Members of the Senate and also representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (the founder of CAI) took part in this gathering.

Also, representatives of ministries and other authorities attended; all of which cooperate in the field of the accreditation system provided by CAI and make use of the accredited conformity assessment bodies. Among other attendants were members of the Quality Council of the Czech Republic – an advisory body of the Czech Republic Government, members of CAI bodies – the Board of directors, the Supervisory board, the Accreditation board and Technical Committees; personalities who started the accreditation system in the Czech Republic and CAI. Last but not least former and present employees of CAI also attended.

The opening speech was given by Senator Vítězslav Jonáš, vice-chairman of the National Economy Committee, Agriculture and Transport, who highlighted the importance and benefits of accreditation as a tool for ensuring conformity assessment and the bodies’ competence. Afterwards, Jan Duben, Director of the Department of Harmonization and Communications Services at the Ministry of Industry and Trade summarized, in his speech, a legal framework of accreditation in the EU and in the Czech Republic; and the changes in authorization following the New Legislative Framework (NLF) application as well as those of NLF arising from strengthening of accreditation. Subsequently, Senator Tomáš Kladívko, member of Foreign Affairs Committee, Defence and Security, addressed in his speech international importance of accreditation. Finally, the director of CAI Jiří Růžička listed the important milestones in the 20 year history of accreditation in the Czech Republic, a part of which was mentioned to have been dated in Czechoslovakia. He underlined this by saying: “The power of nations, societies and companies evolves from their own history”; since, the preparatory activities to establish the accreditation system were being done already at the Federal Office for Standardization and Measurement in 1988-1991. There was founded the independent Accreditation Department on February 1^st 1991. The first Accreditation Certificate was issued on March 14^th 1991 at that time still in the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic. Mr Ruzicka also passed greetings from Graham Talbot, Chairman of the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), and his thanks for the work of CAIs´ delegates in EA committees which has been to the benefit of EA.

An important part of the ceremony were Awards for Extraordinary Contribution of Eminents in Accreditation system Creation and Development, which is administered by CAI. Commemorative medals and a letter of thanks were given to Bohumila Fořtová, Valérie Freimanová, Miloslav Jakob, Petr Kučera, Vladimír Ludvík, Pavel Malčík, Miroslav Tesař, Jaroslav Veselý and Tomáš Zima.

Musical entertainment was ensured by Jan Pařík conducting the quintet “Juventus”. In the end, the guests toasted to the awarded personalities and enjoyed refreshments in the historical lounges.