The significance of an accreditation system for trade and the economy, as well as practical advice for the establishment of accreditation bodies, are the focus of a newly released publication titled, “Establishing accreditation in developing economies – A guide to opening the door for global trade”.

Prepared by the United Nations Development Organisation (UNIDO), in cooperation with the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), the publication was launched at the ILAC – IAF Joint General Assembly. The guide aims to support the common goal of “tested, inspected or certified once and accepted everywhere”. 

It is comprised of two parts. The first part focuses on the need for accreditation and the benefits that an accreditation system can bring to good governance. It provides policymakers with a framework for establishing an accreditation body or partnering with neighboring economies to form a shared system, which can bring an economy closer to its trading partners through mutually exclusive recognized arrangements of accreditation.

The second part offers comprehensive practical advice and building blocks to those who are tasked with establishing an accreditation body. It presents information on the essential operational requirements for accreditation bodies, and outlines available resources, as well as potential challenges. Case studies then follow to offer an illustration of practical applications of the guidance provided in the publication.

“Not only does an accreditation system have benefits for improving trade flows, it also delivers many benefits internal to an economy. Examples include providing confidence in non-trade arenas, such as the monitoring and measurement of progress towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and their associated targets,” said Ll Yong, the Director General of UNIDO.

A copy of the brochure is available here.

The 20th ILAC General Assembly held in New Delhi, India from 26 October to 4 November 2016 has resulted in the adoption of ILAC Resolutions GA 20.13 and 20.14.

These resolutions will allow the extension of the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) to incorporate the accreditation of Reference Material Producers (RMPs) to the criteria specified in ISO 17034, which replaced ISO Guide 34:2009 in November 2016.

More information is available here.

The adopted resolutions from the ILAC General Assembly held on 2 and 4 November 2016, as part of the successful ILAC and IAF annual meetings hosted by NABCB and NABL in New Delhi, India, from 26 October to 4 November 2016, are available here.

As a result of the ILAC/IAF peer evaluation and recent ballot of the voting members of the ILAC Arrangement Council, the recognition of the EA MLA to the ILAC MRA has been continued for the accreditation of calibration and testing laboratories using ISO/IEC 17025, medical testing laboratories using ISO 15189 and inspection bodies using ISO/IEC 17020.

The next re-evaluation of EA is scheduled to begin in July 2018.

Details of EA are available from https://ilac.org/ilac-mra-and-signatories/recognised-regional-cooperation-bodies/

The latest edition of the bi-annual ILAC Newsletter, Issue 50 – October 2016, has now been published. The newsletter includes international, regional, and national updates on accreditation and conformity assessment from ILAC members and liaisons as well as the ILAC Chair and Secretariat.

Subscribe to the ILAC Newsletter

As a result of the peer re-evaluation and recent ballot of the voting members of the ILAC Arrangement Council, the signatory status of SANAS, South Africa to the ILAC MRA has been continued for the accreditation of calibration and testing laboratories using ISO/IEC 17025, medical testing laboratories using ISO 15189 and inspection bodies using ISO/IEC 17020.

The next re-evaluation of SANAS is scheduled for August 2019.

Details of SANAS are available from the ILAC MRA Signatory search at https://ilac.org/signatory-search/

The Mexican Accreditation Entity, has the pleasure to invite you to Second International Congress for accreditation in the health sector,  the event will be at the World Trade Center Mexico on 24 and 25 August 2017, and will focus on Laboratory, Blood Banks, Banks of Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Radiology and Imaging.  The purpose is to share the importance and benefits of accreditation for Medical Laboratories using ISO 15189 for members of the society.

For more information go to http://www.ema.org.mx/sectorsalud/

We welcome Executive Agency Bulgarian Accreditation Service (EA BAS), Bulgaria, as a Full Member of ILAC.

EA BAS joined ILAC as an Associate Member on 24 September 2016 and has become a signatory to the ILAC MRA for the accreditation of calibration and testing laboratories using ISO/IEC 17025, medical testing laboratories using ISO 15189 and inspection bodies using ISO/IEC 17020, via the EA MLA. 

 We welcome EA BAS as a Full Member and look forward to working with our EA BAS colleagues.

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

ILAC R4:10/2016 – Use of the ILAC Logo and Tagline has been published and is available from the Publications section of the ILAC website. This document has been updated to reflect the new ILAC tagline

The International Union of Independent Laboratories (UILI) is organising a workshop (LABmeeting), on the afternoon of Friday October 28th at the Lalit Hotel in New Delhi, India.
The “Meet and Greet the Stakeholders” session will run from 2:00pm to 5:30pm and is open to all UILI Members, representatives of laboratories and laboratory associations and ILAC/IAF members and their stakeholders.  The UILI LABmeeting brochure containing further information can be accessed here.