The ILAC and IAF Evaluation of ARAC started by the Evaluation of ARAC Secretariat during the period 20-22 September 2016. The ILAC&IAF Evaluation team composed by Mr Peter Unger, as a Team Leader, and Mr Stefan Schramm, as a Deputy Team Leader.

The objectives of this evaluation are to evaluate ARAC’s management system; ARAC’s Arrangement, competence of its personnel and implementation of the peer evaluation process and their compliance with IAF/ILAC requirements.

The results of this evaluation were positive and confirm that ARAC is in compliance with the following ILAC and IAF Evaluation criteria:

• IAF/ILAC-A1:0/2014- IAF/ILAC Multi-Lateral Mutual Recognition Arrangements (Arrangements): Requirements for Evaluation of a Regional Group
• IAF/ILAC-A2:0/2014 – IAF/ILAC Multi-Lateral Mutual Recognition Arrangements (Arrangements): Requirements for Evaluation of a Single Accreditation Body, and
• IAF ML 4:2012 MLA Policies and Procedures for a Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) on the Level of Single Accreditation Bodies and on the Level of Regional Groups.

The scope of this evaluation is the ILAC/IAF arrangement for:

• Accreditation of Inspection Bodies (Insp.) (ISO/IEC 17020)
• Accreditation of Testing Laboratories (Test) (ISO/IEC 17025)
• Accreditation of Medical Laboratories (Test) (ISO 15189)
• Accreditation of Calibration Laboratories (Cal) (ISO/IEC 17025)
• Accreditation Management Systems (MS) (ISO/IEC 17021):
  • QMS (ISO 9001)
  • EMS (14001)
  • FSMS (ISO 22000)

During this evaluation it was agreed on the upcoming steps of the evaluation of ARAC which will cover the witnessing of the ARAC Peer Evaluation activities and the MLA Group meetings.