News

Fifty-five participants attended two Train-the-Trainer sessions organized by the EA Laboratory Committee on Accreditation of Proficiency Testing Providers (PTP) against ISO/IEC 17043:2023 on February 13th and 15th in Brussels, Belgium.

The training session has been organized to address the revision of ISO/IEC 17043 (published in May 2023) and to understand the changes introduced in the standard, 55 participants were present. The revision was necessary primarily to align the standard with the new structure of ISO 17000 series standards, with requirements divided into the following main topics: General, Structural, and Resource Requirements; Process Requirements; and Management System Requirements. Additionally, some changes have been included in a few requirements. 

You can view it in detail HERE

European co-operation for accreditation (EA), published on its site the revised document EA-INF/01:2023, List of EA publications and international documents, valid from 22nd January, 2024.

This publication provides a list of EA documents used on a mandatory or informative basis, according to the classification given in EA-1/14 “Procedure for Development and Approval of EA Documents and the Adoption of ILAC/IAF Documents”. It also contains a list of international documents approved by the EA as applicable EA documents.

The publication can be downloaded HERE

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) has released a bulletin this month, IAF Outlook, highlighting the outcomes of the 37th General Assembly of IAF held from November 13th to 15th, 2023, in Montreal, Canada.

The bulletin also covers the theme and goals of World Accreditation Day 2024, focusing on how accreditation can shape our future and support the transition to a green and digital economy.

This bulletin includes articles from IAF Regional Accreditation Groups and accreditation bodies, as well as contributions from stakeholders and partners of IAF.

You can view it in detail HERE

EA conducted a training session in December 2023 for potential evaluators. 

The training took place in Paris, hosted by the EA Secretariat from December 12 to 14. Newcomer Training sessions serve as a crucial initiative to cultivate the necessary skills among potential evaluators.

Facilitated by accomplished trainers, including Maria Papatzikou, Chair of the Multilateral Agreement Council (ESYD, Greece), Sergio Guzzi, Laboratory Committee Chair (ACCREDIA, Italy), Nicole Meuree Vanlaethem, Team Leader (BELAC, Belgium), and Ankica Barisic, Manager of Peer Evaluations & Evaluators (EA Secretariat), the training aimed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of peer-evaluation processes, requirements, and their practical application. It also sought insights into the underlying processes supporting the EA peer evaluation system.

You can view it in HERE

The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) has announced on its website that the signatory status of the Accreditation Body of Serbia (ATS) under the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) agreement has been expanded to include the accreditation of proficiency testing providers (ISO/IEC 17043).

You can view the status of all ILAC MRA signatories HERE  

It is worth noting that ATS has also signed the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) Multilateral Agreement (MLA) in this field, as we previously reported HERE

During the past week, the Accreditation Body of Montenegro (ATCG) organized a ceremony to mark the achievement of the signatory status of the Multilateral Agreement Council (EA MLA) at the Hilton Hotel in Podgorica. Representatives of ATS had the honor to attend this exceptional event alongside numerous dignitaries from the world of accreditation and quality infrastructure.

The EA MLA Agreement is an official recognition that the accreditation system in Montenegro is equivalent to the accreditation systems established in European Union member countries.

"This agreement is not just a formality. It represents a strong link between our accreditation bodies and all accreditation bodies signatories to this agreement, confirming our commitment to a common goal - improving the quality and safety of products and services. The implementation of standards may seem insignificant in our daily lives at first. Still, it has an impact on the safety of the facilities we live and work in, the healthcare we receive, the quality of the air we breathe, and the production of food, textiles, and electronic devices, in short, practically all products, processes, and services we receive," stated Mr. Dragan Pusara, the director of the Accreditation Body of Serbia, addressing all attendees on behalf of the directors of accreditation bodies in the region.

You can view it in detail HERE

International Organization for Standardization (ISO), recently published a new issue of the standard ISO 14068-1:2023 Climate Change Management, transition to net zero, Part 1: Carbon neutrality.

This document specifies principles, requirements, and guidance for achieving and demonstrating carbon neutrality through quantifying, reducing, and offsetting the carbon footprint.

This document defines terms used about carbon neutrality and guides the actions necessary to achieve and demonstrate carbon neutrality. By common practice, it uses the word “carbon” to refer to all greenhouse gases (GHGs) in compound expressions such as “carbon neutrality”.

You can view it in detail HERE

The 54th European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) General Assembly (GA) on 22nd and 23rd November 2023 took place in Dublin, Ireland.

The General Assembly gathered around 84 participants from 41 National Accreditation Bodies (NABs), 8 Recognized Stakeholders, and the EA Advisory Board, there were also representatives of ATS who attended the adoption of numerous resolutions, C level meetings as well as the presentation of the new communication plan.

Here are some of the highlights from this assembly:

EA Communication Network

EA Members approved the terms of Reference for the EA Communications Network. The Communication Network will be a place for communications professionals to share experiences and good practices, learn new tools, and submit to peers any questions related to communications and marketing.
All EA Members and recognized Stakeholders are welcome to participate in the new Communication Network.

