After more than two year of intensive work throughout a most stringent Regional Peer Evaluation activities conducted by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) of the operation of the Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC), the ILAC Arrangement Council and IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangements (MLA) committee decided on the International Recognition of the ARAC MLA during the ILAC&IAF Annual meetings held during the period 21-20 October 2017 in Vancouver, Canada.

Following this decision, the Regional Accreditation Cooperation ARAC MLA became internationally recognised in the following accreditation scopes:

1. International Recognition of the ARAC MLA by ILAC:

• Accreditation of Testing Laboratories according to the International Standard ISO/IEC 17025;
• Accreditation of Calibration Laboratories according to the International Standard ISO/IEC 17025;
• Accreditation of Medical Testing laboratories according to the International Standard ISO 15189.
• Accreditation of Inspection Bodies according to the International Standard ISO/IEC 17020.

1. International Recognition of the ARAC MLA by IAF:

• Accreditation of Quality Management System Certification Bodies according to the International standard ISO/IEC 17021-1;
• Accreditation of Environmental Management System Certification Bodies according to the International standard ISO/IEC 17021-1;
• Accreditation of Food Safety Management System Certification (FSM) Bodies according to the International standards ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/TS 22003;

As a first fruits of this great achievements the two ARAC MLA Signatories members have been systematically internationally recognised based on their recognition by ARAC MLA:

• The Jordanian Accreditation System- Accreditation Unit (JAS-AU) become ILAC MRA Signatory for the activities of accreditation of Testing, Medical and Calibration laboratories;
• The Tunisian Accreditation Council (TUNAC) extended its IAF MLA recognition scope to include the accreditation of FSMS Certification Bodies.

It should be highlighted that based on the International Recognition of the ARAC MLA, the reports or certificates accredited by an ARAC MLA signatory is also recognised by the signatories to the ILAC and IAF MRA & MLA agreements. As a result, the ARAC MLA acts as an international passport to trade.

ARAC would like to take this opportunity to express its gratitude and thanks to the cooperation project between the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organization (AIDMO) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) their great support throughout all the journey of ARAC  since its establishment to this big achievement.