It is common practice, according to ISO/IEC 17011, for the accreditation body (AB) to sample the activities of the conformity assessment body (CAB) when conducting the assessment. This is done under the understanding that in some cases it is not realistic to cover the entire scope of CAB activity. Selecting an appropriate sample through risk-based thinking is considered sufficient to establish whether the organization adheres to the requirements of the relevant level 3 standard or standards.

Of course, as risk-based activities go, there is always the possibility that we, as assessors, will miss some nonconformities. There are some mechanisms in AB’s processes to minimize such risks, such as getting a full, broad analysis from the CAB on any non-conformities that were raised. However, these are not foolproof. Healthy communication with other bodies is crucial to have a bigger picture and establish a continuous monitoring of CABs. Here are some examples of such providers of information:

Complaints and inquiries from customers – Although it is our policy to refer complainants to the relevant CAB first, there are some flags that can be raised from such communications. For example, ambiguity of the scope, contract or report, changes made to a standard method or issues regarding confidentiality. Such inquiries, even if handled by the CAB to the satisfaction of the complainant, should directly affect the risk analysis concerning the assessment of the organization, to the extent of conducting a surprise assessment or a document-based assessment regarding the requirements of the relevant clause in the specific field in which the subject was raised or it’s general application in the CAB’s activities.

Parallel assessments from regulators and other interested parties – Not all regulators rely exclusively on the assessment activities of the AB to assess laboratory activities, and apply an inspection system of their own, with emphasis on specific methods and adherence to regulatory requirements. Such assessment systems are usually field-specific. As such, the sample of activities assessed is taken from a smaller population of activities, and may certainly include activities that were not recently assessed by the AB. Such issues as required accuracy, sensitivity and measurement uncertainty and scope of the validation (i.e method limits) done by the laboratory may be raised. Other interested parties may raise other subjects such as problems with impartiality and confidentiality.

Proper communication between the AB and the mentioned parties is crucial, and provides a way to further the supervisory activities of the AB. However, there are some conditions for such a mechanism to be effective. The role of the AB needs to be fully understood by the interested parties, regulators and the CABs themselves. It should be clear that the supervision of the AB is not limited to the regular assessments, and if problems and issues are raised between assessment, it is not only allowed but expected that the AB examine such issues. Related to that, the strict confidentiality requirements between the AB and the CAB needs to be clear. This requires a level of trust from all sides. i.e, it is more than likely that the interested party will not get a report on how the CAB addressed and corrected the issue and would only get a response from the AB that the issue was corrected. Furthermore, it should be understood that the AB is not targeting one CAB or another. If the reason for the issue is ambiguity of the requirements, these should be clarified to all relevant CABs, either directly by the AB or the body (regulatory or otherwise) that is in charge of these requirements.

If the role and scope of responsibility of each of the interested parties is clear, and issues are handled with respect to all concerned sides, including the customers of the laboratory (who should be the major benefactors of CAB accreditation), such cooperation will benefit all sides, and all but ensure the clarity or requirements for such CABs and the continued improvement of the CABs activity.

The floriculture sector in Colombia plays a key role economic, social and environmental terms. It contributes significantly to job creation, especially in rural regions, and contributes to the country’s exports. Flower farming drives economic growth and projects a positive image of the country in international markets, consolidating itself as one of the leading players in the world flower trade.

In 2023, flowers were Colombia’s sixth largest export, making up 4.2% of total exports. The sector saw a 1% increase in export value, reaching $2.08 billion, and a decrease of 3.2% in volume to 310,000 tons compared to 2022. Over the past 32 years, flower exports have generally grown. In 2023, 10,500 hectares were dedicated to flower cultivation, with fresh-cut flowers for bouquets, roses, carnations, and pompons being the most widely grown.[1].

Source: MinCIT – DANE – Ceniflores. Own estimates. Research coordination for economic and social studies related to quality infrastructure.

The floriculture sector is a vital pillar in employment generation. By 2023, this industry contributed to creating around 200,000 jobs, of which 110,000 were directly employed, while the remaining 90,000 were attributed to indirect jobs. It is remarkable that, of the total staff, a significant 60% were women. This highlights the importance and empowerment of women in the field of floriculture, highlighting their essential contribution to the economic and social development of the sector.

Regarding the analysis of export destinations, in 2023, the United States was the largest buyer of Colombian flowers with 79.5%, as seen in Figure 2, followed by countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain and Poland, with less than 4%. According to Procolombia, it is during the Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day seasons that flowers in the sector[2] are most in demand. Other important dates are Thanksgiving Day and the Christmas season.

Source: DIAN – MinCIT. Own estimates. Research coordination for economic and social studies related to quality infrastructure.

In 2023, the total amount requested for appropriations reached 2,291, valued at 799 billion pesos. This marks a notable increase since 2016, reflecting the sector’s growth in exports. The rise in export value appears to encourage florists to seek higher foreign currency earnings, leading to increased investment in infrastructure and productivity-enhancing projects.

