Developing stronger ties between IEC CAB, ILAC and IAF

Companies the world over, large and small, are pooling resources, streamlining efforts, stepping up their attempts to be more efficient and competitive. However, saving time and costs and striving to offer the best products or services is not just an industry prerogative. Nations are joining regional entities that are better equipped to defend their interests; national, regional and international organizations are signing agreements that give them more weight in the global market.

Based on this rationale, the IEC has over the years finalized numerous agreements and worked in tandem with other international or regional electrotechnical standardization or CA (Conformity Assessment) bodies. The IEC CAB (Conformity Assessment Board) in particular has a long history of cooperation with ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) and the IAF (International Accreditation Forum).

The working relationship between the CAB and ILAC began in 2003 and was made official two years later with the signing of a MoU (memorandum of understanding) that aimed to improve efficiency and reduce assessment costs for testing laboratories. Discussions between the CAB and the IAF were initiated in 2005 and formalized in early 2008. CAB/ILAC and CAB/IAF Technical Panels were established, meeting once a year to deal with common technical and policy issues.

Reassessment taken one step further

The three organizations met on 14 October 2009 in Vancouver, Canada, to take the partnership to a new level. There, a new model of assessment collaboration – the common pool model – was elaborated and agreed upon, whereby the IEC CA Systems will provide ILAC and IAF with their reassessment plans for 2010.

If the reassessment of a specific CB (Certification Body) or TL (Testing Laboratory) coincides with the relevant ILAC or IAF plan, then the CA System will provide a list of Technical Experts to choose from. ILAC or IAF will appoint the reassessment team, made up of a Lead Assessor coming from their ranks and a group of CA System technical experts. Once the reassessment has been completed, the CA System will administer the reassessment report as one of its own.

This common model of cooperation ensures that IEC CA Systems-registered assessors apply IEC International Standards in a uniform and consistent way, maintaining confidence in the rigour of the technical assessment.

IECEE Executive Secretary
Pierre de Ruvo was appointed
Chairman of the Steering Committee

New Steering Committee

CAB, ILAC and IAF proposed the establishment of a tripartite Steering Committee to deal with policy and strategy issues. Ad hoc task forces will be appointed to deal with specific technical or administrative issues and will report to the Steering Committee.

The following elements will be developed further by the Committee:

• Common understanding of the requirements laid down in ISO/IEC 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, and ISO/IEC Guide 65, General requirements for bodies operating product certification systems, applicable to the electrotechnical sector (ISO stands for the International Organization for Standardization.)
• Reassessments of CBs and TLs using CA Systems expertise
• Use of harmonized assessment forms
• Use of harmonized assessment preparation guidelines

The appointment of IECEE Executive Secretary Pierre de Ruvo as Chairman of the Steering Committee was also agreed, with his three-year term of office starting on 1 January 2010. IECEE is the IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components. ILAC and IAF will provide the Committee’s “Meeting Secretary”.

The proposals made in Vancouver strengthening ties between the three organizations, plus the fact that the IEC/ILAC MoU is due for revision in 2010, offer the perfect opportunity to develop a tripartite MoU that would incorporate these proposals.

CAB approved the proposals and recommendations at the IEC General Meeting in Tel Aviv, Israel. ILAC and IAF also approved these proposals during their joint general assembly on 19 October 2009 in Vancouver.