Abstract: The certification process of COTS components is getting more important as we move towards the software component marketplace. We identify specifications used for certification tests and associations between them. Specifications are defined using UML notations and are shown on the example of the ASAM-GDI standard, which defines standard interfaces to devices and device drivers in automation and measurement systems. It is shown that UML is suitable for this purpose. Furthermore, it offers a platform-independent notation, which can be mapped to a specific language and technology i.e. to an execution model appropriate for the integration in a client system. We propose that reusability of COTS components should include not only the COTS component, but also specifications defining test cases. This way it will be possible for the client to quickly verify COTS component and to avoid the component misuse problem.