The growth of Colombia’s flower sector can also be seen in the increasing hectares dedicated to flower production. By 2023, the area reached approximately 10,000 hectares, despite a notable decrease in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This overall upward trend indicates rising demand for floral products and underscores the sector’s resilience and ongoing expansion, even amid challenges.

Relevance of certification

Florverde Sustainable Flowers is a private organization dedicated to the certification of a social and environmental standard for the flower sector. Founded by Asocolflores in 1996, it began as a social and environmental floriculture program. In 2002 it became a second-party verifier and the following year; it implemented elements of ISO 14000. In 2005 it included elements of a certification and a standard. In 2013 they changed the brand to Florverde Sustainable Flowers and in 2019 they sealed alliances and agreements with different entities for the recognition and improvement of standards.[3].

The main objectives of Florverde Seal are to promote sustainable agricultural practices within the flower industry and encourage sustainable development in the areas where flowers are grown. Some of the specific objectives are:

• Promote environmental conservation: The Florverde seal seeks to reduce the negative impact of flower production on the environment through sustainable agricultural practices that minimize the use of agrochemicals, protect biodiversity and promote the responsible management of natural resources.
• Improve working conditions: Another important objective is to guarantee fair and safe working conditions for workers in the flower industry. This involves respecting labor rights, providing a fair wage, ensuring a safe work environment, and promoting worker well-being and training.
• Contribute to social and economic development: Florverde seeks to be an engine of development in the communities where flowers are grown, through the generation of decent employment, support for education and health initiatives, and the promotion of community participation and local development sustainable.
• Guarantee the quality and safety of products: In addition to environmental and social aspects, the Florverde seal also focuses on the quality and safety of products. This implies compliance with quality standards in the production of flowers and ensuring the safety of the products for final consumers.

The criteria and standards that companies must meet to obtain Florverde certification cover various areas, including environmental, social and product quality aspects. Some of the general criteria that are usually part of this certification are:

• Use of agrochemicals: Companies must implement agricultural practices that minimize the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, prioritizing organic and biological methods.
• Water management: Measures must be implemented to conserve and efficiently use water, including efficient irrigation systems and water conservation technologies.
• Conservation of biodiversity: The protection and conservation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity in flower production areas is required.
• Waste management: Companies must implement appropriate systems for the management of agricultural and other waste, minimizing waste generation and promoting recycling and reuse.
• Working conditions: Compliance with international labor standards is required, including respect for human rights, non-discrimination, freedom of association and the payment of fair wages.
• Occupational health and safety: Measures must be implemented to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for employees, including occupational safety training and access to appropriate protective equipment.
• Community development: Companies must contribute to the sustainable development of local communities, supporting education, health, infrastructure and economic development initiatives.
• Product quality: Compliance with quality standards is required for the flowers produced, ensuring that they meet customer requirements and are safe for consumption.

To date, Florverde claims to have certified 4,682 hectares from 119 farms in Colombia and Ecuador for a total of 2.2 billion certified stems from these countries. [4]. They also have approval with the standards of the Rainforest Alliance and Global Social Compliance Programme. [5]. The final market for Florverde-certified flowers is in retailers and large stores in the United States such as Kroger, Wal-Mart and Costco, as well as wholesale sales.

Potential accreditation market

Being certified with the Florverde seal signifies a commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility for flower industry companies. This certification reflects adherence to sustainable agricultural practices, environmental conservation, and resource management. It also ensures product quality and safety, promotes fair and safe working conditions, and can enhance the company’s reputation and market access among consumers who prioritize sustainability and ethical business practices.

Additionally, ONAC provides accreditation services to support good agricultural practices across crops, animal production, and aquaculture, structured under 16 standards within the CPR framework for agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

For more detailed information, we invite you to visit our webpage and read the full study. Available in both English and Spanish, it offers comprehensive insights into the benefits and impact of the Florverde certification and ONAC’s accreditation services.

Visit our webpage to explore the full study:

 English: https://onac.org.co/en/market-study-of-accreditation-services-in-flor-verde-seal/onacs-blog/

 Spanish: https://onac.org.co/estudio-de-mercado-de-servicios-de-acreditacion-en-sello-florverde/blog-onac/