You can view it in detail HERE

This week, the ILAC and IAF General Assembly was held in Montreal, Canada. The event marked the 30th anniversary of the founding of IAF. It involved discussions about the merger of these two organizations into a single international entity that would cover all fields of accreditation. In addition to adopting numerous resolutions, representatives from EA, including ATS, deliberated on the organization's structure, the roles and positions of stakeholders, and the advantages and potential drawbacks of such a unified organization.

Final adjustments are still pending, and in 2024, the world will witness the establishment of a new accreditation organization named GLOBAC. 

For more information on the IAF anniversary, you can read it HERE.

Over the past three decades, IAF has worked diligently to facilitate trade, enable sustainable development, protect consumers and the environment, and support industry, government, and regulators. This year IAF celebrates its 30th anniversary, reflecting on the achievements, leadership, members, and committees that have shaped IAF into the organization it is today.

IAF was established with a mission: to support the harmonization of accreditation requirements, programs, and procedures worldwide; establish multilateral recognition arrangements (MLAs) among members to confirm the consistent application of those requirements; support emerging accreditation bodies; and promote its MLAs globally. These efforts led to a significant increase in the worldwide acceptance of accredited conformity assessment. Over the years, IAF has maintained these key objectives as it evolved, establishing new committees as required, expanding the MLA scopes and sub-scopes to additional public and private sector schemes, developing strong connections with partner and other international organizations and stakeholders, and launching IAF CertSearch.

You can view it in detail HERE

European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), published on its site the revised document EA-INF/01: 2023, List of EA publications and international documents, valid from 10th October, 2023.

This publication provides a list of EA documents used on a mandatory or informative basis, according to the classification given in EA-1/14 “Procedure for Development and Approval of EA Documents and the Adoption of ILAC/IAF Documents”. It also contains a list of international documents approved by the EA as applicable EA documents.

The publication can be downloaded HERE

Representatives of ATS in the period from 4th to 5th October participated in the meetings of the EA Multilateral Agreement Council (EA MAC) which were held in Brussels, Belgium

60 participants from 41 National Accreditation Bodies (NABs) and the representative of the EA Advisory Board attended the EA MAC meeting.

The EA MAC Committee is responsible for the effective and impartial implementation and monitoring of the peer evaluation process. The competence of the Committee is, among other things, to make decisions regarding the status of signatories of EA multilateral agreements (EA MLA) in relation to the peer evaluation, as well as to report to the EA General Assembly on all decisions made. The chairperson of this Committee is Maria Papatzikou from the Hellenic Accreditation Body (ESYD).

The Committee for Multilateral Agreements also deals with adopting policies and operational procedures within the EA regarding peer evaluation and the management, selection, and training of future peer evaluators.

You can view it in detail HERE

In the previous period, representatives of ATS participated in the work of committees of the European co-operation for accreditation (EA).

Active participation in the meetings of these committees is extremely important for raising the quality of work in the field of accreditation both in our country and in the region. This also enables the exchange of knowledge and experience with colleagues from other accreditation bodies as well as further improvement of the accreditation process in accordance with the latest standards and best practices in Europe.

You can view it in detail HERE

European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), published on its site the revised document EA-INF/05: Directory of European legislations and EU schemes with provisions to accreditation and/or conformity assessment. 

This publication has been established to support National Accreditation Bodies by providing a comprehensive directory of EU legislations and schemes in relation to accreditation and conformity assessment according to Regulation (EC) No 765/2008.

The aim of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 is to ensure that products benefiting from the free movement of goods within the Community fulfill requirements providing a high level of protection of public interest such as health and safety in general, health and safety at the workplace, protection of consumers, protection of the environment and security while ensuring that the free movement of products is not restricted to any extent greater than that which is allowed under Community harmonization legislation or any other relevant Community rules.

You can view it in details HERE

As amendments in the peer-evaluation system of EA turn challenges into a success story, an interview was based on that with Maria Papatzikou, Chair of the EA MLA Council, and Daniela Ionescu, Secretary of the EA MLA Council and manager of the peer-evaluation (PE) system.

Accreditation developing in many new areas, digitalization booming in more and more sectors of daily operations, cybersecurity issues, Artificial Intelligence (AI) -related discussions, intensive development of internet-based processes, etc. These are a few of the major changes that organizations are faced with. EA and its members, the National Accreditation Bodies (NABs), are no exception. More specifically, changes in accreditation standards, but also changes in the processes in the NABs prompted EA to revisit its practices regarding peer evaluations.

You can view it in detail HERE

The Accreditation Body of Serbia (ATS) conducted a successful study visit to the Turkish Accreditation Body (TURKAK), in Ankara, Turkey (07.08.2023), in order to achieve better cooperation between the two countries in the field of application of digital systems in the accreditation processes. This visit marked an essential step towards the improvement of accreditation and standardization in Serbia through the exchange of experiences and visions.

