1. Facilitating Global Trade
The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) The International Accreditation Forum (IAF)
Accreditation --
Facilitating Global Trade by
Peter Unger
ILAC Chair
BSCA Conference 5 June 2014

2. Accreditation in the TBT Agreement
“6.1.1 adequate and enduring technical competence of the relevant conformity assessment bodies in the exporting Member, so that confidence in the continued reliability of their conformity assessment results can exist; in this regard, verified compliance, for instance through accreditation, with relevant guides or recommendations issued by international standardizing bodies shall be taken into account as an indication of adequate technical competence;”

3. Accreditation to Support the Market
Demands for facilitating trade
Trade
Organizations
& Authorities
Product/
service
Suppliers
Purchasers
Regulators
Conforming product/service
Requirements
Market
Certification
Body
Inspection
Test
Lab
Cal
Conformity assessment bodies
Conformity Assessment Service
Demands for competent conformity assessment
Accreditation Bodies
Accreditation service

4. CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT PRODUCT & SERVICE PROVIDERS
Peer
Evaluation
ACCREDITATION
International Standards
CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
BODIES
Standards / Regulatory requirements / Scheme criteria
PRODUCT & SERVICE PROVIDERS
CONFIDENCE
TRUST
ASSURANCE
GOVERNMENT
CONSUMERS
PURCHASERS

5. ILAC and IAF
ILAC and IAF—global networks of conformity assessment accreditation bodies
Recognition of competent conformity assessment activities through global multi-lateral mutual recognition arrangements
Harmonization of conformity assessment practices
Promotion of accredited conformity assessment as an effective mechanism for providing confidence in goods and services

6. Global Vision
Tested, inspected or certified once, accepted everywhere'
“Accredited once, accepted everywhere”

7. Regional Cooperation Bodies
The IAF and ILAC Arrangements are structured to build on existing and developing regional MLAs/MRAs established around the world
The IAF MLA recognizes EA, PAC, IAAC
The ILAC MRA recognizes EA, APLAC, IAAC
European Cooperation
for
Accreditation
(EA)
Pacific Accreditation
Cooperation (PAC)
Inter-American
Accreditation Cooperation
(IAAC)
Asia Pacific Laboratory
Accreditation Cooperation
(APLAC)
Southern African
Development
Community Accreditation
(SADCA)
African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC)
Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC)

8. The International Picture
ILAC EA
APLAC
IAAC
ILAC EA
APLAC
IAAC
SADCA
ARAC
AFRAC
ILAC International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation
EA European Cooperation for Accreditation
APLAC Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation
IAAC Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation
AFRAC African Regional Accreditation Cooperation
Unaffiliated Bodies Peer evaluated ABs who are not geographically located in one of the
established regions
SADCA Southern African Development Community Accreditation
ARAC Arab Accreditation Cooperation

9. Coverage of the ILAC MRA (October 2013)
ILAC MRA Signatories
ILAC Associate Members
ILAC Affiliate Members

10. Status of the ILAC MRA (March 2014)
The ILAC network of members includes 148 bodies from different economies (85 Full Members/MRA Signatories, 17 Associates, 17 Affiliates, 23 Stakeholders, 6 Regional Cooperation Bodies)
ILAC MRA covers testing, calibration and inspection
Signatories represent about 95% of Global GDP
45,000 accredited laboratories
About 7,500 accredited inspection bodies
MRAs for accreditation of PTPs and RMPs underway

11. Coverage of the IAF MLA (August 2013)
IAF MLA Signatories
IAF Members not yet Signatories 11

12. Status of the IAF MLA
91 members (69 Accreditation Bodies, 18 Association Members, 6 Regional Groups, 3 Observers); 60 IAF MLA Signatories from 55 economies
Management Systems: 53 accreditation bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC
ISO 9001 QMS: 53 accreditation bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC
ISO EMS: 49 accreditation bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC
ISO FSMS, ISO/IEC ISMS, ISO/IEC ITSMS and ISO medical devices: under development
Product: 51 accreditation bodies EA, PAC & IAAC
Global G.A.P, IFA CPCCs: 26 accreditation bodies
Persons: under development
GHG Verification & Validation Bodies: under development

