The EA Multilateral Agreement is a signed agreement among EA Members. EA MLA Signatories recognize and accept the equivalence of the accreditation systems operated by the signing members and the reliability of the conformity assessment results provided by Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) accredited by the signing members. This means that once an EA MLA signatory accredits a CAB, it will be accepted by all other EA MLA signatories.
ATCG, the National Accreditation Body of Montenegro, became an EA MLA signatory in October 2023 in the fields of testing (EN ISO/IEC 17025), including medical examination (EN ISO 15189), calibration (EN ISO/IEC 17025), inspection (EN ISO/IEC 17020), and Product Certification (EN ISO/IEC 17065).

Mrs. Anita Krulanovic, ATCG Director, was interviewed during the official signing of the EA MLA.

 

What does it mean for ATCG to be an EA MLA Signatory?
Signing the EA MLA is one of the greatest achievements of ATCG’s work and performance so far. For us, it is not only a recognition that we stand side by side with other National Accreditation Bodies (NABs) from all over Europe, but it is also a confirmation that since our establishment, we have organized, patiently built, and continuously improved the accreditation system in Montenegro in accordance with the best European and international practices.

By signing the EA MLA, ATCG now belongs to a wider community, along with all the other NAB signatories of the EA MLA. We may proudly say that we have succeeded in integrating our accreditation system with the European accreditation system operated within the framework of EA.

Many benefits for our society derive from signing the EA MLA, including:

  • Following the recognition of the equivalence of the accreditation system, reports, and certificates issued by our accredited testing bodies (laboratories, calibration laboratories, medical laboratories, inspection bodies, and product certification bodies) will be acknowledged throughout Europe as relevant and reliable.
  • Users of the accredited conformity assessment results will gain additional confidence in the work of Montenegrin accredited bodies. Their reports and certificates can now be accepted with the same degree of confidence as those issued by conformity assessment bodies accredited by EA MLA signatories.
  • With a greater degree of confidence, state authorities will delegate (by authorization) some of their responsibilities to our accredited bodies to monitor the implementation of public policies related to the health and safety of citizens, environmental protection, consumer protection, etc.

Additionally, by signing the EA MLA Agreement, ATCG has positively contributed to Montenegro’s EU integration process. This is mainly related to the negotiations in Chapter 1: Free movement of goods, where it is expected that national quality infrastructure institutions, including ATCG, must reach the required level of operability and competence.

What is the next scope where ATCG plans on becoming an EA MLA signatory?
Signing the EA MLA imposes an obligation on us to become even better in the future. It is also an impulse and motivation for our further work towards the extension of the granted EA MLA scope to new areas of accreditation. We expect that Management System certification will be the next accreditation area to be included within the framework of the EA MLA, as ATCG already offers services to its clients for this particular accreditation scheme.

Celebration of the signature
Hereby, we would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to all those within the EA structure who have directly or indirectly participated in the ATCG evaluation and decision-making process.
To promote the achieved result and the meaning, purpose, and benefits of the EA MLA, on the 6th of December 2023, ATCG organized a ceremony on the occasion of becoming an EA MLA Signatory. The central event of the ceremony was the official signing of the EA MLA Agreement Certificate between the ATCG director, Mrs. Anita Krulanovic, and the EA MAC Chair, Mrs. Maria Papatzikou on behalf of EA.


Maria Papatzikou declared: “The more EA MLA Signatories, the merrier! By becoming a new EA MLA signatory, ATCG strengthens the EA MLA and EA, and we are pleased to confirm that accreditation had such a positive impact on ATCG and even played a role in integrating Montenegro into the EU. We are happy to welcome ATCG in the EA MLA family, and congratulate our colleagues from ATCG for their competence and their commitment to becoming an EA MLA Signatory!