ISO/IEC 17011, as well as other general and internal acts aligned with the mandatory documents and guidelines adopted by the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) and the international accreditation organisation (Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated).

ATCG carries out accreditation of conformity assessment bodies in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner, guided by the principles of impartiality, objectivity, and competence. In accordance with its mandate, ATCG does not perform conformity assessment activities and does not provide consultancy services to conformity assessment bodies.

ATCG does not promote its services or engage in marketing activities outside the territory of Montenegro, nor does it compete with other national accreditation bodies.

ATCG carries out its operational activities in accordance with the Annual Work Programme, adopted by the ATCG Management Board with the consent of the Government of Montenegro, acting in its capacity as the founder. The Annual Work Programmes and the corresponding Activity Reports of ATCG are publicly available and may be accessed in the section “About the Accreditation Body of Montenegro / Work Programme and Annual Report”.

Supervision over ATCG in the performance of tasks defined by law is exercised by the ministry responsible for quality infrastructure. Oversight of the efficient, effective, and rational use of funds allocated to ATCG from the Budget of Montenegro is exercised by the ministries responsible for finance and quality infrastructure.