IAF and ILAC are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2024 Joint IAF-ILAC Annual Meetings. Scheduled to take place from 01-10 October in Berlin, Germany, the annual meetings will gather IAF and ILAC members from around the globe to discuss IAF and ILAC activities, the transition to GLOBAC, and critical issues shaping the conformity assessment community.

The meetings will include committee, working group and task force meetings, as well as the IAF and ILAC General Assembly meetings and an IAF Board meeting. Register via the official meetings website https://ilaciafmeetings.org/.

Registrations are now being accepted:

Members must register to attend these meetings via the online registration form that has been established on the official meeting website. Members are reminded to register as soon as possible, and complete payment no later than Friday, 16 August 2024 at 17:00 (GMT +2 / CEST) to take advantage of the early bird discount price.

Funds must be received by IAF-ILAC in full on or before the early bird deadline in order to qualify for this rate. Delegates who register before the early-bird rate but do not submit payment in full before 17:00 (GMT +2 / CEST) on 16 August will have their registration fees automatically adjusted to the regular rate without notice. No exceptions will be granted.

Please note that all registration fees are payable in USD and that fees may be paid either by credit card or wire transfer. Instructions for payment are available on the meeting website. Credit cards accepted include Visa, MasterCard and Amex. Payment must be made by 20 September 2024. Any registrations after this date may only be made via credit card.

Please note: Visa processing times vary from country to country and wait times can be lengthy. We strongly recommend you apply for a visa as soon as possible to avoid delays. Details on how to apply for a German visa can be found on the meeting website.

Join us in Berlin as we shape the future of IAF, ILAC and accreditation together!

Posted on behalf of UNIDO

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is thrilled to announce the release of its new publication titled “Tackling Climate Change: Fostering trust in climate action through quality and standards”.

Climate change is the biggest challenge of our times. From shifting weather patterns that threaten human health to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Quality infrastructure (QI) is key to climate action, as it contributes to building a greener and more equitable future for generations to come.

The publication explores how QI can support and promote climate action initiatives. It delves into the reasons climate change and associated adaptation and mitigation initiatives have become a strategic imperative, and explains what is meant by a quality infrastructure system (QIS) and how trade facilitation can be used to support global initiatives such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also examines each of the key components of a QIS, how these can contribute to climate action initiatives, and how developing countries in particular can transition towards a more sustainable QIS.

The publication benefitted greatly from contributions by members of the International Network on Quality Infrastructure (INetQI), particularly the International Organization for Standards (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

Read the full publication here

For more information, contact Dorina Nati (d.nati@unido.org)

National Accreditation Body of Republica de Cuba (ONARC)’s Full membership with ILAC was terminated on 15 June 2024 by decision of the Executive Committee in accordance with “ILAC-R2A:11/2019 ILAC Rules: Articles of Association Article 6 paragraph 3.”

IAF and ILAC are seeking tenders for the rebranding of IAF and ILAC as the Global Accreditation Cooperation (GLOBAC), the new international organization for accreditation being formed by IAF and ILAC.

The rebranding project includes the development of a new brand strategy and brand architecture that align with IAF and ILAC’s shared objectives. Interested parties are requested to review the tender document, which outlines the project scope, milestones and proposal requirements. View the document here.

Tenders must be submitted to marketing@iaf.nu and secretariat@ilac.org by midnight UTC, 09 July 2024.

IAF and ILAC have released the final podcast in our Accreditation Matters sub-series on the role of accreditation in the food industry. This episode highlights the importance of accreditation for intergovernmental organizations (IGOs).

The episode is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music, or for viewing on YouTube.

In this episode, Colin Christmas (IAF Working Group Food Co-Convener, IQNET representative) leads a discussion with Ali Badarneh (Division Chief, UNIDO), Joseph Wozniak (Head of Trade for Sustainable Development, International Trade Centre), Margarita Corrales (Food Safety Officer, Pan American Health Organization) and Steve Wearne (Chair, Codex Alimentarius Commission).

Guests discuss the importance of accreditation for industrial development and increasing trade opportunities. They highlight the work of their organizations in areas such as strengthening quality infrastructure systems, helping bodies to achieve accreditation, developing standards, and information distribution.

We hope you enjoy listening to this episode! Access the entire sub-series on the Accreditation Matters podcast channels or the IAF/ILAC YouTube channel.

IAF and ILAC have released a new episode of Accreditation Matters, ‘The Role of Accreditation in the Public Sector’. This marks the third podcast in our sub-series on the role of accreditation in the food industry.

The episode is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music, or for viewing on YouTube.

In this episode, Colin Christmas (IAF Working Group Food Co-Convener, IQNET representative) leads a discussion with Cristina Draghici (Director for Conformity Assessment and Consumer Matters, ISO), Cynthia Woodley (COO and psychometrician, Professional Testing Inc.), Elias Rafoul (Vice Chair, ISO/CASCO; Vice President – Accreditation Services, Standards Council of Canada), and Mike O’Neill (Head of Codex Policy and Strategy, UK Food Standards Agency).

Guests highlight the role of standards and accreditation in building trust in supply chains and facilitating trade. They note how it assists regulators in allocating resources, and reduces regulatory burdens on compliant businesses. They also discuss how accredited certification helps to ensure the competence of food safety workers, and the benefits that accredited persons certification provides to regulators.

We hope you enjoy listening to this episode!

The Dirección Técnica de Acreditación del Instituto Boliviano de Metrologia (DTA-IBMETRO), Bolivia, is welcomed as an Associate member of ILAC.

We welcome DTA-IBMETRO and look forward to working with our DTA-IBMETRO colleagues.

Published on behalf of AFPAN.

ABOUT APFAN

The Asia Pacific Food Analysis Network (APFAN) is a special project of the Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (FACS) and was formed at the Third Asian Chemical Congress in Brisbane in 1989.

APFAN’s mission is to serve the needs of food analysts in their dual roles to achieve food quality, food safety, and good nutrition and to promote food trade in the Asia Pacific region. APFAN helps its members to maintain and improve their abilities in food analysis and this is achieved by developing a network of food scientists and food technologists that encourages the sharing of ideas, concepts, and methods through online communication and in-person meetings.

On behalf of APFAN, in partnership with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and the Department of Chemistry Malaysia (KIMIA), I am pleased to advise that Registration and the Call for Abstracts are open for the upcoming APFAN PT4 Workshop entitled: “International Workshop on Advancing Food Analysis, Safety and Testing Standards for Global Comparability”.

This three-day International Workshop will be held from 15th – 17th July, 2024 at The Everly Hotel, located in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

The Workshop will cover many topics including:
– Method Validation and Measurement Uncertainty
– Food Analysis
– Food Microbiology
– Proficiency Testing and Reference Materials
– Food Safety and Food Security
– Laboratory Accreditation Requirements

ABSTRACTS

The APFAN PT4 Organising Committee is pleased to invite authors to submit their abstracts for oral and/or poster presentations, to be presented during the Workshop.

The abstract’s template is here:

Due date for abstract submission: 15th June 2024

REGISTRATION

For more details, please visit the APFAN PT4 Workshop website here: or Download the Poster. For any enquiries, please contact the APFAN PT4 Organising Committee here:

IAF and ILAC have released a new episode of Accreditation Matters, ‘The Role of Accreditation in the Public Sector’. This marks the third podcast in our sub-series on the role of accreditation in the food industry.

In this episode, Colin Christmas (IAF Working Group Food Co-Convener, IQNET representative) leads a discussion with Cristina Draghici (Director for Conformity Assessment and Consumer Matters, ISO), Cynthia Woodley (COO and psychometrician, Professional Testing Inc.), Elias Rafoul (Vice Chair, ISO/CASCO; Vice President – Accreditation Services, Standards Council of Canada), and Mike O’Neill (Head of Codex Policy and Strategy, UK Food Standards Agency).

Guests highlight the role of standards and accreditation in building trust in supply chains and facilitating trade. They note how it assists regulators in allocating resources, and reduces regulatory burdens on compliant businesses. They also discuss how accredited certification helps to ensure the competence of food safety workers, and the benefits that accredited persons certification provides to regulators.

The episode is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music, or for viewing on YouTube.

We hope you enjoy listening to this episode!

In response to requests from members and other interested parties, we are pleased to announce that the ILAC LinkedIn page is once again functioning.

The page will complement our existing ‘X’ account @ILAC_Official.

The increased text allowable in the LinkedIn platform will enable us to provide more information on news items that are currently covered in ‘X’. We also plan to provide new content that is not suitable to condense into a tweet.

You can find the page on LinkedIn here:

We hope that you will subscribe and follow us on both LinkedIn and ‘X’.

Kind regards
The ILAC Secretariat