Prior to the 27^th International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) Congress 2004 in Budapest, Hungary, to issue ISTA International Seed Lot Certificates a seed testing laboratory was required to successfully participate in the ISTA Proficiency Test Programme and in the ISTA Audit Programme (accreditation) and was obliged to have the approval of the national Designated Authority to issue ISTA International Seed Lot Certificates (authorisation).

At the 27^th ISTA Congress 2004, a large majority of governments supported a constitution change proposal accepting the accreditation of a laboratory including the authorisation to issue certificates as a purely technical task and consequently making an authorisation through the Designated Authorities superfluous.

This means that with immediate effect seed testing laboratories are in the position to issue ISTA International Seed Lot Certificates once they have fulfilled all requirements of the ISTA Quality Assurance Programme - including the continuous successful participation in the ISTA Proficiency Test and the successful participation in the ISTA Audit Programme.

The right to issue ISTA International Seed Lot Certificates is now given to a successful seed testing laboratory by the ISTA Executive Committee following the ISTA Constitution, Article VII (c) (15).