IAF and ILAC joint annual meeting held in 2017
International activities
A mutual annual meeting of International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) was held in Vancouver, Canada from 21st to 30th October 2017.
During this 31st meeting of IAF General Assembly (IAF GA), which was held in the above mentioned period, 32 resolutions were made, from which the following can be considered as the most significant:
• IAF Resolution 2017-05 – Database Management Committee Report - The General Assembly received with appreciation the report on progress of the Database for Accredited Management Systems Certifications and approved proceeding with the IAF database and the formation of a Limited Liability Company (LLC) to manage said database (ref IAF GA31_5.2A, IAF GA31_5.2B).
• IAF Resolution 2017-11 –Membership Changes - The General Assembly received the Secretary’s report on the admission to the IAF MoU, since the 2016 Annual meeting, of the following Members (in order of the date of membership approval):
o IOAS, Inc. (IOAS)
o National Accreditation Agency of the Ukraine (NAAU)
o National Accreditation Authority (NAH)
o Foundation FSSC 22000 (FSSC 22000).
• IAF Resolution 2017-13 – (Agenda Item 9) Transitional Arrangements for the ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 - The General Assembly, acting on the recommendation of the Technical Committee, resolved that at the end of the transition period, 15 September 2018, all ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 certifications shall expire or be withdrawn.
As of 15 March 2018, CABs shall conduct all ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 initial, surveillance, and recertification audits to the new versions (ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015). The outcomes of such audits shall be considered by the CAB for further decision on accredited certifications to ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 as deemed appropriate.
• IAF Resolution 2017-14 – Transitional Arrangements for the revision of ISO 50001:2011 - The General Assembly, acting on the recommendation of the Technical Committee, resolved that the Transitional Arrangement for the Revision of ISO 50001:2011 Energy Management Systems – Requirements with guidance for use, be three years from the date of publication of the revised standard. All ISO 50001:2011 certifications shall expire or be withdrawn at the end of the transition period.
Within this transition timeline:
• ABs shall be ready to carry out transition assessments for ISO 50001:2018 within 6 months from the date of publication of the revised standard.
• CABs shall complete the transition with ABs for ISO 50001:2018 within 18 months from the date of publication of the revised standard.
• CABs shall cease conducting audits, including initial, surveillance and recertification to the ISO 50001:2011 18 months from the date of publication of Approved 30 October 2017 3 the revised standard. The outcomes of such audits to the revision of ISO 50001:2011 shall be considered by the CAB for further decision on accredited certifications to ISO 50001:2011 as deemed appropriate.
• IAF Resolution 2017-15 – Transitional Arrangements for the revision of ISO 14064-1:2006 and 14064-2:2006 - The General Assembly, acting on the recommendation of the Technical Committee, resolved that the Transitional Arrangement for the Revision of ISO 14064-1:2006 Greenhouse gases -- Part 1: Specification with guidance at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, and ISO 14064-2:2006 Greenhouse gases -- Part 2: Specification with guidance at the project level for quantification, monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emission reductions or removal enhancements be three years from the date of publication of the revised standard.
Within this transition timeline:
• ABs shall be ready to carry out transition assessment for ISO 14064-1:2018 and ISO 14064-2:2018 within 6 months from the date of publication of the revised standard. Note: If there is an exception to the above, the AB shall justify the exception based on valid reasons..
• CABs shall complete the transition with ABs for ISO 14064-1:2018 and ISO 14064-2:2018 within 3 years from the date of publication of the revised standard.
• rezolucija IAF Resolution 2017-16 – Transitional Arrangement for the revision of ISO 22000:2005 - The General Assembly, acting on the recommendation of the Technical Committee, resolved that the period for transitioning of accredited certifications to the next revision of ISO 22000:2005 Food safety management systems -- Requirements for any organization in the food chain be three years from the date of publication.
• IAF Resolution 2017-17 – Transitional Arrangement for the Revision of ISO/IEC TS 17021-3:2013 to ISO/IEC 17021-3:2017 - The General Assembly, acting on the recommendation of the Technical Committee, resolved that the transition period for ISO/IEC 17021-3:2017 Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems — Part 3: Competence requirements for auditing and certification of quality management systems, be two years from the date of publication of the revised standard (i.e. 31 March 2019).