The Accreditation Body of Serbia (ATS) conducted a successful study visit to the Turkish Accreditation The meetings were attended by the Director of the Accreditation Body of Serbia, Dragan Pušara, M.Sc. and the Secretary General of TURKAK, Mrs. Banu Müderrisoğlu.

You can view it in detail: HERE

ILAC and its accreditation body members invest significant effort and resources to maintain the integrity and consistency of the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), also known as the ILAC Arrangement, through a peer evaluation process. This report sets out the detailed activities that regulators, specifiers, and businesses can have confidence in the Arrangement.

ILAC MRA Annual Report can be downloaded HERE

ILAC is the international authority on laboratory, inspection body, reference material producer, proficiency testing provider and biobank accreditation, with a membership consisting of accreditation bodies, regional cooperation bodies and stakeholder organizations throughout the world.

You can view it in detail HERE

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) within the technical committee TC 323 – Circular Economy is developing six new international standards in the field of circular economy. Three standards are in the 40.60 development phase in July of this year, which ended the public discussion phase:

• ISO/DIS 59004 – Terminology, Principles, and Guidance for Implementation
• ISO/DIS 59010 – Guidance on the transition of business models and value networks and
• ISO/DIS 59020 – Measuring and assessing circularity.

You can view it detail: HERE

European co-operation for accreditation (EA) organized a training related to the new version of the standard ISO 15189:2022 Medical laboratories — Requirements for quality and competence, which was held between 6-7 June 2023 (1st session) and 8-9 June 2023 (2nd session) in Paris, France. 

54 participants from 23 National Accreditation Bodies (NABs) participated in the training and there was a representative from ATS. The training intended to focus on the relevant changes of the new standard ISO 15189:2022 in relation to the previous version of the standard ISO 15189:2012

You can view it in detail HERE

This year's session of the General Assembly of the European Committee for Standardization, CEN and CENELEC was held from June 19th to 22nd, 2023 in Belgrade. This meeting was hosted for the first time by the Institute for Standardization of Serbia (ISS). 

During this period of the General Assembly session, numerous meetings were held: meetings of the administrative boards of these organizations, then joint and individual assemblies of CEN (59th) and CENELEC (65th), as well as several bilateral talks. More than 200 representatives of national standardization bodies from 34 countries around the world participated in the meetings, where further directions for the development of European standardization were decided.

You can view it in detail: HERE

European co-operation for accreditation (EA) at its website published the new issue of document EA-INF/17, Register of EA resolutions for use by EA, National Accreditation Bodies, and EA evaluators which shall come into effect from 14th June 2023.

This document contains a register of all relevant EA resolutions that have not been transferred to EA documents but are still valid for conformity assessment bodies, national accreditation bodies, and assessors.

According to the rules of this document, EA members are obliged to abide by the decisions of the General Assembly and the Multilateral Agreement Council (MAC). Most of the decisions taken by the General Assembly in the form of EA resolutions are implemented in the EA documents, but some of them are only mentioned in the resolutions.

The EA has added new resolutions to the document, EA-INF/17 so that it now contains all EA resolutions.

You can view it in detail: HERE

European co-operation for accreditation - EA on June 6, 2023, published on its website the Annual Report on the work of the European co-operation for accreditation for the year 2022.

This EA Report, which summarizes all the activities of its members, recognized stakeholders, and the EA Secretariat during 2022, can be viewed on the EA website, at the following link: HERE

You can view it in detail: HERE

The 53rd European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) General Assembly (GA) on 24th-25th May 2023 took place in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

The General Assembly gathered around 90 participants from 45 National Accreditation Bodies (NABs), the EU Commission, Recognized Stakeholders, and the EA Advisory Board. Among those present was acting Director of the Accreditation Body of Serbia, Dragan Pušara, MSc. This joint meeting place was an opportunity for Dragan Pušara, M.Sc., on behalf of ATS, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Moldovan accreditation body, MOLDAC. Collaborations like this further strengthen the partnership among EA members, opening the door for mutual growth and success.

You can view it in detail: HERE

European co-operation for accreditation (EA) at its website, https://european-accreditation.org, published EA MLA Report for 2022 on 10th May, 2023 

The EA MLA Report provides information on the activities of the Multilateral Agreement Council (EA MAC Committee) which is responsible for the effective and impartial management and monitoring of peer evaluation and which makes decisions related to the achievement of the status of a signatory to a multilateral (EA MLA) or bilateral agreement (EA BLA) on the equivalence of the accreditation system at the level of the EA or the European Union (EU). The report provides an overview of the key activities implemented in the previous year and the decisions made concerning signatories.

You can view it in detail: HERE

European co-operation for accreditation (EA) published on its website decisions that were made at the 48th EA MAC MEETING.

We remind you, that the Council’s meeting was held in Belgrade from 26-27 April 2023, where 61 participants from 43 National Accreditation Bodies and the representative of the EA Advisory Board participated.

You can view it in detail: HERE