References

• (2024). Balance 2023 del sector floricultor. Available in https://www.agronegocios.co/agricultura/balance-2023-del-sector-floricultor-3777763
• (2023). Florverde Sustainable Flowers y Flor Ecuador Certified: una alianza ganadora que busca fortalecer el sector floricultor latinoamericano. Available in https://asocolflores.org/es/florverde-sustainable-flowers-y-flor-ecuador-certified-una-alianza-ganadora-que-busca-fortalecer-el-sector-floricultor-latinoamericano/
• Banco Mundial. (s.f.). Trade data: Colombia exports of flowers. Available in https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/ALL/year/2021/tradeflow/Exports/partner/WLD/product/060310#
• (s.f.). Sector floricultor. Available in https://ceniflores.org/sector-floricultor/
• (s.f.). About us: Who are we? Available in https://www.florverde.org/en/about-us-who-are-we/#history
• (s.f.). How to get FSF recognition with others. Available in https://www.florverde.org/en/how-to-get-fsf-recognition-with-others/
• Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA). (2024). ICA: Colombia exporta flores para San Valentín 2024. Available in https://www.ica.gov.co/noticias/ica-colombia-exporta-flores-san-valentin-2024
• Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo (MinCIT). (2024). Comercio exterior de Colombia. Available in https://www.mincit.gov.co/estudios-economicos/estadisticas-e-informes/comercio-exterior-de-colombia
• (s.f.). Organismos de certificación de producto. Available in https://onac.org.co/servicios/organismos-de-certificacion-de-producto/
• (2025). Gracias al trabajo de ProColombia con empresarios, las flores colombianas son protagonistas del día. Available in https://prensa.procolombia.co/gracias-al-trabajo-de-procolombia-con-empresarios-las-flores-colombianas-son-protagonistas-del-dia

___________________________________________________

[1] Informe Asocolflores 2023. Available in: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RIj7S4yVqhn9Ka92G9HZlcQSU9sdyL1O/view

[2] Procolombia. Available in: https://prensa.procolombia.co/gracias-al-trabajo-de-procolombia-con-empresarios-las-flores-colombianas-son-protagonistas-del-dia

[3] https://www.florverde.org/en/about-us-who-are-we/#history

[4] https://www.florverde.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Brochure-Florverde-2024.pdf

[5] https://www.florverde.org/en/how-to-get-fsf-recognition-with-others/

Mexico City, October 24, 2024 – In commemoration of the International Day Against Climate Change, ema held a landmark event that brought together business leaders, representatives from Chambers and Associations, as well as accredited organizations to reaffirm their commitment to combating climate change. Under the initiative “Together with ema to Mitigate Climate Change,” this gathering marks a decisive step toward building a more sustainable and secure environment.

With over 25 years of experience, ema has become a cornerstone of Mexico’s quality infrastructure, promoting accreditation as a tool for sustainability. Today, ema holds over 8,100 accreditations more than 2,300 of them are directly focused on environmental issues, such as emissions control, water laboratory testing, and certification of resource-saving products. This reaffirms the importance of accreditation in climate management.

Concrete Commitments and Ambitious Goals

This event not only commemorated the day but also provided a platform for significant commitments. During the ceremony, more than 55 organizations expanded their accreditations in environmental standards, and 29 signatories, including accredited entities, chambers, and clusters, pledged to align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve impactful results by 2030. These 17 goals, adopted by all United Nations Member States, including Mexico, in 2015, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all, focusing specifically on SDG 13: Climate Action.

Experts in Environmental Issues Across Various Sectors

The event featured three keynote speakers, each an expert in their field. The representative from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) discussed the increasing number and severity of environmental challenges. The representative from Sigma Alimentos shared strategies and alternatives for responsible food production, and finally, an expert in Mexico’s financial sector explained new regulations the government will implement to boost the fight against climate change.

Driving Our Initiative Forward

With more than 30 national and international standards available to mitigate climate change, ema and the productive sectors present acknowledged the importance of not only meeting but leading environmental practices that ensure quality and foster consumer confidence. The Mexican Accreditation Entity invited all sectors to integrate sustainable actions into their processes and adopt accredited services that certify the environmental quality of their products. The initiative “Together with ema to Mitigate Climate Change” represents a collective movement towards a more conscious and committed Mexico in the protection of our planet.

In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of quality assurance in various sectors cannot be overstated. To meet this demand, the Quality and Accreditation Institute (QAI) was established with a clear mission: to create a robust ecosystem that promotes education, training, quality improvement, and accreditation.

At QAI, we believe that sharing knowledge and experiences among professionals and organisations is crucial for advancing quality standards. Our goal is to provide a platform for stakeholders to collaborate, exchange insights, and ultimately realize our vision of enhanced quality across industries.

A significant initiative under QAI is the establishment of the accreditation of Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) under Centre for International Accreditation (CIA). This vertical of QAI aims to offer a comprehensive accreditation programme tailored to the needs of various stakeholders, including government bodies, industry associations, and businesses. We provide accreditation to CABs across several key areas, ensuring that quality standards are maintained and recognised globally.