• IAF Resolution 2017-18 – Endorsement of ISO/IEC 20000-6: 2017 and ISO/IEC 20000-1: 2011 as Normative Documents and Transitional Arrangement - The General Assembly, acting on the recommendation of the Technical Committee, resolved to endorse ISO/IEC 20000-6:2017 Information technology – Service management – Part 6: Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of service management systems and ISO/IEC 20000-1:2011 Information technology – Service management -- Part 1: Service management system requirements as normative documents.
The General Assembly further resolved that the transition period for the implementation of ISO/IEC 20000-6:2017 be two years from the date of publication, i.e. 06 June 2017. After the transition period, IAF MD18:2015 Application of ISO/IEC 17021:2011 in the Service Management Sector (ISO/IEC 20000-1) will be withdrawn. (IAF Resolution 2017-18).
• rezolucija IAF Resolution 2017-19 –Non-Accredited Personnel Certification where the CAB is accredited for the same scope and Transitional Arrangement - The General Assembly acting on the recommendation of the Technical Committee resolved that IAF Accreditation Body members shall have legally enforceable arrangements with their accredited CABs for personnel certification that prevents the CAB from issuing non-accredited persons certificates in scopes for which they are accredited.
The enforceable arrangements shall require full implementation within three years from 30 October 2017.
Additionally, CABs for personnel certification shall transition certification documentation to include the accreditation symbol and/or shall make reference to the accreditation status of the CAB including the identification of the AB, at the time of recertification decision; no later than 30 October 2020.
When granted initial accreditation (for ISO/IEC 17024), after 30 October 2017, a CAB shall transition (re-issue) previous unaccredited certification documents and/or make reference to the accreditation status including identification of the AB, within one year of the accreditation decision.
Note: If there is an exception to the above, the CAB must justify the exception to the AB, and if accepted by the AB, the certification is still considered accredited.
• IAF Resolution 2017-20 –Certification to ISO 31000:2009, Risk management – Principles and guidelines - The General Assembly, acting on the recommendation of the Technical Committee, resolved that there will not be any accredited certification to ISO 31000:2009, Risk management – Principles and guidelines (publication date 13 November 2009).
ISO 31000 explicitly states that it is not intended or appropriate for certification, and any certification would be a misuse of the standard. Therefore CABs are strongly urged not to promote or provide certification to ISO 31000 and ABs and CABs are requested to report any misuse or need for certification to the ISO Secretariat.
• IAF Resolution 2017-22 –New Regional Accreditation Group IAF MLA Signatories – The General Assembly noted the admission to the IAF MLA, since the 2016 General Assembly, of the following IAF Regional Accreditation Group member::
• ARAC Arab Region – Main Scope: Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1; Sub-Scope: Level 4: ISO/TS 22003; Sub-Scopes: Level 5: ISO 22000; ISO 9001, ISO 14001.
• IAF Resolution 2017-23 – New IAF MLA Signatories – The General Assembly noted the admissions to the IAF MLA, since the 2016 General Assembly, of the following IAF Accreditation Body Members:
• IOAS United States of America - Main Scope: Product Certification – ISO/IEC 17065 (PAC)
• NAAU Ukraine - Main Scope: Product Certification – ISO/IEC 17065; Main Scope: Certification of Persons - ISO/IEC 17024; Main Scope: Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1; Sub-Scopes: Level 5: ISO 9001, ISO 14001 (EA)
• NAH Hungary - Main Scope: Product Certification – ISO/IEC 17065; Main Scope: Certification of Persons - ISO/IEC 17024; Main Scope: Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1; Sub-Scopes: Level 5: ISO 9001, ISO 14001 (EA),
• KENAS Kenya - Main Scope: Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1; Sub-Scope Level 4: ISO/TS 22003; Sub-Scopes Level 5: ISO 22000, ISO 9001, ISO 14001.
