1 IAAC NEWS November 2015 20th IAAC General Assembly
2 Contents ASSEMBLY 20th IAAC General Assembly 3 CELEBRATIONS Jamaica s accreditation activities: Impacting our nation, improving our region ema boosts Accreditation in health sector 7 New accreditations ema, Mexico 10 World Accreditation Day in Mexico 12 World Accreditation Day in El Salvador ema and OSA join efforts RELABSA - Coordinates first mass intercomparison exercise 2015 in Guatemala Data protection, Accreditation for a safer life 16 5 13 14 INNOVATION New Accreditation Programs in Mexico 18 ORGANIZATION IAAC Report to AFRAC 20
3 ASSEMBLY 20th IAAC General Assembly From September 3 to September 11, was held the 20th General Assembly of the InterAmerican Accreditation Cooperation IAAC, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, which brought together representatives from more than 44 countries. To the 20th Assembly was invited Peter Unger, President of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC); and Nigel Jou, President of the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC); and Martha Mejia, APLAC representative, where IAAC and APLAC signed a Memorandum of Understanding MoU. Also was present Kanama Viki, President of the Southern African Development Community Cooperation in Accreditation (SADCA). The highlights of the Assembly were: Signed MoU between IAAC and APLAC An update of the Memorandum of Understanding between IAAC and APLAC, in order to share experiences, promote the development of evaluators and in the near future, explore working together for achieving Multilateral Recognition Agreement for Reference Materials Producers between the two regions. Also were present Nonhlanhla Halimana, SADCA / African Accreditation Cooperation (AFRAC) and Fikile Skosana SADCA / AFRAC Secretariat. And the delegates of the Regional Organization for Standards and Quality Caribbean (CROSQ).
4 Modifications to ISO / IEC 17011 and ISO / IEC 17025 Standards The changes being proposed by the Committee of Conformity Assessment of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO CASCO) in relation to the rule that applies to 17011 accreditation bodies and the 17025 that applies to laboratories were discussed; each country will emit its comments. Mutual Recognition Agreement The IAF GD5: 2006 on ISO / IEC Guide 65 document was withdrawn because it has already completed the transition period of the ISO / IEC 17065: 2012 so during this General Assembly the Multilateral Recognition Agreement IAAC was renewed for the scope of Product Certification Bodies because updating the ISO / IEC 17065 standard. Agreement for Ecolabelling IAAC peer evaluators The IAAC Executive Committee approved a new version of the following documents, which are in the IAAC website on page documents for evaluators. -FM 003 Peer Evaluation Check List -FM 004 IAAC Peer Evaluation Program Template -FM 033 IAAC Peer Evaluation Report Template IAAC Stakeholders Members It was appointed as a IAAC stakeholder Litoral Laboratorios Industriales in the same way Laboratorio M&G of Colombia. ACCM América, Instituto Mexicano de Normalización y Certificación (IMNC) and Normalización y Certificación Electrónica (NYCE), maintain their participation. The first activities of the Tripartite Agreement for eco-labelling were established, led by the German Metrology Institute, PTB, including Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico. It will be working on staff, assessors and technical experts training from the accreditation bodies, in addition to potential customers in each country, so that in the near future it has the accreditation program that supports ensure that a product complies with the environmental specifications for such distinctive.
