21:48 Mar 23, 2011 

A company will be accredited if they conform to certain standards like a lab whose issued results are held to be valid by the authorities, or like a university whose diplomas are conform to the state's education standards. Needless to say this does not apply to the transport of eplosives. 'Authorised' is being permitted/allowed to do something which you have the right to do (by law) by an authority. As in a demonstration. The police, when it authorises one, does not approve of it, but solely safeguards the right of the demonstrator. A company does not have a right to transport explosives. 'Licensed' means to be able to carry out activities that are otherwise prohibited, i.e. tranportation of explosives. As a normal person you are not permitted to do this kind of thing unless in very small quantities, in which case registration is required (even for re-enactment). We are talking of a company, so large quatities. If an amount of explosives is held in the UK higher than 2 tonnes it requires a license, otherwise a registration. It is quite clear that one cannot transport unless one has a storage fascility too. The Australian government has a licence for the transport of explosives too.

17:20 Mar 23, 2011 

I would like to add, would you say:

they were accredited or recognised by the police ??

15:03 Mar 23, 2011 

first of all, I know 'official sanction' as you used it means 'official permission'
secondly, as I understand it, this 'erkenning' is given by the police force in the municipality where the company is localized and does not necessarily mean that transport of hazardous materials is limited to this particular municipality

they have been given official permission (authorised) by the police force in the municipality where the company is localized to transport hazardous materials

what is the difference between being given official sanction/permission and being authorised by the police?

13:59 Mar 23, 2011 

The transport does not take place by official order (of the government or the municipality) so it does not carry within itself official sanction. The company has to be granted official permission to carry out any transportation of such goods from any origin whatsoever through this particular municipality. For that it does not need authorisation, but permission. Sanction in this case is not punishment but official authority. If this was the case, it would mean that no other company but the one in question would be permitted to transport any explosies through the concerned municipality. Needless to say that is not the case.

13:41 Mar 23, 2011 

I don't understand 'transport does not carry offical sanction'

this is about the transport of hazardous materials: explosives

13:02 Mar 23, 2011 

The definition of 'authorise' is as follows: '1 to confer authority upon (someone to do something); empower, 2 to permit (someone to do or be something) with official sanction.' Neither of those applies to the 'erkenning' of a company transporting goods through a municipality. It could refer to a company authorised to retail the products of a manufacturer, or to a software user to use the software. Transport does not carry official sanction. As such 'authorisation' in this case is a wrong translation. (Collins English Dictionary) Accreditation means practically the same and 'recognition' is yet further from the term 'erkenning' in this case. It just means to 'acknowledge' at best a claim. The legal definition of licen/se: '1 a document (...) giving official permission to do something' f.e. the sale of alcohol, without which the sale is prohibited and carries at least a fine. 'Permit' has a more temporary ring as in a building permit.