Approval is granted on the basis of the following criteria:
1° To present and maintain all guarantees of confidentiality, impartiality, integrity and independence. In particular, the approved laboratory and its staff must not be involved in activities that are incompatible with their independence of judgement and their integrity with regard to the analysis activities for which the laboratory is approved. The approved laboratory must not be owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a manufacturer, importer, distributor or retailer of tobacco products. In this respect, the turnover of an approved laboratory must not derive significantly from commercial relations with manufacturers, importers, distributors or retailers of tobacco products;
2° It must have the skills and equipment necessary to carry out the analyses mentioned in Article L. 3512-15;
3° On the date of submission of the application for approval, be accredited in accordance with standard NF EN ISO/ CEI 17025 by the Comité français d’accréditation (COFRAC) or by any other equivalent European accreditation body that is a signatory to the multilateral agreement within the framework of the European coordination of accreditation bodies, for the performance of the sampling and analyses that are the subject of the application for approval.