5 CELEBRATIONS Jamaica s accreditation activities: Impacting our nation, improving our region As Jamaica s national accreditation body, the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC) has been diligently pursuing heightened awareness of the importance of accreditation to our local and regional conformity assessment community. In this pursuit, JANAAC has been engaging in more public local activities with the aim of sensitizing Jamaicans on the level of confidence that accreditation provides in everyday life, how accreditation aids international trade and how conformity assessment bodies (CABs) can benefit from this service. Accreditation of local Laboratories JANAAC celebrates the achievements of three latest labs to have gained accreditation. They are: The Bureau of Standards Packaging Laboratory, Technological Solutions Ltd. Laboratory and the Guyana Rice Development Board Central Laboratory Regional Activities: The agency has a meaningful presence in the region. This is credited by the numerous assessments conducted by our Assessors outside of our host country. In recent times assessments have been conducted in countries such as: Guyana, Suriname and Barbados. Training Activities: JANAAC s training function has always been considered a critical aspect of our operations especially for the support it provides to CABs and the Assessors who are actively involved in the process of accreditation. Training seminars are conducted on the standards ISO/IEC 17011, ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 15189. In July and September 2015, JANAAC conducted training on the ISO/IEC 17011 standard, the participants in these training included new staff members, Accreditation Council Members and members of the Accreditation Evaluation Committee. For the month of September, the Agency is also projected to host training sessions on the ISO 15189 standard for Assessors and Medical Technologists along
6 with a seminar on Internal Auditing and Risk Management. The Agency supports the development of its Assessors by ensuring their involvement in workshops/ training seminars conducted by its stakeholders. New Documents and Changes to Documents: The revision of existing documents, policies and procedures are done under the guidance of the Agency s Accreditation Manager with support from our technical Unit and Chief Executive Officer. JANAAC generally incorporates material provided by the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation as further guidance to delivering world-class accreditation services and to continue on the steady path of bettering its operations. The importance of IAF/ILAC recognition arrangements: JANAAC is the only internationally recognized accreditation body in the English-speaking Caribbean. This is of significant importance to the Agency as it prides itself on being able to provide accreditation of such calibre to CABs across the region. As a signatory to the ILAC MRA for Testing Laboratories, this arrangement has enabled JANAAC to provide confidence in the acceptance of results provided by its accredited labs. It is through this arrangement that JANAAC enhances the acceptance of products across national borders by removing the need for additional testing of imports and exports that are accompanied by appropriate test certificates, thus reducing technical barriers to trade. For more information, you may visit our website at: www.janaac.gov.jm. You may also contact Shauna- Kay Williams at (876) 968-7790 or (876) 968-7799 email: shauna-kay.williams@janaac.gov.jm
7 CELEBRATIONS ema boosts Accreditation in health sector The Mexican Accreditation Entity, ema, in conjunction with the organizing committee, conformed by different sectors of health, held the First Interamerican Congress for the Accreditation of Medical laboratories, Blood Banks and Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells, past August 13 and 14, with the attendance of over 550 people who appointment at Expo Reforma in Mexico City. At the opening ceremony attended by over 700 people, representatives of the health sector of inter-american region. Besides the participation of Maestro. Mikel Arriola, Head of the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS), who gave the inaugural declaration. Presidium: Mr. José Antonio Cifrian, President of ema; Mr. Jorge Marin, founder President of ema; Dr. Angel Guerra, Chairman of Blood Banks Committee; Dr. Isabel de la Villa, Medical laboratories and blood banks Program manager, ENAC; Dr. Analia Purita, ISO/ TC 212, ISO 15189 member; Mr. Humberto Lozano Aviles, Chairman of Canaco-Servytur of D.F.; MSc. Mikel Arreola, Head of Cofepris; Mrs. Rocío Ruiz; Under Secretary of Competition and Regulation of the Ministry of Economy; Mr. Andrew Griffin, Deputy Sector Manager Life Sciences, NATA; MSc. Juan Manuel Romero, Coordinator of Innovation and Development, UNAM; Mrs. Linda Crawford, Executive Director, Programs IQMH; Dr. Alicia Novelo, Head of Blood Banks, IMSS and; Q.B.F. Sandra Quintana Ponce, Chair Medical Laboratories Committee.
8 For the lectures, we had experts in every field, from countries such as Australia, Spain, Argentina, Canada, Colombia and Mexico, who shared their experiences, achievements and benefits of being accredited. Exhibition area Activities: We had 78 speakers 68 national 10 foreign We also had several activities such as: Simultaneous sessions: lectures on the ISO standard 15189 were given, the benefits of accreditation, experiences in standard implementation and its benefits, among others. Plenary sessions: Experts in the field, spoke about the future of the health system in the country, the achievements of the Accreditation and its role in other countries, and methods; quality and competence in medical laboratories and blood banks.
