Sri Lanka Accreditation Board

ASIA PACIFIC LABORATORY ACCREDITATION COORPORATION (APLAC)

SLAB is a Full Member of APLAC. and is a signatory to the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) of APLAC. SLAB was admitted as a signatory to the APLAC MRA in December 2009. Through the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), test reports issued by SLAB Accredited Laboratories in Sri Lanka will be recognized and accepted internationally. The scope of APLAC MRA covers Testing Laboratories (ISO17025) and Medical Laboratories (ISO 15189).

The APLAC is a cooperation of accreditation bodies in the Asia pacific region that accredit laboratories, Inspection bodies and reference material producers. It is recognized by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as one of five specialist regional bodies (SRBs). Accreditation Bodies in 24 economics in the region are members of APLAC .

Through the APLAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), APLAC facilitates the acceptance by Governments and Industry in each economy of reports and certificates from facilities accredited by signatories to the MRA.

INTERNATIONAL LABORATORY ACCREDITATION COOPERATION (ILAC)

SLAB is a Full Member of ILAC and is a signatory to the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) of ILAC. SLAB gained full membership and signatory status in the ILAC MRA in December 2009. The scope of ILAC MRA covers Testing Laboratories including Medical Testing Laboratories. Through this arrangement Quality certification of exports from Sri Lanka based on testing are recognized as equivalent to test reports issued in other countries thereby facilitating market access for Sri Lankan products.

The International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) is the international cooperation of Laboratory Inspection bodies formed more than 30 years ago to help remove technical barriers to trade. ILAC counts as its members laboratory and inspection accreditation bodies representing more than 70 economies and regional organizations. In conjunction with ILAC, specific regions have also established their own accreditation co-operations, notably in Europe (EA) and the Asia Pacific (APLAC). These regional co-operations work in harmony with ILAC and are represented on ILAC’s board of management. ILAC is encouraging the development of such regional co-operations in other parts of the globe.

PACIFIC ACCREDITATION COUNCIL (PAC)

SLAB has gained Full Membership status of PAC.

PAC is an association of accreditation bodies and other interested parties whose objective is to facilitate trade and commerce among economies in the Asia Pacific region. Its ultimate objective is the creation of a global system that grants international recognition of certification or registration of management systems, products, services, personnel and other programmes of conformity assessment.

The PAC promotes the international acceptance of accreditations granted by its accreditation body members, based on the equivalence of their accreditation programmes. The PAC operates within the framework of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and in cooperation with other regional groups of accreditation bodies around the world.

INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION FORUM (IAF)

SLAB is in the process of seeking membership of IAF

SWEDISH BOARD FOR ACCREDITATION AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT (SWEDAC)

SLAB has established a technical co-operation program with SWEDAC. Technical Assistance for development of SLAB accreditation activities is provided by SWEDAC funded by Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).