1. Latest developments Merih Malmqvist Nilsson, ILAC Vice Chair
ILAC The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation IAF The International Accreditation Forum
Latest developments Merih Malmqvist Nilsson, ILAC Vice Chair

2. Global Vision
A single worldwide programme of conformity assessment which reduces risk for business, regulators and the consumer, by ensuring that accredited services can be relied upon.
Government and Regulators relying on the IAF and ILAC Arrangements to further develop or enhance trade agreements.
To support the freedom of world trade by eliminating technical barriers, realising the free-trade goal of ‘tested, inspected or certified once and accepted everywhere' .

3. ILAC Membership – 30 August 2011
72 Full Members (Signatories to the ILAC Arrangement) representing 59 economies;
20 Associates representing 32 economies;
19 Affiliates representing 22 economies;
5 Regional Cooperation Bodies
26 Stakeholders
31 July ILAC Full Members
Signatories represent about 95% of Global GDP
Almost 40,000 accredited laboratories
About 6,700 accredited inspection bodies
77% of regulators accept results from accredited organisations (2010)
Inspection MRA to be launched in 2012

4. Coverage of the ILAC MRA (Apr 2011)
ILAC MRA Signatories
ILAC Associate Members
ILAC Affiliate Members 4

5. Status of the IAF MLA
There are 49 IAF MLA Signatories, representing 47 economies.
Management Systems: 47 Accreditation Bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC
ISO 9001 QMS: 47 Accreditation Bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC
ISO EMS: 41 Accreditation Bodies and EA, PAC & IAAC
ISO FSMS: in development
ISO ISMS: in development
Product: 38 Accreditation Bodies EA, PAC & IAAC
Persons: In development

6. Coverage of the IAF MLA (Apr 2011)
IAF MLA Signatories
IAF Members 6

7. Regional Cooperation Bodies
The IAF and ILAC Arrangements are structured to build on existing and developing regional MLAs/MRAs established around the world.
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)
The IAF MLA recognises EA, PAC, IAAC
The ILAC MRA recognises EA, APLAC, IAAC 7

8. The basis for the recognition arrangements (MRA-MLA)
International standards (ISO/IEC series)
ISO/IEC – accreditation bodies
ISO/IEC – inspection bodies
ISO/IEC – laboratories
ISO/IEC – certification bodies for management systems
ISO/IEC – certification bodies for products and services
ISO/IEC – certification bodies for persons
Harmonised implementation documents
Peer evaluation system with trained evaluators
Decision making process

9. The Benefits For Government and Regulators For Business For Consumers
Flexible alternative to Legislation
Facilitator of trade
An efficient monitoring tool
For Business
Greater acceptance of products and services opening up market access
Avoid costs associated with multiple testing, inspections or certifications
Informed procurement selection
For Consumers
Public confidence in goods and services, despite complex global marketplace
Minimises product failures or recalls

10. ILAC and OIML
Memorandum of understanding
Joint work programme
Joint assessment procedure
Training activities
Common communication to the market
Review of common documents such as OIML D10 / ILAC G24

11. Memorandum of understanding
IAF and OIML
Memorandum of understanding
Identified items for a joint work programme
A survey among IAF members;
Review of a draft OIML Basic Publication (certification system for prepackages);
Contribution to the OIML seminar on conformity to type (CTT).

12. Common denominators for ILAC – IAF and OIML
Level playing field for all parties: producers and conformity assessment bodies
Promotion of free trade – eliminating technical barriers to trade
Conformity assessment
Traceability of measurements
Minimising costs and work load for the actors on the market
Achieving market confidence

13. Accreditation in the Market
Peer
Evaluation
International Standards
CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT BODIES
Standards / regulatory
requirements / scheme criteria
PRODUCT & SERVICE PROVIDERS
GOVERNMENT
CONSUMERS
PURCHASERS
CONFIDENCE
TRUST
ASSURANCE

14. Recognition Who recognizes whom?
It is the users of the conformity assessment results who have the prerogative to recognize (or not) certificates from different parts of the world
It is our work to make sure that happens
What is the catch?
The MLA is voluntary
Users of reports/certificates do not have to accept the MLA
There are dishonest players on the market
It is difficult to detect misuse - It can be difficult to take legal action
In other words, we cannot relax

15. Developing countries perspective
Work load: limited personnel, too many different systems, many aid projects
Difficulties in meeting the import requirements of industrialised countries
Many different systems being imposed on them
Level playing field
Let us consolidate our visions and processes and use the available systems as much as possible

16. Summary
IAF and ILAC are committed to developing a harmonised global approach for accreditation practices to ensure consistency of approach.
Both organisations maintain the Arrangements to ensure equal reliability of accredited services.
Growing acceptance by regulators and businesses is removing technical barriers to trade, and avoiding the need for duplicate certifications, testing or inspections.
IAF and ILAC support developing economies to establish an accreditation infrastructure.

17. Contact Details