In addition, there was an exhibition area with the participation of 22 health institutions Main conclusions: The interest in accreditation has increased, as every day is recognized to ensure the reliability of the results produced in laboratories and blood banks, as they help to improve patient care by providing an international signal of guarantee. It is necessary to make mandatory regulations that give more value to accreditation 15189 standard in order to doctors, insurers, hospitals and patients use services of accredited laboratories and blood banks. Continue promoting the importance and benefits of laboratories and blood banks implement a management system based on ISO 15189. Achieve commitment of associations, colleges, universities, laboratories, blood banks, authorities, public and private institutions so they participate in accreditation. Stay active in the forums where new policy documents at national and international level are developed, on accreditation of clinical laboratories and blood banks. As a result of great importance in promoting the Accreditation with ISO 15189, it was agreed that the Congress will be held every two years. See you in June 2017! 9
CELEBRATIONS New accreditations ema, Mexico Mexican Accreditation Entity, ac, ema, accrediting body in Mexico, expanding its portfolio of services in the field of food and health area. entidad mexicana de acreditación a.c. The scope of this accreditation is based on three documents or Guides of SENASICA, which are: Food Industry: The accreditations for food area a result of the agreement signed between ema and the National Health Service, Food Safety and Quality, SENASICA, on June 9, as part of the celebration of the World Accreditation Day. The first accreditation was given last July 28 to Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, IICA, as inspection body on animal health. General Guidelines for certification regulated by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food, SAGARPA in goods imports with commercial purpose in Mexico. General Guide for detection and inspection of goods regulated by SAGARPA, to be carried by people and / or vehicles, to be introduced into the country, without commercial purposes. General Guide for the verification and inspection of agricultural goods covered by the SAGARPA, national mobilization. Meat and animal products are included. 10
11 Health area: These guidelines are intended to carry out inspections to reduce risks regarding the introduction and spread of pests and diseases in Mexico. IICA: is part of the Organization of American States, OAS, and is a specialized agency for agriculture of the Inter-American System that provides technical cooperation, innovation and knowledge for sustainable competitive development. In health area, on September 30, Factual Services, SC, received the first accreditation as a Certification Body of Quality Management Systems for Medical Devices, non-active. The accreditation covers the ISO 13485: 2033, Quality Practices of organizations within the medical devices industry. Scope of accreditation: Non-active medical devices: comprising products and instruments for anesthesia, intensive care, transfusions, dialysis, vision, contraceptives, cleaning, among others. Other Accreditation was given in the Good Livestock Practice to Certification Body for Food Industry, OCETIF, on 8 September. This brings benefits such as: More recognition. Consumer confidence. National and international competitiveness. Staff trained in the area. Non-active Implants: cardiovascular, orthopedic, soft tissue, etc. Devices for wound care: as bandages, sutures, staples, etc. Dental devices and accessories that include equipment and tools as well as materials and implants. Factual Services, S.C. Conformity Assessment Body and associate of ema, which has the accreditations as: Certification Body of Quality Management Systems, Environmental Management System, Product and Inspection Body.
12 CELEBRATIONS World Accreditation Day in Mexico Accreditation: Delivering confidence in Health and Social Care On June 9, the Mexican Accreditation Entity, ema, accrediting body in Mexico, celebrated World Accreditation Day, with the theme Delivering confidence in Health and Social Care with a forum of more than 300 attendees. With the theme focused on health and care that must have in this sector, Mr. Jose Antonio Cifrian Barroso, President of ema, reported on the increase of the structure accredited in the country, mainly on issues related to health and social care. Within the framework of the celebration the Recognition of the Commitment to Accreditation award was given to people and institutions with their active participation helped to strengthen and disseminate the accreditation system in our country. This time, authorities and business leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Accreditation System in our country as well as to comply with and enforce the rules. Among those they were: Mrs. Rocio Ruiz, Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Standardization of Ministry of Economy, Eng. Ignacio Ruby, Undersecretary of Ministry of Social Prevention, Mrs. Lorena Martinez, Consumer Advocate, Dr. Enrique Sanchez, Chief of the National Health Service, Food Safety and Quality, Mr. Manuel Herrera, President of the Confederation of Industrial Chambers, Mr. Benjamin Grayeb, President of the National Agricultural Council and Eng. Rodrigo Alpizar, President the National Chamber of the Manufacturing Industry. To close the day we had presentations on the importance of compliance with health standards at work by Eng. Jesus Zepeda Vera, Deputy Director of Standards Health at Work meanwhile Q. Leticia Contreras of LICON Institute, shared the importance of accreditation in the health sector.