13. The ILAC and IAF Arrangements
Accreditation body members deemed competent through a peer evaluation process:
ISO/IEC 17011
IAF-ILAC A series documents
IAF MD documents & ILAC P-series documents
Signatories must recognize certificates and reports issued by organisations accredited by other Signatories
Provides business with assurance that overseas bodies operate to the same standard.
Removes technical barriers to trade by eliminating redundant conformity assessment

14. IAF/ILAC A1: Evaluation of a Region
Two main sections; two main purposes:
Requirements for a Region (Section 2)
Flow Chart for a peer evaluation of a region (Section 3)

15. Typical Evaluation of a Region
Visit to Secretariat Office(s) Witnessing two AB peer evaluations Observation of MLA Group Decision Making Report of findings to the IAF/ILAC Arrangement Management Committee(s)

16. IAF/ILAC A1: Evaluation of a Region
All Regional Groups also provide a report each year to the respective IAF MLA Management Committee (MC) and/or ILAC Arrangement Management Committee (AMC) on their MLA and/or MRA activities. Such reports should include any joint activities, as outlined above and be provided to the next TL-R who will evaluate the Regional Group.

17. IAF/ILAC A2: Evaluation of an AB Full Evaluation
Four to six days duration
Three to seven team members
Several assessments witnessed
Summary report of findings at end of visit

18. IAF/ILAC A2: Evaluation of an AB Section 2
IAF/ILAC A2: Evaluation of an AB Section 2.2 Supplementary Requirements
Demonstrated competence and experience
Acceptable routes for measurement traceability
Proficiency testing requirements
Arrangement obligations
Promotion of the Arrangements
Contribute to peer evaluations
Cross-frontier policy

19. IAF/ILAC A2: Evaluation of an AB Qualifications of Evaluators
Team members:
At least 3 years experience as staff member or assessor in a member accreditation body
Evaluator training course completed
English understood
Team Leaders
Senior AB staff
Experience as a team member

20. IAF/ILAC A2: Evaluation of an AB Full Evaluation
Four to six days duration
Three to seven team members
Several assessments witnessed
Summary report of findings at end of visit

21. IAF/ILAC A2: Evaluation of an AB Full Evaluation Report Process
Summary report with Findings:
Draft full report
Formal response by AB to findings
Formal reaction of the evaluation team
Often more than one iteration
Follow-up visit possible
Final report to the Arrangement group
Decision by the Arrangement group

22. USA Specifiers of the Arrangements
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Federal Highway Administration
U.S. Coast Guard
General Services Administration
Department of Defense
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Food and Drug Administration
Environmental Protection Agency

23. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Statement by Scott Hey, program manager of the CPSC Office of Hazard Identification and Reduction on the benefits of the ILAC MRA:
“The MRA has had a tremendous impact on our group. With all the products from manufacturers around the world – cribs and bunk beds from China and the United Kingdom, bike helmets and baby walkers from Taiwan and Italy – knowing that they have all been through an accepted standard of testing from an accredited lab gives us a greater level of confidence in those products. It provides a sense of consistency in quality.”

24. Environmental Protection Agency
Statement by Eamon Monaghan, Program Integrity Lead, ENERGYSTAR on the reason for using the ILAC MRA: “We didn’t have to develop and implement our own set of rules. Any kind of agency-specific rule creates costs or hassles for industry, and that was something we really wanted to avoid. We currently certify products in 65 categories, many of which are certified and tested overseas. Referencing the ILAC MRA took the EPA off the hook for developing a lot of criteria for labs or conducting our own lab oversight. And, by working with only ILAC signatories, we have the confidence that the labs have been appropriately assessed. We now recognize 27 ILAC-signatory accreditation bodies around the world.”

25. Benefits for government and regulators
Cost effective tool to support regulation
Efficient monitoring

26. Benefits for industry
Greater acceptance of products and services opening up markets
Avoiding the costs of multiple testing, inspection or certification
Efficient management of suppliers

27. Benefits for consumers
Public confidence in goods and services despite complex global marketplace
Reduces product failures

28. The Economics of Accreditation: UKAS/British Measurement and Test Association study March 2013
Conformity assessment body benefits estimated to be 295 million pounds per annum
Downstream commercial benefit estimated to be 320 million pounds per annum

29. Contact Details