Our accreditation covers:

Medical Laboratories (ISO 15189): Ensuring that the labs provide accurate and reliable results, which is vital for patient safety.
Certification of Medical Laboratories as per the requirements of the Central Clinical Establishments Act.
Biobanks (ISO 20387): Our accreditation guarantees that biobanks operate under stringent quality controls, ensuring the integrity of biological samples.
Proficiency Testing Providers (ISO/ IEC 17043): PT providers help organisations evaluate their testing processes and outcomes.
Testing Laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025): Ensuring rigorous testing processes that uphold quality and reliability in results.
Calibration Laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025): These labs play a crucial role in maintaining the accuracy of measuring instruments.
Inspection Bodies (ISO/ IEC 17020): We ensure that inspection bodies conduct their evaluations with a high degree of reliability and integrity.
Reference Material Producers (IS/ISO 17034): This ensures that producers of reference materials maintain the highest standards for the materials used in testing and calibration.

Through these initiatives, QAI is committed to fostering a culture of quality that transcends industries. We invite professionals and organizations to join us in this endeavour, sharing their expertise and collaborating towards a common goal of excellence.

Together, we can build a future where quality is not just an aspiration, but a fundamental standard across all sectors.

Milestones Achieved by QAI: Paving the Way for Excellence

As we look back on our journey, QAI is proud to highlight a series of significant milestones that reflect our commitment to advancing quality and accreditation:

• • Expanding Global Horizons: QAI CIA enjoys MRA for Testing (ISO/IEC 17025) and Medical (ISO 15189) since December 2022. QAI has proudly extended its reach across continents, accrediting six medical laboratories in Bangladesh, Nepal, Mongolia, Maldives, and Ghana, alongside eight testing laboratories in Bahrain, South Africa, Qatar, Myanmar and Bangladesh. We also celebrated the accreditation of a calibration laboratory in Bahrain, marking our commitment to quality on a global scale.
  • Empowering Excellence: With over 100 trained assessors now equipped to evaluate quality standards, QAI is enhancing the landscape of accreditation, ensuring that our assessments are both rigorous and insightful.
  • Pioneering Biobanking Standards: Our dedication to advancing biobanking has led to the accreditation of both private (Biobanking Facility at Karkinos Healthcare) and government biobanks (Biorepository Facility at the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute in Faridabad, an organisation under the Department of Biotechnology and the Centre for Brain Research Biobank at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. These achievements underscore our role in supporting cutting-edge research, development and innovation.
  • Achieving Accreditation Milestones: QAI CIA has successfully completed the accreditation process for over 100 laboratories. This accomplishment showcases our commitment to maintaining excellence in laboratory practices worldwide.

   

  

• As we celebrate these remarkable milestones together, we want you to remember that quality is a journey, not a destination. Here at the Quality and Accreditation Institute, we envision a world where excellence is truly embedded in every industry.

  By collaborating—sharing our knowledge, experiences, and best practices—we can elevate standards and inspire the next generation of quality leaders. It’s exciting to think about the potential we have to drive progress and make a real impact.

  Let’s embrace the future with optimism. Each step we take towards enhancing quality brings us closer to a brighter, more accountable world. Together, we can create a legacy of excellence that resonates for years to come. Quality isn’t just our goal; it’s our commitment to a better tomorrow.

Jordan Accreditation and Standardization Systems – Accreditation Unit (JAS-AU) hosted the closing ceremony of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization -The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

Closing ceremony of the UNIDO-SIDA regional project “Enhancing Accreditation Value Chain in the Arab Region”

4 March 2024 – Amman, Jordan

(UNIDO-SIDA) project “Enhancing Accreditation Value Chain in the Arab Region.” This was a pivotal event for all project stakeholders, as it gave a unique opportunity to show the transformative changes achieved by the UNIDO-SIDA project in the area of quality infrastructure and regional trade integration for the benefits of Arab countries.

The event successfully brought together more than 100 participants to discuss achievements and prospects for regional trade integration during a strategic event organized on 4 March 2024, in Amman, Jordan. The event was held under the patronage of, The Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply of Jordan. It marked a key milestone in strengthening the regional quality infrastructure after years of collaborative efforts between ARAC and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), and the Arab Industrial Development, Standards, and Mining Organizations (AIDSMO).

Throughout the event, sharing knowledge, lessons learned, and best practices generated by the project, in particular by demonstrating how project interventions at three different layers (institutional support to Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC) and its members, intermediary support to Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs), and enterprise-level support) are interrelated and interdependent and all contributed to achieving the same objective.

The event explored the way forward and discussed recommendations for accelerating regional trade integration through potential replication/scale-up in Jordan and the entire Arab region.
The different sessions were conducted in a highly visual and interactive format by giving the floor to key project stakeholders, with a special emphasis on beneficiaries, including ARAC, CABs, and Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

ILAC 2024 Annual Summary and GLOBAC Establishment Activities

As we close the year 2024, I extend my deepest gratitude to our member organizations, stakeholders, and international partners. This year has seen tremendous progress toward our mission to harmonize accreditation, facilitating trust in CABs and CABs’ results. Notably, the year 2024 has been pivotal in the development of GLOBAC (Global Accreditation Cooperation), an initiative poised to reshape and unify international laboratory accreditation.