13 CELEBRATIONS World Accreditation Day in El Salvador ema and OSA join efforts On June 24, as part of the celebration of World Accreditation Day in El Salvador, the Mexican Accreditation Entity, ema, and the Salvadoran Accreditation Agency, OSA, signed a collaboration agreement with the aim to join efforts between the two institutions to exchange information, stays, audits, bring support with assessors and technical experts. This instrument also consider collaborating with OSA in accreditation programs that are not improved into El Salvador, either supporting their development or promoting ema services to its stakeholders. For a stronger region: In ema, we are very proud to build bridges with our friends in El Salvador, also members of the Inter- American Accreditation Cooperation IAAC. Gilma Molina, Technical Director of OSA and Elizabeth Tejeda, Manager of Management Systems of ema
14 CELEBRATIONS RELABSA Coordinates first mass intercomparison exercise 2015 in Guatemala By Ms. Marta del Cid, Relabsa Representative to IAAC The National Health and Environment Laboratory Network (IAAC stakeholder) and its Intercomparisons commissions and Accreditation as part of its support in strengthening the quality systems of partner laboratories have coordinated the first mass intercomparison exercise of the year 2015. The realization of such mass intercomparison for analytical balances lies in the importance of mass measurement in laboratories, being an essential step towards the most analysis methods and despite being an everyday activity and easy not always have data on the real performance with laboratories in this practice. To determine this performance is necessary coordinating mass measurement intercomparison exercises for evaluating the measurement process and conditions of the measuring equipment externally as part of the quality assurance plan for each laboratory and compliance requirements of International standards such as ISO 17025. This exercise was planned as: Determination of mass ranges 20-1 g. Was materialized in matrices of coins of different values Q. 1.00 (a quetzal), Q. 0.50 cts. (Fifty cents) and Q. 0.05 cts. (Five cents); of unknown values; to be determined by each participating laboratory, under the same conditions of their normal work. The measurement range selected was considered the most appropriate according to the characteristics of the analytical balances present in most laboratories. One of the innovative factors in our network was to use traveling standards, which returned every 3 labs to calibrator body to carry mass exchange controls. Were received 16 intentions of participation but only eight attended the reception of the protocol, in which the necessary information was compiled to carry out measurements of patterns, reception of data, statistical analysis and the results and report would be submitted end of the exercise performed.
15 For the 8 reports received robust statistical analysis was performed (using robust parameters such as median), evaluation of anomalous data and statistical z-score applies, with satisfactory results for all participants in the different matrices of different values was performed. It is valuable to emphasize that environmental conditions caused slight fluctuations in the readings reported by the participants, also agreed to stay working conditions the traveling standards. The following graphs of results: From this determination not only information on the status of the measuring equipment was obtained but of the many variables that can affect the measurement of mass for each laboratory. The next-interlaboratory proficiency test will be held in November, 2015 Determination of metal elements dissolved in Drinking Water following the guidelines of the ISO / IEC 17043: 2010 and ISO 13528: 2005 standard.