• IAF Resolution 2017-24 – IAF MLA Scope Extensions – The General Assembly noted the MLA scope extensions, since the 2016 General Assembly, of the following IAF Accreditation Body Members:
• NCA Kazakhstan – Main Scope: Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1; Sub-Scope Level 5: ISO 9001 (PAC)
• NACI Iran, SAC Singapore – Sub-Scope Level 5: ISO 14001 (PAC)
• EA-BAS Bulgaria – Main Scope: Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1; Sub-Scopes: Level 5: ISO 9001, ISO 14001 (EA)
• EA-BAS Bulgaria – Main Scope: Product Certification – ISO/IEC 17065 (EA)
• PNAC Pakistan – Main Scope: Product Certification – ISO/IEC 17065 (PAC)
• DAC United Arab Emirates, HKAS Hong Kong, China, NACI Iran, NSC Thailand, Standards Malaysia Malaysia – Sub-Scope Level 4: ISO/TS 22003; Sub-Scope Level 5: ISO 22000 (PAC)
• EGAC Egypt – Sub-Scope Level 4: ISO/TS 22003; Sub-Scope Level 5: ISO 22000
• TUNAC Tunisia – Sub-Scope Level 4: ISO/TS 22003; Sub-Scope Level 5: ISO 22000 (ARAC)
• CNAS China, EMA Mexico, Standards Malaysia Malaysia – Sub-Scope Level 4: ISO/IEC 27006; Sub-Scope Level 5: ISO 27001 (PAC)
• IAF Resolution 2017-25 – (Agenda Item 10) IAF and GFSI MLA Agreement – The General Assembly noted that the IAF-GFSI Agreement had been approved by letter ballot. This Agreement facilitates IAF endorsement of GFSI benchmarked schemes under the Main Scopes of Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1 and Product Certification – ISO/IEC 17065 of the IAF MLA in accordance with IAF PL3 Policies and Procedures for the Expansion of the Scope of the IAF MLA.
• rezolucija IAF Resolution 2017-26 – IAF and FAMI-QS MLA Agreement – The General Assembly noted that the IAF-FAMI-QS Asbl MLA Agreement had been approved by letter-ballot. In accordance with this Agreement and IAF PL3 Policies and Procedures for the Expansion of the Scope of the IAF MLA, the FAMI-QS Certification Scheme has been endorsed as an IAF MLA sub-scope under the Main Scope of Management Systems Certification – ISO/IEC 17021-1 and the Level 4 Sub-scope – ISO/TC 22003.
• rezolucija IAF Resolution 2017-27 – IAF and IPC MLA Agreement – The IAF General Assembly, acting on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, approved the IAF-IPC MLA Agreement and thereby endorsed the IPC Certification Scheme as an IAF MLA Sub-scope under the Main Scope of Certification of Persons – ISO/IEC 17024.
During 21st ILAC General Assembly (ILAC GA), which was held on 30th October 2017, 21 32 resolutions were made, from which the following can be considered as the most significant:
• ILAC Resolution GA 21.02 The General Assembly confirms the results of the electronic ballot to accept the following organisations as Associates:
• National Accreditation Authority (NAH), Hungary
• National Centre of Accreditation of the Republic of Moldova (MOLDAC), Moldova
• Accreditation Education Research & Scientific Services Center Pvt. Ltd. (AERSSC), Nepal.
• ILAC Resolution GA 21.03 The General Assembly notes the outcome of the ILAC Arrangement Council electronic ballot to accept the re-evaluation and continued signatory status to the ILAC MRA for the following organisation:
• Dubai Accreditation Department (DAC), United Arab Emirates.
• ILAC Resolution GA 21.04 The General Assembly notes the decision of the ILAC Arrangement Council to accept the evaluation and the recognition to the ILAC MRA for the following regional cooperation body:
• Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC) for the recognition of the ARAC MLA for the accreditation of calibration (ISO/IEC 17025), testing (ISO/IEC 17025), medical testing (ISO 15189) and inspection (ISO/IEC 17020).
• ILAC Resolution GA 21.05 The General Assembly notes the decisions of the ILAC Arrangement Council to accept the evaluations and signatory status to the ILAC MRA for the following organisations:
• Egyptian Accreditation Council (EGAC), Egypt (re-evaluation)
• Ethiopian National Accreditation Office (ENAO), Ethiopia (initial evaluation)
• Kenya Accreditation Services (KENAS), Kenya (initial evaluation)
• Southern African Development Community Accreditation Service (SADCAS), Botswana (extension).
