Merger of PAC and APLAC to form APACIn June 2018, the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC) and Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) agreed to combine to form one new regional accreditation body association to be called the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC). APAC will come into effect on 1 January 2019. This formation is of strategic significance which will better serve the members of both organisations. There will be unity in purpose and efficiency synergies operationally, as well as in engagement with members, regulators and stakeholders. The current PAC members will be transferred to the appropriate membership class of APAC. All PAC Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) signatories will be transferred to the new APAC Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs). PAC currently has 26 MLA signatory members under its various MLAs established for Product (including GLOBALG.A.P.), Quality Management System (QMS), Environmental Management System (EMS), Food Safety Management System (FSMS), Information Security Management System (ISMS), Energy Management System (EnMS), Person, and Greenhouse Gas Validation and Verification (GHG). The IAF recognition of PAC MLAs will continue when PAC becomes APAC. The conformity assessment bodies (certification bodies and validation & verification bodies) that are currently accredited by accreditation bodies that are signatories of the PAC MLA will retain their international recognition status under the APAC MRA from 2019 onwards without change. Further information on the new APAC will be available from 1 January 2019 via the APAC website: www.apac-accreditation.org |