16 CELEBRACIONES Data protection, Accreditation for a safer life In Mexico, the personal data protection system is starting to consolidate for every citizen. After the approval, back in 2010, of the Federal Law on Protection of Personal Data in Possession of Particulars, and its Regulations by the Union Congress, presently the country has an accredited body to endorse by means of a certification process the proper use of personal information by companies. Recently, NYCE, as the first certification body accredited by the Mexican Entity of Accreditation (ema, for its Spanish acronym), delivered the first certificates in Personal Data Protection to important companies of services and financial sectors, setting the standard to strengthen a culture of protection that is settling even more among Mexican people. Since the entry into force of the Law in the subject, Federal Government authorities, ema and the certification body NYCE, have performed a series of processes essential for the design and well functioning of the system, which guards the respect of the rights of Mexican people, in terms of management of their personal data. The Mexican scheme for Personal Data Protection is considered by APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) as the first to reflect the nature for which the Cross Border Privacy Rules were created. Both the accreditation and the certification respond to the need of Federal Government as well as from the National Institute for Transparency, Information Access and Personal Data Protection (INAI, for its Spanish acronym), ultimate authority in the subject, of attending a series of problems such as: Cyberattacks (Federal Cyber Police) In Mexico, 1 in every 3 people has a computer infected with malware, because of pirate software use. At the end of 2014, there were 45 million of victims of cyberattacks in the world, which caused 4 thousand millions of dollars in economic losses. Identity theft (Condusef) In the first semester of 2015, claims on identity theft increased by forty percent in terms of the same period of 2014, by going from 20 thousand 168 to 28 thousand 258. The claimed amount was of 118 million of pesos, 19% more in comparison with the same period in 2014.
17 Business information theft (Deloitte Mexico) Information theft or leak through e-mail is the most vulnerable field for companies, with a 19.2 per cent, according to a study by the firm. According to the report Thermometer: privacy and data protection in Mexico 2014, in second place is information theft via mobile devices, with 13.6 per cent, followed by theft or loss of laptops, tablets and cellphones, with 12.8 per cent. Thus, Mexico is the first country in the world where a Certification System endorsed by the government is implemented to validate compliance in Personal Data Protection, which gives a great confidence not only to all consumers, but also to companies, corporations and investors that see our country as a good place to make businesses. Every company or organization will have to implement a Personal Data Management System, SGDP for its Spanish acronym. In it, a series of administrative, physical and technical safety measures must be established, apart from a training program that personnel in charge of managing the channels to exercise ARCO (Access, Rectification, Cancelation and Opposition) rights will have to undertake, in order to attend the people who want to exert those rights. The certification in Personal Data Protection is the most complete route, since it is granted only by a third party body accredited by ema, and recognized by INAI that during the process audits confirm that the necessary mechanisms are in place to respond to the citizens requests. Even though the Personal Data Protection certification is voluntary, the authorities and those involved in the process are seeking that the consumers perceive it as an added value from the companies when they deliver their services. For companies in Mexico, the tangible benefits of getting a certification are: 1) Demonstrate compliance before the authorities. 2) Mitigation of penalizations. 3) Distinction of the business in front of other companies of the same sector. 4) Greater trust from clients and suppliers, for their information is protected. 5) International prestige, by having a certification endorsed by Mexican government. In this manner, it becomes evident that the accreditation and the certification processes performed in Mexico generate safety and trust for the companies to carry out their activities in the best way possible, while the consumers have a mechanism able to protect their identity, reputation and patrimony, in conformity with the in force Law.
18 INNOVATIONS New Accreditation Programs in Mexico Mexican Accreditation Entity, ac, ema, launches new accreditation programs in the health sector as well in energy sector. Point of Care Testing (POCT): Are tests done near or next to the patient, which are quick, preliminary and provide information to the doctor, customer or user about an initial diagnosis. It has benefits for hospitalized patients as the immediate recognition of situations such as quick stratification, as well as reduction of stay in emergency and quick response. For outpatient benefit it is to have less initial consultations preventive measures and reduced travel. Hematopoietic Stem Cell Banks: They are centers that carry out all activities relating to the selection, collection, analysis, storage, preparation, validation, supply, use and final destination of hematopoietic stem cells for therapeutic purposes, teaching and research. These cells are used to treat 81 different diseases and some years ago are explored the possibilities for using in various neurological and degenerative diseases, among others. Benefits: Recognition in quality management under ISO 9001 requirements in force. Provide safe, reliable and effective stem cells through a standardized control process. Tracking donor to recipient safety. Comply with international and national standards. Optimal preservation during transfers. Processes validation for reliable results and higher safety for patient. Control of biological waste.
