Working and Liaison Groups
(A joint EA – Eurolab – Eurachem Working Group)
Terms of Reference
1. The working group EEE-PT has been established as a joint activity by EA, Eurolab and Eurachem (EEE) to provide support on the use of proficiency testing (PT) to laboratory personnel and accreditation assessors
2. EA/Eurolab/Eurachem (EEE) may approve other appropriate organisations to become affiliated members to the EEE-PT. EQALM (European Committee for External Quality Assurance Programmes in Laboratory Medicine) is an affiliated member of EEE-PT
3. The aim is to develop common policy and technical advice covering proficiency
testing in all areas of testing, measurement and analysis in order to improve
the reliability of testing, measurement and analytical results to meet the
European needs
4. The EEE-PT will follow the general objective and rules of procedure of
common working groups set up by EA, Eurolab and Eurachem
5. The EEE-PT will provide a discussion forum in order to develop support in the form of guidelines and policy papers to:
• Identify, review and promote the use of cost-effective proficiency
testing in laboratory operations and accreditation procedures
•
Help provide information on the availability of PTs
•
Understand and address differences between specific sectors
•
Contribute to the development and revision of International Standards and Guides
relating to PTs and other ILCs
•
Develop principles and conditions for using interlaboratory comparisons to
support the work of the two permanent ILC working groups of the EA Laboratory
Committee in underpinning the mutual recognition arrangements both within EA
and between EA and other Recognised Regions such as APLAC and IAAC under the
roof of ILAC.
6. To support ABs in the development of suitable programs to assess and accredit PT providers
7. To provide a link with other international working groups and bodies in
this field, e.g. ILAC PTCG, to promote greater international harmonisation
and reduce duplication of effort
Membership - open to representatives from the three parent organisations: EA, Eurolab and Eurachem who are each entitled to nominate five representatives. Affiliated organisations are entitled to nominate three representatives. Additional representatives from the parent or affiliated organisations, along with other international guests, may be associated with the EEE-PT WG at the discretion of the Chair. The Chair of the EEE-PT WG is elected by the EA-Eurolab-Eurachem Permanent Liaison Group (PLG) for a period of four years.
Meetings - The EEE-PT WG will meet when considered necessary by the Chair. Normally the EEE-PT WG will meet twice every year. A draft agenda will be distributed at least 4 weeks before each meeting. Draft minutes will be distributed within two months after the meeting.
Work Programme - The EEE-PT WG shall submit on an annual basis its proposed
Work Programme for approval to the EA-Eurolab-Eurachem Permanent Liaison Group
(PLG).
Membership
Chair: Brian Brookman, LGC Standards (UK)
Secretariat: Natalie Stephenson, LGC Standards (UK)
Kirsten Jebjerg Andersen, DANAK (Denmark)
Frank Baumeister, ISWA (Germany)
Maria Grazia del Monte, SINAL (Italy)
Eva Klokocnikova, CAI, (Czech Republic)
Holger Frenz, HFr/FH-Gelsenkirchen (Germany)
Magnus Holmgren, SP (Sweden)
Christian Lehmann, DAP (Germany)
Ulrich Leist, DRRR (Germany)
Laura Lodesani, TEC Eurolab Sri
Ian Mann, SAS (Switzerland)
Piet Meijer, ECAT Foundation (Netherlands)
Gunnar Nordin, EQUALIS (Sweden)
Annika Norling, SWEDAC (Sweden)
Marina Patriarca (Italy)
Piotr Robouch, IRMM (European Commission)
Jeff Ruddle, UKAS (UK)
Pedro Rosario Ruiz (Spain)
Annette Thomas, WEQAS (UK)
Carmen Garcia Villarragut, ENAC
International guests
Rick Wilson, ILAC PTCG / CALA(Canada)
Alan Squirrell, ILAC / NATA (Australia)
Dan Tholen, APLAC / A2LA (USA)
Work Programme 2008-2009
1. To update any appropriate policy or guidance documents on the cost-effective
use of proficiency testing in co-operation with ILAC and other interested organisations,
and to contribute to the discussions within ILAC or any other appropriate international
forum on PT activities
(a) Complete a revision of the Eurachem Guide to the Selection, Use and Interpretation
of PT schemes
2. To contribute to the revision of international standards and guides which
underpin the quality of PTs and to discuss the recognition mechanisms for PT
providers, contributing to the harmonisation of accreditation requirements
(a)
Contribute to the work of ISO/CASCO WG 28 in the production of ISO/IEC 17043
3. To support and promote harmonisation of accreditation bodies’ evaluation
of laboratories’ participation and performance in PT
(a) Develop a policy
document, for EA, with respect to the frequency of participation of laboratories
in PT
4. To provide a forum for the discussion between the accreditation bodies
and the PT stakeholders with regards to the accreditation of PT providers
(a)
Give guidance for the harmonisation during the implementation of ISO/IEC 17043
5. To view the relation between PT performance and accreditation surveillance mechanisms
6. To identify mechanisms to promote new PT in all technical areas, including
inspection, and to develop a mechanism for the implementation of PTs in areas
where they do not currently exist
(a) Develop or contribute to guidance on
PT for sampling
(b) Develop or contribute to guidance on PT for inspection
(c) Develop or contribute to guidance on requirements for bilateral PTs or
PTs organised by a group of laboratories
7. To provide an overview of the “learning effect” of PT
8. To co-operate with, and give input, to the EPTIS Project
Previous Outputs
Technical Papers:
Surveys:
Position Papers:
Standards/Guides: