The simplification of controls on economic activities enters a new phase.
With Legislative Decree No. 103 of July 12, 2024, the legislator introduced a system for identifying and assessing "low" risk levels, aimed at making the planning of administrative controls more proportionate, effective, and consistent with the risk profile of economic activities.
In implementation of the provisions of Article 3 of the decree, UNI has published UNI/PdR 186, which provides the technical reference for the identification and assessment of the "low" risk level and for the issuance of the certification report by accredited bodies. The resulting regulatory and technical framework emphasizes objective and verifiable criteria, linking the risk level of companies to elements such as organizational structure, compliance with applicable requirements, and the use of independent assessment tools.
To explore this new regulatory framework and understand its operational implications for businesses, AFNOR Italia has organized a dedicated seminar to be held:
📅 Friday, February 6, 2026
🕙 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Registration: https://forms.gle/Hai15EZWFo3tD2e1A
A paradigm shift in economic activity controls
Legislative Decree 103/2024 establishes a voluntary system that allows companies to demonstrate, in an objective and verifiable manner, their "low" risk level in relation to five key areas:
- environmental protection
- public health and hygiene
- public safety
- protection of public trust
- worker safety
The objective is to promote a risk-based control model, moving beyond uniform approaches and introducing criteria based on objective and verifiable elements, capable of distinguishing the most structured and compliant organizations.
The central role of the certification report
A key element of the system is the certification report, which provides formal evidence of the "low" risk level of an economic activity.
The decree establishes that this report may only be issued by bodies that:
- certification
- inspection
- validation or verification
provided that they are:
- accredited by the recognized national accreditation body, and
- signatories to the mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) of theEuropean co-operation for Accreditation (EA).
This regulatory choice reinforces the value of accreditation as a guarantee of competence, impartiality, and reliability, while ensuring the European recognition of conformity assessment results.
Accredited certification as a regulatory trust tool
With the introduction of the "low" risk system, accredited certifications take on a new and strategic role.
They are no longer just voluntary tools for organizational improvement, but become relevant elements for the purposes of public control planning.
The parameters considered for risk assessment include:
- possession of management system certifications issued under accreditation;
- certifications related to ESG principles;
- the history of audits undergone by the organization;
- the sector and characteristics of the economic activity.
Accredited certifications thus take on greater value, becoming qualifying elements in the overall assessment of a company's risk profile, while retaining their voluntary nature.
UNI/PdR 186 as a technical application reference
UNI/PdR 186, published by UNI in implementation of Article 3 of Legislative Decree 103/2024, constitutes the technical reference for the application of the "low" risk identification and assessment system.
The practice does not replace the law, but supports its practical application by providing criteria and operational requirements for the issuance of the certification report by accredited bodies.
UNI/PdR 186 is divided into four parts:
- UNI/PdR 186-1 – General aspects of the system;
- UNI/PdR 186-2 – Environmental protection scope;
- UNI/PdR 186-3 – Public health and hygiene sector;
- UNI/PdR 186-4 – Worker safety.
Thanks to this structure, the practice provides a structured and consistent technical framework that is useful for companies, conformity assessment bodies, and public administrations.
The AFNOR Italia seminar
The seminar promoted by AFNOR Italia, scheduled for Friday, February 6, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., aims to:
- illustrate the system for identifying and assessing "low" risk as provided for in Legislative Decree 103/2024;
- clarify the role of the certification report and accredited bodies;
- present the structure and contents of UNI/PdR 186;
- provide companies and professionals with operational guidelines to navigate the new regulatory and technical framework.
The meeting is aimed at companies, compliance officers, quality, environment, and safety managers, consultants, auditors, and certification professionals.