Enhanced Global Recognition through Expanded MRAs

ILAC has successfully expanded the Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) network, making accreditation more accessible and recognized across borders. This expansion ensures CABs’ results are accepted globally, significantly benefiting international trade and compliance.

Digital Integration in Accreditation

With an emphasis on streamlining accreditation processes, ILAC members have implemented advanced digital tools this year, facilitating remote assessments and digital certifications. This digital integration not only enhances efficiency but also aligns with ILAC’ s commitments.

The formation of GLOBAC (Global Accreditation Cooperation) has been a key focus this year. As a partnership effort among ILAC, IAF, regional accreditation bodies, and several international standard-setting organizations, GLOBAC aims to create a unified accreditation framework. This initiative seeks to streamline accreditation requirements and facilitate seamless international cooperation.

Looking Ahead to 2025:

• Finalising and launching GLOBAC.
• Increasing advocacy efforts to encourage widespread industry and government adoption of GLOBAC’s framework.

ILAC acknowledges the contributions of each member and partner in achieving these milestones. Your dedication to excellence is pivotal as we move forward with GLOBAC and work toward a truly unified global accreditation system. Together, we are setting a new standard for international trust, quality, and collaboration.

On 1 March 2024, Cofrac opened up accreditation for the inspection of independent operators, remote service providers and their employees who need to access to information relating to the repair and maintenance of vehicles with regard to safety.

What is SERMI ?

SERMI is a European association set up to develop, operate and maintain a specific system aimed at regulating the terms of access to information and security data concerning the repair and maintenance of vehicles made available to independent operators. It is jointly managed by vehicle manufacturers and independent operators as stakeholders. The aim of the system developed by SERMI is to approve and authorize independent operators working in the European automotive aftermarket to allow them to access sensitive vehicle data, related to security, for repair and vehicle maintenance.

How was this new accreditation developed?

This system is a European initiative driven by Regulation (EC) No. 692/20081 and taken up by Regulation (EU) No. 2017/1152. The foundations laid in 2017 were reinforced by Regulation (EU) No. 2018/8583 which specifies the forum’s activities and responsibilities in Annex 10.

In 2018, the forum, now SERMI drew up the accreditation scheme and asked ENAC, the Spanish national accreditation body, to analyse and validate it at the European level. The publication of delegated regulation (EU) n°2021/12444, which will modify Annex 10, clarifies responsibilities and the implementation of the SERMI scheme, in particular with the addition of Appendix 3 on the approval and authorization procedure for independent operators’ access to safety devices.

Following these changes, SERMI amended the accreditation scheme which was formally approved by the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) in May 2023.

How does the SERMI scheme work

To meet the obligation to publish the security data required for vehicle maintenance, each manufacturer has a dedicated website with secure access. To log in and access the safety information he needs, the technician working for an independent operator needs secure authentication. The Trust Center plays a crucial role in the system. Established in the context of the implementation of this European regulation, it validates access to manufacturers’ data by authorizing requests only if they come from authorized persons. To obtain authorization keys, operators and their employees must be inspected by an accredited inspection body.

How does the introduction of the accreditation system mean?

Cofrac introduced accreditation on March 1 2024 for type A inspection bodies in compliance with EN ISO/IEC 17020 standard. Under this accreditation system, the independent operator applies to the accredited inspection body for the approval and authorization for one or more of its employees.

The inspection is carried out in two stages:

• Stage 1:an approval inspection to examine elements concerning the operator or remote service provider as a legal entity. If the result of the inspection is positive, the independent operator obtains an approval valid for five years.
• Second stage: a nominative authorization inspection of one or more of the independent operator’s employees. if the result of the inspection is favorable, the independent operator’s employees receive an authorization valid for five years. The inspection body then communicates the positive results to the Trust Center which will create digital authorization certificates and access identifiers (PIN Codes). These elements transmitted to each authorized employee of an independent operator approved by the inspection body, will enable technicians, during upkeep and maintenance operations based on the security information, to authenticate themselves securely on manufacturer platforms to access the required information.

For the operational implementation of the accreditation system, the Inspection department has trained and qualified a technical assessor r with solid experience of the context and operation of operators involved in vehicle maintenance and repair. Since June 21, the first inspection body has been accredited to carry out SERMI inspections.

National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL), India PTP/RMP Conclave, 2024

The 8th PTP/RMP Conclave was held on the 30th and 31st of August 2024, organized by the NABL at Mysuru, Karnataka, India.

NABL has been hosting this annual conclave for Proficiency Testing Providers (PTPs) and Reference Material Producers (RMPs) since 2017, consistently in the month of August.

