Analytical Equipment and System Qualification Working Group

Details

Published: Wednesday, 10 April 2024 22:09

The Analytical Equipment and System Qualification Working Group (AE&SQ WG) aims to provide guidance on best practice in Analytical Equipment and System Qualification (AE&SQ). The core topic of the working group is the fitness for the intended use of analytical equipment and systems.

Terms of Reference

1. The Analytical Equipment and System Qualification Working Group (AE&SQ WG) has been established and will operate in accordance with the ‘Procedure for the development of Eurachem Guidance’. The core topic of the working group is the fitness for the intended use of analytical equipment and systems.
2. Any Eurachem member country may nominate expert members to the AE&SQ WG. Members of the WG with specific expertise may also come from outside Eurachem.
3. The chair or an assigned member of the AE&SQ WG reports to the Eurachem executive and the guidance will be subject to the approval of the Eurachem General Assembly.
4. The AE&SQ WG will provide guidance on Analytical Equipment and System Qualification (AE&SQ). The guidance will be applicable to all chemical and microbiological analytical laboratories and meet the requirements for the applicable quality standard and system.
5. The AE&SQ WG deals with questions of data integrity, IT qualification / validation and risk assessment relevant to the AE&SQ.
6. Supplementary guidances will be issued. These will contain specific recommendations and examples on a particular category of equipment, e.g. analytical balances or on specific topics e.g. data integrity and IT qualification and validation. They serve the purpose of illustration and clarification of the guideline.
7. The AE&SQ WG shall make arrangements for appropriate publication and promotion of the above guideline and supplementary guidance. This includes the possibility to publish information leaflets.
8. The AE&SQ WG shall organise, support and participate in international seminars and workshops on AE&SQ issues in analytical sciences.
9. The AE&SQ WG collaborates and provides input on equipment and system qualification into other Eurachem working groups.
10. The AE&SQ WG follows and discusses new developments within analytical science, which may require new approaches regarding AE&SQ or the modification of the guidance.
11. The AE&SQ WG contributes to the Eurachem Reading List with relevant references on AE&SQ in analytical science.

Contact the Working Group

The working group may be contacted via the  Website contact form.

Members

• Peter Fodor (Hungary)
• Klaus Fritsch (Switzerland)
• Tímea Gönczöl (Hungary)
• Ernst Halder (Switzerland, Chair)
• Martin Huber (Switzerland)
• Jens Jacobsen (Switzerland)
• Valéria Kardos, (Hungary)
• Holger Keller (Switzerland)
• Rudolf Köhling (Germany)
• Dusan Kordik (Slovakia)
• Dmytro Leontiev (Ukraine)
• Anna Lorincz (Hungary)
• Ágnes Nagy (Hungary)
• Attila Nagy (Hungary)
• Barbara Pohl (Germany)
• Jan Sunderkötter (Germany)
• Isabelle Vercruysse (Belgium)
• Oleksandr Vypirailenko (Ukraine)

Reference Materials Working Group

Details

Published: Thursday, 04 April 2019 23:37

(Joint with CITAC)

Terms of reference

1. To establish a working group of experts nominated by GA Members, EA, EUROLAB and other interested organizations with liaisons with Eurachem, to review and update as necessary the guide on ‘Selection and use of Reference Materials’ (2002) following the revision of the ISO/REMCO Guides on RMs.
2. To contribute to disseminate information on good practice in the selection and use of RMs, by promoting Eurachem guidance on RMs.
3. To contribute to maintain and update the relevant section on RMs of the Eurachem Reading List.
4. The Eurachem Reference Materials Working Group has been established and will operate in accordance with the Constitution agreed in the Eurachem Memorandum of Understanding

Current activities

The Eurachem RMWG is working to update the guide on ‘Selection and use of Reference Materials’, first published in 2002, following the revision of ISO/REMCO Guides 30-35 on Reference Materials and further developments in ISO TC 334.

The last meeting of the RMWG was held virtually on the 6th of March 2025.
The next meeting of the RMWG is scheduled for the 11th of June 2025.

Members of the Eurachem Reference Materials Working Group at the inaugural meeting in 2018 at ISS in Rome.

Members

* Corresponding member

Contact

The working group may be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or using the working group's website contact form.

Method Validation Working Group

Details

Published: Thursday, 09 May 2013 22:45

The Eurachem Method Validation Working Group (MVWG) aims to function as a centre of expertise in the field by assembling and promoting best practice in Method Validation.

Terms of Reference

The Eurachem Method Validation Working Group has been established and will operate in accordance with the Constitution agreed in the Eurachem Memorandum of Understanding. It will function as a centre of expertise by identifying and developing best practices on how to ensure that analytical methods are fit for purpose. The MVWG is working:

1. To provide guidance on method validation. This guidance will be applicable to all analytical laboratories and meet the requirements for accreditation;
2. To organize - and contribute to - international seminars and workshops on issues related to method validation within analytical measurement;
3. To collaborate and provide input on method validation into other Eurachem working groups, joint task groups and other professional liaison organisations;
4. To follow and discuss new developments within analytical measurement, which may require new approaches regarding method validation;
5. To contribute to the "Reading List" with relevant references on method validation in analytical measurement.

Activities

 Past

• Contributed to the scientific programme of the Eurachem workshop Quality Assurance in Chemical, Medical and Microbiological Laboratories in Vilnius, Lithuania, May 2024.

