ISO/CASCO Report by Gib McIntee, UILI’s Rapporteur to CASCO
This is the 12th report submitted by UILI since it was granted Liaison ‘A’ Status by ISO/CASCO in September 2000. The UILI Governing Board again welcomes this annual opportunity to report on their activities in support of the laboratory community.
The Union Internationale des Laboratoires Indepéndants (UILI) incorporated in Paris, France in 1961 is an international association of private laboratories and practitioners from throughout the world. Our membership of over 700 organisations is organised within six National Member Associations (Canada, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Japan and soon to be, Portugal) and Unaffiliated Ordinary Members. Individual Ordinary Members range in size from under 10 full time employees to over 4500 employees. Our membership retains permanent facilities in over 30 countries around the world.
UILI’s objectives include the representation of the professional and commercial interests of the private sector laboratories and acts as a forum for the exchange of information and views on an international basis. For the past 7 years, UILI has conducted an international proficiency testing program for environmental laboratories. Six such programs have been completed, with several hundred participants worldwide.
As part of our communication programme with our membership, we have held meetings over the past 36 months with members in The Netherlands, Canada, and this Fall in Portugal.
UILI has actively contributed to the work of every Plenary, and participated on several working groups (WG’s).
UILI registers its consistent position, supported by the ILAC Laboratory Committee position for ISO/IEC 17025:2005 to be included in the new standard as a Normative Reference and not in the Bibliography. Harmonisation of the responsibilities of and between certification and laboratory accreditation is essential for this key standard to deliver product certification to Clients on a global basis.
Since 1981 UILI has sent a delegation to all plenary sessions of ILAC and associated task forces and working groups. Since ILAC’s reorganisation in 1996, UILI has actively supported the work of ILAC’s Laboratory Liaison Committee. UILI also has NGO status with UNIDO.
UILI’S Governing Board met last April 2011 in London and in Paris in September 2011. The Paris meeting was a special general assembly to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of UILI. This was celebrated at La Maison de la Chimie where UILI held its inaugural meeting in June 1961. Dr. Manahen Fernandez Alonso is the current President, representing the independent laboratory association, AELI, from Spain. He took over in September 2011 from Dr. Hideo Tabata of Japan.
UILI appreciates this annual opportunity to introduce our multi-disciplined organisation to the Members of CASCO and provide an overview of our membership, structure and activities that support the work of CASCO.
For further information, please contact us at UILI Secretariat, Ottawa, Canada, ON.
Tel: +1 613 746 3919 Fax: +1 613 746 4324. E-mail: uili@magma.ca www.uili.org