19 These two new programs operate under the ISO 15189: 2012 and its equivalence with Mexican Standard NMX-EC-15189- IMNC-2015. The benefits of the program are: Measurement of volume and quality Measurement Mechanisms (Process- Equipment-Persons). Management of measurement-interaction of Mechanisms. Regarding the energy sector, the new accreditation program is: Audits for Hydrocarbon Measurement for Inspection Bodies. This program aims to promote the efficient development of the sector, monitoring compliance with the regulation. Where it will be verified by the Inspection Bodies, the instruments, systems used in measurements, validation of results and control of calculation process. And the observation of staff responsible of generate and report data within the established uncertainty levels. National and international standards Technical solutions according to volumes handled. Optimal uncertainties (reference, operational and fiscal). Measurement via telemetry tax. Balance of hydrocarbons. Monitoring and audits. The new accreditation service will operate under the Mexican Standard NMX-EC-17020-2014y IMNC-compliance with the Technical Guidelines on measurement of hydrocarbons.
20 ORGANIZATION IAAC Report to AFRAC IAAC Membership IAAC currently has a total of 48 members, 23 of which are full members, 7 are associate members and 21 are stakeholders. Future growth of the Cooperation is expected to come from stakeholder members such as accredited conformity assessment bodies from the region. We encourage and welcome their participation in IAAC meetings, because it shows that IAAC has become an important forum for our stakeholders who are active in the market and that we can partner together to get our message across to the regulators on the benefits of accreditation and the international recognition arrangements. IAAC MLA Signatories IAAC has a total of 21 MLA signatory members. There are 21 MLA signatories for the scope of Testing Laboratories; 15 for the scope of Calibration Laboratories; 11 for Quality Management Systems Certification Bodies, 9 for Environmental Management Systems Certification Bodies; 11 for Product Certification Bodies; and 10 for Inspection Bodies. We are enjoying a constant increase in the amount of IAAC MLA signatories each year, during these first six months of 2015, four current IAAC MLA signatories have applied to extend their scopes to include Proficiency Testing Providers and Reference Materials Producers. Three signatories have applied for MLA extensions to FSMS Certification. We have also received applications for ISMS, MDMS, GHG, and Persons Certification. This means that by next year we could be looking at approximately 11 new MLA scope extensions which is quite impressive. Improvements to the IAAC MLA process: The IAAC PR 025 Structure of the IAAC MLA and procedure to extend the Arrangement was recently updated to include GLOBAL G.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) scheme at level 5 of the Product Certification Bodies MLA scope based on ISO/IEC 17065. IAAC and APLAC established a procedure for joint evaluations. IAAC is also developing a draft procedure for joint evaluations with PAC. Issues under discussion The IAAC MLA Committeed agreed that an assessment witnessing is required for an extension application of the IAAC MLA before the scheduled re-evaluation deadline, for the FSMS, MDMS and ISMS Certification scopes. IAAC is discussing a proposal to allow an MLA signatory to be responsible for and support an experienced peer evaluator who is currently not employed directly by an accreditation body. The IAAC MLAC created a Working Group to review the issue of minimum requirements for assessor competence and qualifications, and assessor monitoring. The Working Group will compare the existing processes and draft a guide of good practices.
