Special Advisory on JANAAC’s International Recognition for their Inspection Body Accreditation Programmes

The Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC) is pleased to announce our signing of the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) Multi-lateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for Accreditation of Inspection Bodies (IB) to the ISO/IEC 17020 standard on March 20, 2020.
The extension of the Agency’s IAAC and ILAC signatory status took effect on January 20, 2020 and March 26, 2020 respectively. The international recognition of IB accreditation advances the
implementation of accreditation programmes in Jamaica and the regional territories served by JANAAC. The ILAC MRA is an agreement signed by the signatory accreditation bodies to recognise
the equivalence of the accreditation programmes operated within the scope of their signatory status.
Therefore, the test certificates from inspection bodies accredited by JANAAC will be accepted worldwide. Since 2013, JANAAC has maintained its position as the only internationally recognised
accreditation body in the English-speaking Caribbean as a signatory to the ILAC MRA and the IAAC MLA for the ISO/IEC 17025 (Testing Laboratories), ISO 15189 (Medical/Clinical Testing)
and ISO/IEC 17020 (Inspection Bodies) standards. The accreditation services provided by our Agency enable laboratories, inspection bodies and soon certification bodies in Jamaica and the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to meet international standards and the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, thereby facilitating market access,
enhancing competitiveness and consumer wellbeing, through improved stakeholder confidence in the quality and integrity of goods and services supplied. Presently, JANAAC offers accreditation services
to Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Suriname, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.
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Contact:
Cassetta Green, Manager, Strategic Planning, Business Development & Promotions
at 876-279-7621/ cassetta.green@janaac.gov.jm
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