The IAF-ILAC meetings in Frankfurt

The IAF-ILAC meetings in Frankfurt, Germany, took place on 21-30 October 2019. Around 500 participants from more than 100 countries participated to over 50 meetings, to discuss policy and governance, schemes, assessments, audit, and many more technical issues.

The General Assemblies of IAF and ILAC were held from 28 to 30 October 2018 and EA is pleased to announce the following decisions.

Certainly, the most important move from a strategic point of view was the decision by the Joint General Assembly to endorse the recommendation of the Joint Executive Committee to establish a single international organisation for accreditation. A Steering Committee, reporting to the Joint Executive Committee, will lead this process.

There are many reasons for the establishment of one single international organization:

• A greater efficiency and removal of duplication of activities;
• Speaking as one voice – a single presence and point of contact in the market;
• The opportunity to broaden stakeholder engagement and market feedback;
• Potential costs savings through shared services;
• The opportunity to simplify and harmonise organisational processes.

This next step is the logical consequence of a process started many years ago, which has already led to several joint activities, such as the MLA and Communications committees, joint meetings for the Executive Committees and the General Assemblies.

IAF

The General Assembly resolved that accredited certification shall only be issued against documents/standards that contain requirements, and to endorse ISO/IEC 17029:2019 (1) when published as an IAF normative document. Consequences on ISO/IEC 14065 (currently under revision) will be discussed in the near future.

IAF General Assembly (GA) made several decisions about transition to new standards or new versions of standards:

• ISO 22301:2019 – Security and resilience — Business continuity management systems — Requirements
• ISO 14064-3:2019 – Greenhouse gases — Part 3: Specification with guidance for the verification and validation of greenhouse gas statements
• ISO 14065:202x – Greenhouse gases — Requirements for greenhouse gas validation and verification bodies for use in accreditation or other forms of recognition

The document IAF MD3:2008 – Advanced Surveillance and Recertification Procedures (ASRP), Issue 1, Version 2, issued on 1 February 2008 is withdrawn.

The decisions will have to be transferred to EA for application at EA level. More information to come after the EA General Assembly on 20-21 November 2019 in Budapest.

Without the need for an additional peer evaluation by IAF, as a consequence of being a signatory to the EA MLA, the following EA MLA signatories join the IAF MLA:

• MOLDAC, Republic of Moldava – Main Scope: Product Certification – ISO/IEC 17065 (2); Main Scope: Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1 (3); Sub-Scopes: Level 4: ISO/TS 22003 (4), ISO/IEC 17021-3 (5); Sub-Scopes: Level 5: ISO 22000 (6), ISO 9001 (7)
• LA, Lithuania – Main Scope: Product Certification – ISO/IEC 17065; Main Scope: Certification of Persons – ISO/IEC 17024 (8); Main Scope: Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1; Sub-Scopes: Level 4: ISO/TS 22003, ISO/IEC 17021-3, ISO/IEC 17021-2(9), ISO/IEC 27006 (10); Sub-Scopes: Level 5: ISO 22000, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 (11), ISO/IEC 27001 (12)

Furthermore, the MLA scope extensions was recognized by IAF for:

• DAkkS, Germany – Sub-Scope: Level 5: FAMI-QS Certification Scheme
• IARNM, Republic of North Macedonia – Main Scope: Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1; Sub-Scopes: Level 4: ISO/IEC 17021-3, ISO/IEC 17021-2; Sub-Scopes: Level 5: ISO 9001, ISO 14001
• TURKAK, Turkey, – Main Scope: Validation and Verification – ISO 14065

ILAC

Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (APAC) scope of recognition at global level is extended by ILAC to cover accreditation of Proficiency Testing Provider (ISO/IEC 17043(13)).

ILAC launched its new Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for Proficiency Testing Provider (PTP), and 20 signatories out of 42 are members of EA.

EA MLA / BLA signatories join the ILAC Arrangement for the accreditation scope Proficiency Testing Provider (ISO/IEC 17043):

• Finnish Accreditation Service (FINAS), Finland,
• United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), United Kingdom,
• Raad voor Accreditatie (RvA), Netherlands,
• Entidad Nacional de Acreditacion (ENAC), Spain,
• Czech Accreditation Institute (CAI), Czech Republic,
• Egyptian Accreditation Council (EGAC), Egypt,
• L’Ente Italiano di Accreditamento (ACCREDIA), Italy,
• Danish Accreditation Fund (DANAK), Denmark,
• Slovak National Accreditation Service (SNAS), Slovakia,
• Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH (DAkkS), Germany,
• Hellenic Accreditation System (ESYD), Greece,
• Belgian Accreditation Body (BELAC), Belgium,
• Turkish Accreditation Agency (TURKAK,), Turkey,
• National Accreditation Authority (NAH), Hungary,
• Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assessment (SWEDAC), Sweden,
• Romanian Accreditation Association (RENAR), Romania,
• Polish Centre for Accreditation (PCA), Poland,
• Norwegian Accreditation (NA), Norway,
• Comité Français d’Accréditation (Cofrac), France,

Furthermore, the Slovenian Accreditation Body SA joint the ILAC MRA for the scope extension medical testing (ISO 15189).

The General Assembly, acting upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee, approved the adoption of the Revised ILAC Bylaws and the amendment of the Articles of Association.

The General Assembly also endorsed the withdrawal of ILAC G11:07/2006 ILAC Guidelines on Qualifications & Competence of Assessors and Technical Experts.

Jon Murthy (UKAS, UK National Accreditation Body) stepped down as Marketing and Communications Committee (MCC) Chair. We thank Jon for all his great work in ILAC for seven years, and also in EA, especially in the Communications and Publications Committee, for 15 years.

The full lists of resolution are available on ILAC and IAF website.