EA-Sponsored Interlaboratory Comparisons in Europe: The Process and the Lessons Learned

In the globalized world mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) at various levels concerning measurement and testing certificates play a crucial role in elimination of technical barriers to trade and in this context proficiency testing, PT(interlaboratory comparisons, ILCs, in calibration) have recently emerged as one of the most objective and effective methods of assessment of technical competence of laboratories. The European Cooperation for Accreditation (EA)decided in 2006 to put under test the validity of its part of the ILAC MRA by organizing EA-sponsored ILCs in Europe • at that time ILCs in physical metrology were quite scarce and EUROMET (at that time) was unwilling to take it over. The basic idea was that individual EA member accreditation bodies (ABs) would nominate calibration labs accredited by them to take part in such ILCs and external ILC providers (preferably those accredited according to EN ISO/IEC 17043)would be contracted to organize them on the EA's behalf. EA set up a corresponding working group called EA LC wg ILC(calibration and testing) to facilitate the process to avoid pitfalls experienced here in the past.