From June 11th to 18th 2016, Thomas Facklam of EA attended the historical joint APLAC and PAC annual meetings. Formation of a merged regional accreditation cooperation body for the Asia-Pacific was the hot topic of the meeting.
During the meeting, there was an outbreak session were the future of APLAC (Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) and PAC was discussed. The message of the break out groups to the joint plenary, was that the only meaningful solution for APLAC and PAC is the formation of a unique co-operation for accreditation into which the existing co-operations should merge.
After a short discussion, it was decided that a strategy group should be formed to prepare for the establishment of the new co-operation and to define the steps on how APLAC and PAC can merge. This decision by the joint APLAC PAC plenary will be subject to a resolution to endorse this decision according to the rules for decision making.
– EA has been asked to consult the strategy group as EA has undergone such a process by
putting EAL and EAC together in 1997, reports Thomas Facklam EA chair.
The EA chair accepted to support the process to establish a unique co-operation for accreditation in the Asian-Pacific region as far as possible.
– This bottom up process to unify the regional accreditation co-operations will have to be reflected in the discussion of the international structure as well, continues Thomas Facklam.
Do we see an emergence of a discussion regarding the unification on the regional level?
– We should at least discuss the option of having one unique international co-operation for
accreditation as well, finishes Thomas Facklam.