Inter American Accreditation Cooperation The Regional Accreditation Cooperation of the Americas

Regional cooperation of accreditation bodies of The Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) is a Regional cooperation of accreditation bodies of Certification bodies Inspection bodies Testing and Calibration Laboratories

BACKGROUND Created in 1996 in Montevideo, Uruguay Legally established in Mexico as a Non Profit Organization in 2001 IAF and ILAC member

Total IAAC Membership: 41 Full Members : 23 Associate Members: 7 Stakeholder Members: 11 IAAC has 3 Membership categories: Full members are accreditation bodies that comply with international guides and standards Associate members are accreditation bodies that do not yet comply with international guides and standards, however they are working to achieve full member status Stakeholder members are conformity assessment bodies and organizations interested in the development of accreditation in the region. IAAC is a useful tool for Stakeholders to have a voice at international accreditation forums

Global Accreditation Snapshot ILAC - IAF EA APLAC-PAC The accreditation world is divided into the following regions. There are 2 international organizations: The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation which focuses on Accreditors of Laboratories The International Accreditation Forum which focuses on Accreditors of Certification Bodies We have IAAC for the Americas, from Canada to Argentina. APLAC focuses on Laboratories and PAC on Accreditors of Certification Bodies EA covers European countries and SADCA countries of Southern Africa Asia Pacific and Europe have already signed Multi-lateral Recognition Arrangements While IAAC and SADCA are still in the process of achieving it. AFRAC IAAC EA European Cooperation for Accreditation APLAC Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation PAC Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation IAF International Accreditation Forum ILAC International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation AFRAC African Accreditation Cooperation

IAAC is recognized by: ILAC IAF IAAC has an MoU with: APLAC PAC SADCA

Inter-Institutional Relations ILAC - IAF - PAC - APLAC - SADCA IAAC Representation at relevant Committees Proficiency Testing programs Peer Evaluator training courses Participation at IAAC meetings

Multi-Lateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA)

MLA MRA MLA Accreditation Body Test & Cal Labs QMS The proces for an IAAC full member to achieve signatory status from the moment it applies until it signs takes an average of 2 years. The process is carried out at a lesser expense than if it applied directly to the international cooperations. Taking into account that the process to maintain an MLA involves future visits by the evaluation team. It also implies staff taking time off from the daily work to travel to international meetings Many Abs do not have the funding or the staff to do this, and choose to focus on the work at the Regional level. MLA Accreditation Body 9

Current IAAC MLA Scopes: Testing and Calibration Laboratories QMS Certification Bodies EMS Certification Bodies Product Certification Bodies Inspection Bodies

IAAC MLAs recognized by IAF-ILAC: Testing and Calibration Laboratories QMS Certification Bodies Currently in the final stages for recognition by IAF for: EMS Certification Bodies Product Certification Bodies Inspection Bodies

IAAC MLA SIGNATORIES For Testing Laboratories (15) Argentina - OAA (Including Medical/Clinical Labs - ISO 15189) Brazil - Cgcre Canada - SCC (Including Medical/Clinical Labs - ISO 15189) Costa Rica - ECA Chile – INN (Including Medical/Clinical Labs - ISO 15189) Cuba - ONARC Guatemala – OGA (Including Medical/Clinical Labs - ISO 15189) Mexico - ema (Including Medical/Clinical Labs - ISO 15189) Uruguay - OUA USA - A2LA (Including Medical/Clinical Labs - ISO 15189) USA – AIHA-LAP USA – ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board Dba ACLASS USA - ASCLD-LAB USA - FQS USA – NVLAP Currently 8 accreditation bodies are MLA signatories. OGA (Guatemala) and ANAB (USA) will be officially approved at the next GA.

IAAC MLA SIGNATORIES For Calibration Laboratories (10) Argentina - OAA Brazil - Cgcre Canada - SCC Costa Rica - ECA Chile – INN Cuba - ONARC Mexico - ema USA - A2LA USA – ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board Dba ACLASS USA – NVLAP Currently 8 accreditation bodies are MLA signatories. OGA (Guatemala) and ANAB (USA) will be officially approved at the next GA.

IAAC MLA SIGNATORIES For Quality Management Systems Certification Bodies (9) Argentina - OAA Brazil - Cgcre Canada – SCC Costa Rica - ECA Chile – INN Mexico - ema Peru - INDECOPI/SNA USA – ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board Dba ANAB Uruguay - OUA Currently 8 accreditation bodies are MLA signatories. OGA (Guatemala) and ANAB (USA) will be officially approved at the next GA.

IAAC MLA SIGNATORIES For Environmental Management Systems Certification Bodies(7) Argentina - OAA Brazil - Cgcre Canada - SCC Chile – INN Mexico - ema USA – ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board Dba ANAB Uruguay - OUA Currently 8 accreditation bodies are MLA signatories. OGA (Guatemala) and ANAB (USA) will be officially approved at the next GA.

IAAC MLA SIGNATORIES For Product Certification Bodies (5) Argentina - OAA Brazil - Cgcre Canada - SCC Mexico - ema USA - A2LA For Inspection Bodies (2) Currently 8 accreditation bodies are MLA signatories. OGA (Guatemala) and ANAB (USA) will be officially approved at the next GA.

BENEFITS OF INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION Strengthen the technical competence in the Americas Overcome Technical Barriers to Trade Comparable systems with other regions Smaller costs with the same confidence Knowledge transfer The regional accreditation system is strenghtened ONCE IAF and ILAC recognized IAAC as a regional accrediation cooperation Countries from the Americas have comparable accreditation systems with countries in other regions Costs to perform peer assessments are reduced and they are trustworthy Our Accreditation Bodies are constantly receiving technical training to improve their accreditation systems and maintain compliance with the requirements.

C U R R E N T I A A C P R O J E C T S IAAC – OAS IAAC – PTB OAS: Organization of American States IAAC – OAS IAAC – PTB PTB: Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt OAS - Evaluations, witnessing of IAAC Evaluations, internships, consultancies, courses, proficiency testing programs IDB - Awareness, training, evaluations, internships, proficiency tests, technical assistance PTB - Peer evaluator training, proficiency testing, courses

2010-2011 IAAC Proficiency Testing Programs IAAC T007 Proficiency Test for Powdered Milk  IAAC T006 Proficiency Test for Sugar Analysis IAAC T005 Proficiency Test for Preservatives in Non-alcoholic Beverages IAAC T004 Proficiency Test for Wine

Technical training courses Peer evaluator workshop for new evaluators, Lima, Peru, April 2011. Training course on ISO/IEC 17021, Asuncion, Paraguay, April 2011. Peer evaluator training workshop for experienced evaluators, Washington D.C., USA , February 2011. Peer evaluator training workshop for experienced evaluators, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil , August 2010. English will be held in USA date to be determined Spanish will be held in Costa Rica in July 2008 The courses will only be conducted if a sufficient number of new applicant evaluators have been accepted by the MLA committee. 17024 – Personnel 17020 - inspection

16th IAAC General Assembly UPCOMING MEETINGS 16th IAAC General Assembly Quito, Ecuador August 20-27, 2011

For more Information contact: secretariat@iaac.org.mx www.iaac.org.mx