Internationally, A2LA continues to participate in the activities of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and associated regional bodies.

In 2000, A2LA signed the International Laboratory Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) between 36 accreditation bodies from 28 economies worldwide. Since then, additional accreditation bodies from other economies joined the MRA. Established in 1977, ILAC is the premier international forum for the harmonization of laboratory accreditation procedures and policies as a means of reducing technical barriers to trade and the promotion of laboratory accreditation as a mechanism to enhance confidence in testing and calibration facilities, both domestically and internationally.

Other international cooperation arrangements in effect during 2005 included the MRA with the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), the bilateral agreement with the European Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (EA) MRA members and the multi-lateral agreement with the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC). Information about the international accreditation systems with whom A2LA has a valid agreement as of May 31, 2006 is presented in Appendix A of this Annual Report. Copies of the MRAs are available upon request. A2LA will testify to the competence of each accreditation system with whom it has an MRA and attest to the fact that they follow the recognized norm for operating such systems, ISO/IEC Guide 58 (which is currently transitioning to ISO/IEC 17011), and use ISO/IEC 17025 as the basis for the accreditation of laboratories. Up-to-date information on cooperating laboratory accreditation systems can be obtained by visiting our website or contacting A2LA Headquarters.

Staff members from A2LA continue to hold key leadership positions in ILAC and APLAC. Peter Unger, A2LA President, stepped down as chair of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Arrangement Management Committee (AMC) and the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) as well as convener of the working group on ILAC Arrangement documentation. Mr. Unger was elected as ILAC Vice Chair for 2005-2006. Mr. Unger also represented the United States on the ISO/CASCO Working Groups (WG) for ISO/IEC 17011 (replacing ISO/IEC Guide 58) and amendments to ISO/IEC 17025.

Roxanne Robinson, A2LA Vice President, has been appointed as one of the Evaluation Managers for the ILAC Arrangement and as a convener of the ILAC WG on assessor qualifications and competence and is recognized as a lead evaluator for ILAC. Ms. Robinson has also been appointed Vice Chair of the ILAC Arrangement Committee and she is co-chair of the ILAC/IAF joint working group on the A series documents and convenor of the ILAC working group on revision to the P series documents.