• ILAC Resolution GA 21.06 The General Assembly welcomes the following new signatories to the ILAC Arrangement for the accreditation scopes listed:
• Algerian Accreditation Body (ALGERAC), Algeria, calibration (ISO/IEC 17025), testing (ISO/IEC 17025) and inspection (ISO/IEC 17020)
• Southern African Development Community Accreditation Service (SADCAS), Botswana, extension for medical testing (ISO 15189) i inspection (ISO/IEC 17020)
• Ente Costarricense De Acreditacion (ECA), Costa Rica, extension for medical testing (ISO 15189)
• National Accreditation Body of Republica de Cuba (ONARC), Cuba, extension for inspection (ISO/IEC 17020)
• Organismo Salvadoreño de Acreditación (OSA), El Salvador, extension for calibration (ISO/IEC 17025)
• Ethiopian National Accreditation Office (ENAO), Ethiopia, testing (ISO/IEC 17025) and medical testing (ISO 15189)
• National Accreditation Authority (NAH), Hungary, calibration (ISO/IEC 17025), testing (ISO/IEC 17025), medical testing (ISO 15189) and inspection (ISO/IEC 17020)
• Jordan Accreditation & Standardization Systems - Accreditation Unit (JAS-AU), Jordan, calibration (ISO/IEC 17025), testing (ISO/IEC 17025) and medical testing (ISO 15189)
• Kenya Accreditation Services (KENAS), Kenya, calibration (ISO/IEC 17025), testing (ISO/IEC 17025), medical testing (ISO 15189) and inspection (ISO/IEC 17020)
• Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (KOLAS), Korea, extension for medical testing (ISO 15189)
• National Centre of Accreditation of the Republic of Moldova (MOLDAC), Moldova, calibration (ISO/IEC 17025), testing (ISO/IEC 17025), medical testing (ISO 15189) and inspection (ISO/IEC 17020)
• Federal Service for Accreditation (RusAccreditation), Russia, calibration (ISO/IEC 17025), testing (ISO/IEC 17025).
• ILAC Resolution GA 21.17 & Attachment A
The General Assembly confirms the results of the electronic ballots, as listed in Attachment A to this document, undertaken by ILAC since the 20th ILAC General Assembly held in 2016.
• ILAC Resolution GA 21.18
The General Assembly endorses the recommendation of the AIC to withdraw ILAC P13:10/2010 Application of ISO/IEC 17011 for the Accreditation of Proficiency Testing Providers when ISO/IEC 17011:2017 has been fully implemented.
During 17th Joint General Assembly of IAF-ILAC 4 joint resolutions were made, from which the following can be considered as the most significant:
• JGA Vancouver Resolution 1 - Merger of PAC and APLAC to form APAC
The Joint General Assembly endorses the recommendation of the Joint Executive Committee to recognise the APAC MRA when APAC is established on 1 January 2019, to allow the continued signatory status in the IAF MLA for all PAC MLA signatories and continued signatory status in the ILAC MRA for all APLAC MRA signatories. This recognition is conditional on the successful outcome of a series of evaluation activities. The evaluation activities will be managed and conducted by the JMC and will include a review of the APAC management documentation in late 2018 and an evaluation of the APAC Secretariat and the APAC MRA decision making process in 2019. A decision will be made following these activities on the recognition of the APAC MRA to the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA respectively and therefore the ongoing signatory status of the APAC MRA signatories to the IAF MLA and the ILAC MRA as applicable.
The full evaluation of APAC will be scheduled to commence in 2021.
• JGA Vancouver Resolution 2 - Implementation of transition to ISO/IEC 17011:2017
The Joint General Assembly endorses the recommendation of the Joint Executive Committee, to ensure JGA Delhi Resolution 1 – Transition to ISO/IEC 17011:2017 is fully implemented, that all peer evaluation activities carried out from 1 July 2018 will use ISO/IEC 17011:2017 as the requirements document. Details of this transition plan are described in the document entitled “ISO/IEC 17011:2017 Transition Plan” dated 29 October 2017.
Prof. Aco Janićijević, PhD, ATS Acting Director, Jasna Stojanović, DeputyDirector and Radivoje Nikoličić, Quality Manager attended the meetings on behalf of the Accreditation body of Serbia (ATS).