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» IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE TRANSITION TO ISO/IEC 17025:2017


The ILAC Arrangement Management Committee (AMC) is responsible for monitoring the implementation of transition periods for the Level 3 standards used by the accreditation bodies under the ILAC MRA.

The members of the ILAC AMC have reviewed the reports received from the regional cooperation bodies detailing the progress of the accreditation bodies in their region in completing the transition of the accredited laboratories to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 by 30 November 2020.

Whilst progress up until March 2020, when the data was collected, was typical for this stage in the transition of such a standard, given the now global impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and subsequent health and safety measures adopted by most economies, the members of the AMC recommend that an extension to this transition period is warranted. This will ensure all accreditation bodies and the accredited laboratories are able to achieve the remaining transitions in a robust manner.

The AMC therefore recommends that the end of the transition period adopted as part of the ILAC Resolution GA 20.15 (November 2016) be extended from 30 November 2020 to 1 June 2021 to ensure all laboratories are able to be transitioned under the restrictions imposed as a result of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

This recommendation is currently the subject of a 30 day ILAC ballot with all eligible voting members. The outcome of the ballot and therefore the extension or otherwise of the implementation period for the transition to the 2017 version of ISO/IEC 17025 will be announced in June 2020.