The Objective of the conclave is to address key challenges and promoting continuous improvement through competition among PTPs & RMPs. Also, the event provides the latest developments and innovations relevant to PTPs and RMPs, ensuring they stay informed and aligned with industry advancements.
The conclave was attended by about 140 delegates, including representatives from PTPs, RMPs, laboratories, distinguished dignitaries from various government and regulatory bodies.

This conclave serves as a collaborative platform for PTPs, RMPs and other stakeholders, facilitating the exchange of ideas and expertise through case study presentations.

Conclave Highlights

To address key challenges and promoting continuous improvement through competition among PTPs & RMPs, the participation of accredited PTPs and RMPs showcased expertise in proficiency testing and reference material production. Each RMP presented their specific production strategies. They presented their comprehensive production plans for reference materials, detailing their methodologies and approaches to ensure quality & consistency of production. In parallel, each PTP demonstrated their proficiency testing schemes, emphasizing the design and conduct of Proficiency testing. They discussed the challenges they encountered and the strategies employed to address them.

Panel of Experts evaluated the presentations and the top presenters were awarded trophies.

PTPs and RMPs also showcased their work through Posters. Best poster was awarded.

WINNER

First Runner-Up

Second runner-up

Announcement of 2025 Conclave

• Edition: 9th PTP/RMP Conclave 2025
• Theme: Sustainability in PT Services and Reference Material Production
• Date: August 21-22, 2025
• Venue: Chandigarh, Punjab, India
• Registration details will soon available on NABL, Website (www.nabl-india.org).

Contact Details of NABL

Ms Anita Rani
Joint Director & Head – PTP & RMP Accreditation Program
National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)
Plot No. 45, Sector 44, Gurugram – 122003, Haryana, India
Phone: 91-124-4679700 (30 lines); 91-124-4594800/801/802;
Fax: 91-124-4679799
Website: www.nabl-india.org
Email: anita@nabl.qcin.org

Ouagadougou, October 10, 2024

Workshop on the accreditation needs of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) Regulators

A SOAC delegation, composed of the Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. Aboubacry BARO, the Resident Representative – Director General, Marcel GBAGUIDI and the Competences Coordinator, Jean Philippe GORI, went to Ouagadougou on October 10, 2024, notably to present, during a workshop, the accreditation services which participate in implementing the priorities set by UEMOA, a West Africa Regional Regulator, to support the development of member states.

The representatives of UEMOA were the Directors and executives of the technical departments of the UEMOA Commission, notably the Department of Business Development, Mines, Energy and Digital Economy (DEMEN), the Department of Agriculture, Water Resources and Environment (DAREN), the Department of Community Land Use Planning and Transport (DATC), the Department of Human Development (DDH), the Department of Economic Policies and Domestic Taxation (DPE), and the Department of Regional Market and Cooperation (DMRC).

It should be recalled that UEMOA is a regional institution created 30 years ago that advocates the economic integration of eight West African states (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo). As such, UEMOA bodies such as the Conference of Heads of State, the Council of Ministers and the Presidency of the Commission have the necessary authority to take legal acts that are mandatory in the member states. The Commission is the executive body of UEMOA. The Commission is headed by a President assisted by a college of Commissioners; the latter head specialized Departments.

Under the leadership of the current President of the Commission, Mr. Abdoulaye DIOP, the last college of Commissioners, in office since 2021, adopted a strategic document entitled “UEMOA Priority Action Framework 2021-2025 (CAP 25)”. CAP 25 identified three areas of intervention, in particular the axis 1 “Deepening the foundations of economic integration”, one of the flagship actions of which will be the development of efficient transport and transit infrastructure in the States; Axis 2 focuses on “Improving the effectiveness of sectoral interventions” with, among the flagship actions, the promotion of sustainable agriculture and the strengthening of nutritional food / food security;

Finally, axis 3 focuses on “the consolidation of institutional governance”, in particular with the establishment and operationalization of strategic steering tools, but also the establishment of steering and monitoring systems for the policies, programs and reforms of the Union.

The workshop of October 10th showed that the mobilization of testing and calibration laboratories accredited according to ISO IEC 17025 and inspection bodies accredited according to ISO IEC 17020 contributes to the development of quality transport and transit infrastructures (Axis 1). The use of these accredited bodies, in fact, makes it possible to guarantee that the service providers in charge of carrying out the infrastructures to be built will do so in accordance with the applicable standards.

The ISO IEC 17065 and ISO IEC 17021-1 accreditation standards are, for their part, intrinsically linked to the promotion of sustainable agriculture and the strengthening of nutritional food / food security (axis 2). It is, in fact, the accredited product and service certifiers who give credibility to the companies that operate in this field by certifying their products and/or their service and/or their management system.

Finally, the effectiveness of governance can be materialized by certifiers of management systems or persons respectively accredited according to ISO IEC17021-1 and ISO IEC 17024, to name but a few.

At the end of the workshop, tSOAC and UEMOA parties decided to meet again to better refine the needs in relation to the axes of CAP 25 but also in relation to the 2030 strategic plan currently being developed.

