ILAC News 38

ILAC MRA 10th AnniversaryThis year marks the 10th anniversaryof the ILAC Mutual RecognitionArrangement (MRA). The principle aim ofthis Arrangement is as relevant today, as itwas when it was first established, and thatis to build confidence among accreditationbodies and their ability to determine alaboratory’s competence to perform testingor calibrations.This confidence in turn facilitates theacceptance of testing and calibration resultsbetween countries when the results canbe demonstrated to come from accreditedlaboratories. This ultimately supports thefreedom of world trade by eliminatingtechnical barriers to trade. The creation of aninternational network among accreditationbodies removes the need for suppliers tohave their products or services re-evaluatedin each country they enter on a commercialbasis. The key to the Arrangement is thatthe results of accredited organisationsare recognised as equivalent by signatoryaccreditation bodies. In this way, certificatesissued by accredited organisations cantherefore be accepted throughout the world.On 2 November 2000, 36 laboratoryaccreditation bodies, full members of ILAC,from 28 economies worldwide signedan arrangement in Washington, DC topromote the acceptance of technical testand calibration data for exported goods. Thearrangement came into effect on 31 January2001. Today, there are 66 accreditationbodies from 55 economies that aresignatories to the ILAC MRA.Now that the ILAC Arrangement is wellestablished, governments are takingadvantage of it to further develop or enhancetrade agreements. The ultimate aim continuesto be the increased use and acceptance byindustry as well as government of the resultsfrom accredited laboratories, includingresults from laboratories in other countries.In this way, the free-trade goal of “a producttested once and accepted everywhere” can berealised.At the national level, there is greaterrecognition of accredited activities, inparticular from regulators, who are usingthe ILAC Arrangement to deliver policyobjectives from health and safety to theprotection of the environment, as well asproviding the conditions that support acompetitive economy through their impacton the export performance of businesses.Arrangement can significantly reducecompliance costs by removing unnecessaryrepeat testing or the need to comply withredundant local requirements. This also hasa positive impact on time-to-market, whichcan be reduced through this streamlining ofthe approvals process.The ILAC website continues to provide anever increasing number of examples ofdemonstrated positive outcomes from theimplementation of the ILAC MRA.Looking to the future, ILAC will continue tomeet the expectations of a growing base ofstakeholders in the ongoing implementationof the ILAC Arrangement. This will includeresponding to the needs of both industryand regulators, who are increasingly turningto accreditation to meet their regulatoryresponsibilities. As an internationalorganisation, the primary role of ILAC isto ensure consistency and equal reliabilityamong all accredited activities deliveredunder their jurisdiction, to ensure that the‘Global Acceptance’ of accredited conformityassessment results is universally achieved.The aptly chosen theme for WorldAccreditation Day this year, given this10th anniversary, was ‘Global Acceptance’,a principle aspiration of the ILACArrangement.The IAF and ILAC Annual Meetings will takeplace in Shanghai from 20 – 29 October2010, during which the internationalaccreditation community will holdcelebrations for the 10th anniversary of theILAC MRA. (The 12th anniversary of theInternational Accreditation Forum (IAF) MLAwill also be celebrated because in China,twelve-years represent a cycle in the twelveEarthly Branches. A ten-year period is called‘Xun’ and a twelve-year period is called ‘Ji’.)As the World Expo is being held in Shanghaithis year, it is of commemorative andhistorical significance that these celebrationsby the international accreditation communitywill also be held in China.The Gala dinner, held as part of these annualmeetings will conclude a series of 10thanniversary celebrations from around theworld which began on World AccreditationDay - 9 June 2010.SuccessStoriesfrom ILACSignatoriesJust a reminderthat the ILAC MCCis always interestedin receiving ‘goodnews’ storiesthat demonstratethe benefits ofaccreditation and theILAC Arrangement.A collection ofgood news storiesis available on theILAC website for youto use to promotethe benefits ofaccreditation.If you have any recentgood news stories toshare, please do nothesitate to email theSecretariat onilac@nata.com.auwho will arrange forthem to be added tothe good news storiespage on the ILACwebsite.From a business perspective, the ILACILAC News3