The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a trade agreement, released on November 5^th 2015, between twelve Pacific Rim countries. The agreement’s goal is to promote economic growth; support the creation and retention of jobs; enhance innovation, productivity and competitiveness; raise living standards; promote transparency, good governance, and enhanced labour and environmental protections. 

Accreditation, recognised by existing regional and international mutual recognition Arrangements (the ILAC MRA and IAF MLA), is referenced as being a key measure to support trade through the removal of technical barriers.

The twelve Pacific-rim countries include New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Singapore, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Peru, Vietnam, Mexico and the USA.

Click to access the agreement’s table of contents.
http://dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/tpp/official-documents/Pages/official-documents.aspx

Access the chapter that refers to Technical Barriers to Trade.
http://dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/tpp/official-documents/Documents/ch8-technical-barriers-to-trade.pdf

The adopted resolutions from the ILAC General Assembly held on 4 and 6 November 2015, as part of the successful ILAC and IAF annual meetings hosted by ACCREDIA in Milan, Italy, from 28 October to 6 November 2015, are available here.

ILAC News Published    

The 48th edition of ILAC News has been published and is available here

Accreditation Commission for Conformity Assessment Bodies (ACCAB), India, is now an Associate member of ILAC.

ACCAB originally joined ILAC as an Affiliate Member in 2011 and we are now pleased to welcome ACCAB as an Associate member of ILAC.

The brochure Why become an Accredited Reference Material Producer has been published and is available here.

This brochure outlines the need for reference materials and the importance and value in accreditation for reference material producers.

It should also be noted for users of reference materials that ILAC G9:2005 Guidelines for the Selection and Use of Reference Materials has been withdrawn as ISO Guide 33:2015 Reference materials – Good practice in using reference materials replaces ILAC G9 and is available from www.iso.org

The signatory status of Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC) has been extended to include medical testing.

The full list of signatories to the ILAC MRA is available from  “here“

Association of Indian Laboratories (AOIL), India,  is welcomed as a Stakeholder member of ILAC.

We welcome (AOIL) and look forward to working with our (AOIL) colleagues.

Association Congolaises des Laboratoires (ASCOLAB), Democratic Republic of Congo,  is welcomed as a Stakeholder member of ILAC.

We welcome (ASCOLAB) and look forward to working with our (ASCOLAB) colleagues.

International Organization for Laboratories (IOL) is welcomed as a Stakeholder member of ILAC.

We welcome IOL and look forward to working with our IOL colleagues.

The signatory status of Department of Standards Malaysia (Standards Malaysia) has been extended to include inspection.

The full list of signatories to the ILAC MRA is available from  “here“