Training Activities: 4 trainee evaluators participated in IAAC peer evaluations from August 2014 to August 2015. 60 peer evaluators were trained in 2 peer evaluator training workshops. The first one was held in Bogota, Colombia, for Spanish speakers, and the second one in Ottawa, Canada for English speakers, both of them were carried out in July 2015. IAAC is planning to carry out an inspection bodies peer evaluator training virtual workshop in the 4th Quarter of 2015. IAAC will also hold a peer evaluators training workshop focused on inspection bodies to be held during the first Quarter of 2016, in Mexico. A training workshop for new peer evaluators will be held in Santiago, Chile, in 2016. IAAC Proficiency Testing programs IAAC T009 Proficiency Test on Energy Efficiency in Refrigerators IAAC concluded a regional Proficiency Testing program on Energy Efficiency in Refrigerators. The accreditation body that coordinated this PT was ema of Mexico, and ANCE of Mexico acted as the proficiency testing provider. This PT program was made possible by generous funding provided by a PTB project. 10 laboratories from 6 countries in the region and 1 lab from Germany participated in this PT. The final report was distributed to the participants last month and a closing workshop was held in February 2015 to discuss the results and learn from the experiences. Technical Cooperation Projects Projects with the Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency Project States, (OAS). The objective of this project is to strengthen the capabilities of the regional Quality Infrastructure organizations SIM, COPANT and IAAC and of their national members in providing services for the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources and to promote mutual coordination in order to support the implementation of the respective national energy policies. The activities carried out under this project include technical seminars, workshops and a proficiency testing program. Biodiversity and Climate Change Project IAAC together with COPANT and SIM, the Regional organizations for standards and metrology, held a first planning meeting in 2013, to define the areas of potential interest and the scope of the draft project regarding the strengthening of quality infrastructure in programs related to biodiversity and climate change. Sponsor organizations include PTB of Germany and the Organization of American States, (OAS). Members from four IAAC economies are currently starting to implement a regional project to develop a national Ecolabeling program which includes accreditation services. Cooperation with International and Regional Organizations Relations with IAF and ILAC Peter Unger, ILAC Chair, attended the IAAC beginning of the year meetings held in Asuncion, Paraguay, in March 2015 and the IAAC General Assembly meetings held in the Dominican Republic, in September 2015. IAAC is implementing a technical cooperation project titled Quality Infrastructure Services for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency (R3E) in Latin America and the Caribbean, together with the Regional organizations for standards and metrology: COPANT and SIM. Sponsor organizations include PTB of Germany and the Organization of American 21
22 Cooperation with APLAC and PAC: Nigel Jou, APLAC Chair; and Martha Mejia, APLAC representative, attended the IAAC General Assembly meetings in the Dominican Republic. IAAC and APLAC signed an updated version of their MOU. IAAC approved a procedure for joint APLAC- IAAC peer evaluations. IAAC and APLAC carried out one joint peer evaluation in 2015 and IAAC also carried out 1 joint peer evaluation with PAC in 2015. IAAC provided one peer evaluator on loan who participated in a PAC peer evaluation for the scope of Persons Certification. IAAC and PAC are in close communication to try to share evaluator resources particularly in scopes where evaluators are scarce. IAAC and APLAC invited members to participate in each other s proficiency testing programs. Cooperation with the African Accreditation Cooperation, (AFRAC) and the Southern African Development Community Cooperation in Accreditation, (SADCA) Viki Kanama, SADCA Chair, attended the IAAC General Assembly meetings held in the Dominican Republic, in September 2015. to exchange experiences regarding Secretariat and MLA documents, procedures, and best practices. Delegates from the Caribbean Regional Organization for Standards and Quality, (CROSQ) met with SADCA delegates in the Dominican Republic, to learn about their experiences, as well as the benefits and challenges of having a multi-economy accreditation body. CROSQ is analyzing the possbility of establishing a multi-economy AB in the Caribbean. Cooperation with the Arab Accreditation Cooperation, (ARAC): IAAC exchanges information with ARAC regarding best practices in MLA management. Cooperation with EA: Ileana Martinez, IAAC Chair, attended the most recent EA General Assembly held in Athens, in May 2015. Next IAAC meetings The next IAAC MLA meetings will be held in San Jose, Costa Rica, in February 2016. The IAAC General Assembly will be held in Arequipa, Peru, from September 10-17, 2016. Nonhlanhla Halimana, SADCA/AFRAC Secretary and Fikile Skosana, SADCA/AFRAC Secretariat also attended the IAAC meetings and met with Victor Gandy, IAAC Secretary,