ILAC Meetings

The IAF/ILAC Mid-term meetings were held virtually during April 2024.

The IAF/ILAC annual meetings were held as an in-person event in Berlin, Germany from 1 to 10 October 2024. The ILAC General Assembly Adopted Resolutions are available here.

In addition to the in-person meetings noted above all ILAC Committees, Working Groups and Task Forces continue to progress the items on their work plans, via a combination of email and remote meetings.

Information on future meetings and events, including major regional meetings, can also be found in the ILAC Calendar.

Decision to Establish a Single International Organisation for Accreditation

In 2019, the members of IAF and ILAC made the decision to establish a single international organisation for accreditation, to replace IAF and ILAC.

Following extensive work and discussions within IAF and ILAC in 2024 the IAF and ILAC membership agreed the Constitution and General Rules for a new organization, the Global Accreditation Cooperation to take over the existing roles of both IAF and ILAC.  Following the annual meetings of IAF and ILAC in October 2024, they commenced the formal process to incorporate the Global Accreditation Cooperation in New Zealand.

The target date (known as the Transition Date) for the Global Accreditation Cooperation to become operational and to take over the roles of IAF and ILAC, is provisionally January 2026.   Further information on the transition and exact date will be issued by the end of April 2025.

 The ILAC MRA

The scope of recognition of the recognised regions to the ILAC MRA is available from   Recognised Regional Cooperation Bodies International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ilac.org)

Information on the acceptance of calibration, testing and inspection results programs provided by PTPs and reference materials produced by RMPs via the ILAC MRA is available from  ILAC MRA and Signatories International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation.

There are currently 116 signatories to the ILAC MRA representing 118 economies. The ILAC MRA covers recognition for accreditation in the areas of calibration (ISO/IEC 17025), testing (ISO/IEC 17025), medical testing (ISO 15189), inspection (ISO/IEC 17020), proficiency testing providers (ISO/IEC 17043) and reference material producers (ISO 17034). The list of signatories to the ILAC MRA is available from the ILAC MRA Signatory Search.

The ILAC MRA Annual Report 2023 and associated infographic was published in June 2024 and is available from ILAC Promotional Brochures International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation.

Work to extend the ILAC MRA to include the accreditation of biobanks has now reached the stage where applications for recognition can be accepted. This follows the publication of the revised supporting documents as outlined in the resolution adopted during the 25^th ILAC General Assembly in 2022: ILAC Resolution GA 25.09 The General Assembly endorses the recommendation of the ARC to extend the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) to include accreditation of biobanking as a Level 2 activity, to the criteria specified in the Level 3 normative document, ISO 20387. ILAC will therefore accept applications for recognition as soon as the documents within ILAC applicable to the MRA are updated to cover this new scope.

Case studies and research on the recognition of the ILAC MRA by governments and regulators are available from the Public Sector Assurance website. The website is a collaborative initiative of the INetQI members and there are over 330 case studies, 90 research papers and 60 supporting materials available to view.

The Business Benefits website is a reference website designed to demonstrate the monetary value of standards, conformity assessment and accreditation for businesses. The website represents another successful collaboration of the INetQI partners with over 95 case studies categorised into 6 areas of value. All of the case studies identify a clear financial benefit. The site also includes more than 75 research papers.

Both the Public Sector Assurance and the Business Benefits websites contain a dedicated search function for each of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The case studies on these sites are now all linked to applicable goals.

ILAC Membership

The ILAC membership as of 20 November 2024 is:

• 116 Full Members (signatories to the ILAC MRA) representing 118 economies;
• 16 Associates representing 12 economies;
• 20 Stakeholders;
• 6 Regional Cooperation Bodies (includes 5 Recognised Regional Cooperation Bodies)

The ILAC membership consists of 158 organisations from 133 different economies worldwide. Over 93,279 laboratories, 14,549 inspection bodies, 746 PTP and 308 RMP are accredited by the ILAC Full Members (signatories to the ILAC MRA). The latest statistics and graphs on the number of accreditation bodies, accredited laboratories, inspection bodies, PTPs and RMPs are available from the ILAC Facts & Figures page.

ILAC Executive Committee

In 2024 the Executive met virtually and held in-person meetings.

Meetings of the IAF and ILAC Joint Executive Committees (JEC) were held in February, June, September and October 2024.

