### The Accreditation Reform: Towards a New Era

The forge of regulations and accreditation agreements is undergoing a significant transformation. With the birth of a new entity, the Global Accreditation Cooperation (GLOBAC), we are entering an era where global recognition and standardization of conformity assessments are set to become more efficient and homogeneous.

#### What are IAF and ILAC?

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) are two organizations that have played a crucial role in promoting the global recognition of accreditations. IAF, established in 1993, represented a merger of accreditation bodies and certification organizations across various sectors, while ILAC, founded in 1996, focused on the accreditation of testing and calibration laboratories.

Both organizations have worked to ensure that the results of conformity assessments carried out by accredited bodies are recognized and accepted internationally. Types of conformity assessments include certifications, inspections, calibrations, and tests, which find applications in numerous industrial sectors and are more essential than ever to facilitate international trade.

#### The Birth of GLOBAC

In 2019, a turning point was reached with the decision to merge IAF and ILAC into a single international entity. This merger led to the creation of GLOBAC, whose mission is to promote the accreditation activities and its stakeholders uniformly and effectively. GLOBAC will not only continue the work done by IAF and ILAC, but will also face the challenge of adapting its regulatory references across all sectors of conformity assessment.

The operations of the new organization will officially commence in January 2026, following a specific transitional period that will allow for the alignment of regulations and processes. This will involve the adjustment of accreditation references in all existing regulatory documents, which will need to be revised to reflect the new reality of GLOBAC.

#### Mutual Recognition: A New Horizon

A central aspect of this reform is the concept of mutual recognition. Accreditation bodies, which have been evaluated through a peer assessment process, sign international agreements to ensure the acceptance of assessment results. This approach promotes not only the acceptance of accredited products and services beyond national borders but also contributes to the elimination of technical barriers to trade.

The transition from IAF and ILAC to GLOBAC implies that, upon activation, the current mutual recognition agreements will be transformed into those of GLOBAC, while maintaining the validity of assessments already conducted. It will be essential for various stakeholders to collaborate, starting now, with regulatory authorities and certification bodies to address the necessary adjustments of regulatory documents.

#### The Transition: What Will Change?

Until GLOBAC is operational, the transition process will not involve immediate changes for IAF and ILAC, which will continue to manage their operations normally. However, the communication from IAF and ILAC on October 23 serves to prepare accreditation bodies and various stakeholders for an imminent paradigm shift.

Once GLOBAC is launched, the current accreditation systems, the globally recognized IAF MLA and ILAC MRA marks, will be integrated into the new GLOBAC MRA framework. It is expected that the historical marks will no longer be usable starting three years after the Transition Date, requiring everyone to adjust and rethink accreditation practices.

#### The Importance of a Coordinated Approach