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We are pleased to advise that the recognition of the IAAC MLA to the ILAC MRA now includes the accreditation of PTP using ISO/IEC 17043 as a result of the recent ILAC Arrangement Council ballot and the 2017-2019 evaluation of IAAC.
The full list of signatories to the ILAC MRA is available from https://ilac.org/signatory-search/. This directory is searchable by economy and scope of signatory status as well as the name and acronym of the accreditation bodies that are signatories to the ILAC MRA. The scope of recognition of the recognised regions to the ILAC MRA is available from https://ilac.org/ilac-mra-and-signatories/recognised-regional-cooperation-bodies/. Information on the acceptance of calibration, testing and inspection results and programs provided by PTPs via the ILAC MRA is available from https://ilac.org/ilac-mra-and-signatories/.
ISO/CASCO has released a statement highlighting the role and importance of reliable conformity assessment in supporting those dealing with the consequences of the global COVID-19 outbreak. The statement is available here. The list of accreditation bodies that are signatories to the ILAC MRA that provide accreditation for conformity assessment activities such as testing and inspection is available from here.
ILAC-G29:06/2020 Guidelines for harmonization of scopes of ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation of WADA anti-doping laboratories has been published and is available from https://ilac.org/publications-and-resources/ilac-guidance-series/
This document produced by the ILAC-WADA Liaison Group provides guidance on the content of the ISO/IEC 17025 scopes of accreditation for WADA anti-doping laboratories taking into consideration the specific needs of the anti-doping field. This document is cross-referenced in the revised WADA ISL scheduled for implementation on 1 January 2021.
As a result of the recent ILAC ballot the transition period for ISO/IEC 17025:2017 adopted as part of the ILAC Resolution GA 20.15 (November 2016) has been extended from 30 November 2020 to 1 June 2021.
This extension has been granted to ensure all accreditation bodies and the accredited laboratories are able to achieve the remaining transitions in a robust manner under the restrictions imposed as a result of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.
At the end of the transition period, the accreditation of a laboratory to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 will not be recognised under the ILAC Arrangement.
The ISO/ILAC ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Transition Communique available from https://ilac.org/about-ilac/partnerships/international-partners/iso/ has been updated to reflect this extension to the transition period.
World Accreditation Day (#WAD2020) will be celebrated again this year on 9 June. This global initiative established by ILAC and IAF aims to raise awareness of the importance of accreditation.
The theme this year focuses on how accreditation improves food safety. The materials for supporting the promotion and celebration of this event including a poster, brochure, joint statement and video are now available for your use from here.
ILAC P15:05/2020 Application of ISO/IEC 17020:2012 for the Accreditation of Inspection Bodies has been published and is available from https://ilac.org/publications-and-resources/ilac-policy-series/
This revision of ILAC P15 includes updates as a result of the outcome of the ILAC Inspection Committee workshops, ISO CASCO clarification requests and the experience gained in the application of the previous version of ILAC P15 and ISO/IEC 17020:2012. The implementation date for ILAC P15:05/2020 is 18 months from the date of publication on the ILAC website (ie November 2021). The examples of the application of ISO/IEC 17020 removed from the previous version of ILAC P15 as a result of this revision are now available from the IC FAQs: https://ilac.org/about-ilac/faqs/
IAF and ILAC have produced a video: https://ilac.org/publications-and-resources/videos/ highlighting the role accreditation, as one of the pillars of the quality infrastructure, has in supporting the SDGs and in particular helping those dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic via the use of accredited conformity assessment services.
This report provides information on the activities carried out as part of the global peer evaluation process in 2019 in order to ensure that both regulators and consumers of laboratory and inspection data, as well as users of proficiency testing programs and reference materials are able to maintain confidence in the services accredited by the signatories to the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). The ILAC MRA 2019 Annual Report and associated infographic is available here.
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.