ILAC Liaisons and other International Activities

The current list of ILAC liaison activities includes:

ILAC Liaisons with ISO and ISO/CASCO Policy Committees

• ISO-IAF-ILAC JSG (Joint Strategic Group)
• ISO/CASCO Plenary
• ISO/CASCO CPC (Chairman’s Policy Committee)
• ISO/CASCO STAR (Strategic Alliance and Regulatory Group)
• ISO/CASCO TIG (Technical Interface Group)
• ISO/CASCO TIG -Technical Expert Group (TEG)
• ISO TC 69/ SC6 (Application of statistical methods)
• ISO TC 176 (Quality Management & Quality Assurance)
• ISO TC 212 Plenary (Clinical Laboratory Testing and In-Vitro Diagnostic Systems) and WG1 (ISO 15189)
• ISO TC 272 WGs 1-5 (Forensic Sciences)
• ISO TC 276 WG2 (Biobanking)
• ISO TC 334 (Reference Materials – formerly ISO/REMCO)

ILAC Liaisons with ISO/CASCO Working Groups/Task Forces

• ISO/CASCO CPC TG Future of CASCO Toolbox
• ISO/CASCO WG 57 Revision of ISO/IEC 17043
• ISO/CASCO WG CASCO WG 31, Revision of ISO/IEC 17020

ILAC Liaisons with Other Organisations

• BIPM-ILAC WG Bipartite
• BIPM-ILAC-ISO-OIML Quadripartite
• OIML-CS Management Committee (MC)
• Meeting of Signatories to the Joint Statement on the digital transformation in the scientific and quality infrastructure.
• CITAC (Cooperation on International Traceability in Analytical Chemistry)
• EUROLAB Conference
• IEC/IECEE International Electro-technical Commission (ILAC-IAF-IEC Steering Committee)
• INetQI International Network on Quality Infrastructure
• JCGM Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology Plenary and WGs 1 (GUM) and 2 (VIM)
• JCTLM Joint Committee on Traceability in Laboratory Medicine
• ITU International Telecommunication Union
• OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
• UNECE-WP6- Metrological recommendations
• WADA World Anti-Doping Agency
• IFHA International Federation of Horseracing Authorities

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and ILAC have reviewed and re-signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in August this year. The re-signing of the ITU-IAF-ILAC MoU continues to support and strengthen the three organisations’ commitment to cooperation and collaboration and the ongoing development of ITU-T’s Conformity and Interoperability (C&I) programme.

On 8 February 2024 IAF, ILAC and OIML renewed the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was first signed on 28 October 2007. The latest version marks over 16 years of formalised cooperation between the three organisations, and re-confirms the commitment to closely collaborate. Details of the MoU can be found here.

On 9 July 2024 ILAC and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities formalised their longstanding collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou).  Details of the MoU can be found here.

Information on ILAC’s partnerships, including copies of communiqués, joint procedures, press releases and MoUs, is available from the ILAC Partnerships Page.

ILAC Secretariat

Ms Nyaki Halimana will return to Secretariat duties on 2 December. Ms Stephanie Sun will finish her temporary engagement on that date.  We welcome Nyaki back to the Secretariat, and thank Stephanie for her work in the interim.

Part of the ILAC and IAF Secretariat team at the ILAC-IAF Joint Meetings 2024

Documents and Brochures

Publications finalised and released during 2023 and 2024 include:

 ILAC Factsheet 05/2023 Specifying Accreditation in Regulation

ILAC-P5:11/2023 ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement: Scope and Obligations

ILAC-P8:11/2023 ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (Arrangement): Supplementary Requirements for the Use of Accreditation Symbols and for Claims of Accreditation Status by Accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies

ILAC-P9:01/2024 ILAC Policy for Proficiency Testing and/or Interlaboratory comparisons other than Proficiency Testing

ILAC-R6:11/2023 Structure of the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement and Procedure for Expansion of the Scope of the ILAC Arrangement

IAF/ILAC A1:06/2023 IAF/ILAC Multi-Lateral Mutual Recognition Arrangements

IAF/ILAC A2:06/2023 IAF/ILAC Multi-Lateral Mutual Recognition Arrangements (Arrangements): Requirements and Procedures for Evaluation of a Single Accreditation Body

IAF/ILAC A3:06/2023 IAF/ILAC Multi-Lateral Mutual Recognition Arrangements (Arrangements): Template report for the peer evaluation of an Accreditation Body based on ISO/IEC 17011:2017

IAF/ILAC B3:09/2023 Accreditation: Supporting safe food and clean drinking water

IAF/ILAC B5:09/2023 Accreditation: Facilitating world trade

IAF/ILAC B6:09/2023 Accreditation: Delivering confidence in the provision of energy

IAF/ILAC B8:09/2023 Accreditation: Delivering confidence in construction and the built environment

IAF/ILAC B9:09/2023 Accreditation: A global tool to support Public Policy

Follow @ILAC_Official on “X” (formerly Twitter) or https://www.linkedin.com/company/ilac-accreditation/ on LinkedIn to receive the latest ILAC news, including information on meetings, events, liaison activities and new publications.

The April 2024 edition of the ILAC Newsletter is available from  News-and-Events/ILAC Newsletter (ilac.org). The next edition will be published before the end of November 2024.

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Prepared by the ILAC Secretariat on 20 November 2024.