• Presented on method validation of non-targeted methods at the Eurachem Cyprus event Recent developments in Quality Assurance, Nicosia, Cyprus, March 2024.

• Contributed to the Eurolab webinar Method and procedure validation across laboratories: navigating precision in lab practices, February 2024.

• Arranged a series of webinars, in conjunction with AOAC-E, entitled Trends & challenges for Non-Targeted Methods, November 2022 & June 2023.

• Published the information leaflet The importance of method validation, 2021.

• Published two supplementary guidance documents Blanks in method validation and Planning and reporting method validation studies, 2019.

• Contributed to the NMKL-NordVal International symposium Speeding towards omics, Oslo, Norway, June 2019.

• Contributed to the scientific program of the Eurachem Workshop Validation of targeted and non-targeted methods of analysis, Tartu, Estonia, May 2019.

• Led a workshop Are MS-based methods fit for purpose? at the XXII International Mass Spectrometry Conference, Florence, Italy, August 2018.

Current

• The MVWG normally meets twice a year. One of these meetings takes place online while the second is in person. In addition, task groups may have occassional online chats on specific topics.
  

Members of the MVWG at one of our in-person meetings
(Athens, October 2024)

• The MVWG is currently working on supplementary guidance on individual aspects of method validation, which are intended to be used in conjunction with the main guide.
  So far the following supplements have been issued:
  "Planning and reporting method validation studies"
  "Blanks in Method Validation"
  ...and more are in the pipeline
• The MVWG has completed work on a revision of the Fitness for Purpose guide (3rd edition, published in early 2025). 
• The MVWG is working on preparing a supplement which contains examples which apply the principles recommended in the "Fitness for Purpose" guide.
• A Task Group on Validation of Non-Targeted Methods has been established. A series of ½-day webinars on the subject, in cooperation with AOAC-E, have been arranged.
• A Joint Task Group (JTG) has been set up in cooperation with the Sampling Uncertainty WG and with inputs from Eurolab and NMKL. This JTG has published a guidance document on the Validation of Measurement Procedures that Include Sampling. 

Contact the Working Group

The working group may be contacted via the working group Secretary using the Website contact form.
If interested in membership of the working group, the document "Method Validation Working Group – Roles & Responsibilities" should be requested from the secretary. 

Members

• Isabelle Vercruysse (Belgium)
• Lorens Sibbesen (Denmark)
• Piotr Robouch (JRC/EU) (C)
• Pieter Dehouck (JRC/EU; Vice-Chair/Secretary)
• Abdelkader Boubetra (France)
• Nathalie Guigues (France)
• Barbara Pohl (Germany) 
• Stephan Walch (Germany)
• Helen Gika (Greece)
• Marios Kostakis (Greece)
• Helen Cantwell (Ireland; Chair)
• John Clancy (Ireland)
• Karen Moore (Ireland)
• Emanuela Gregori (Italy)
• Marina Patriarca (Italy)
• Ewa Bulska (Poland) (C)
• Pedro Pablo Morillas Bravo (Spain)
• Francisco Raposo (Spain)
• Elvar Theodorsson (Sweden) (C)
• Ernst Halder (Switserland)
• Fatma Akcadag (Türkiye)
• Burcu Binici (Türkiye)
• Perihan Yolci Ömeroglu (Türkiye)
• Vicki Barwick (UK)
• Steve Ellison (UK) (C)

  (C): Corresponding member

EEE Proficiency Testing Working Group - “Proficiency Testing in Accreditation”

Details

Published: Wednesday, 04 May 2011 18:27

(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, and to support the process of accrediting PT providers.
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 to improve the reliability of testing, measurement, calibration and examination results to meet the European needs
4. The EEE-PT will ensure that the general procedures of working groups set up by EA, Eurolab and Eurachem are taken into consideration.
5. The EEE-PT will provide a discussion forum in order to develop support in the form of guidelines and input into policy papers to:
   • Identify, review and promote the use of appropriate and 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.
6. To provide a link with other international working groups and bodies in this field, e.g. ILAC AIC 17043 WG, to promote greater international harmonisation and reduce duplication of effort

Membership

Membership of the EEE-PT WG is 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.

MEETINGS

The full EEE-PT WG will meet twice a year face to face. Task force groups (TFGs) may be established to address specific work items, such TFGs will meet on-line as required.

CHAIR

The Chair is elected by the EEE-PT WG members, and is subject to endorsement by the appropriate committees of EA, Eurolab and Eurachem. The Chair, is appointed for a term of three years, but can be reappointed upon completion of their term.

Representatives:

International guests:

ILAC Secretariat (New Zealand), ILAC
He Ping, APAC PT Subcommittee

 Work Programme 2024 - 2025

1. To update any appropriate policy or guidance documents on the cost-effective and technical 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
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
   1. Undertake a revision of the EA 'Guidelines for the assessment of the appropriateness of small interlaboratory comparisons within the process of laboratory accreditation (EA-4/21 INF:2018)
   2. Develop guidelines for flexible scopes for PT providers, covering how to formulate the flexible scope and possible assessment approaches and definitions of boundaries
3. To support and promote harmonisation of accreditation bodies’ evaluation of laboratories’ participation and performance 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
   1. Give guidance for the harmonisation during the implementation of ISO/IEC 17043.
   2. Discuss and consider the relevant requirements from ISO 17034 that are applicable to the production of PT items
   3. Discuss and consider the relevant requirements from ISO/IEC 17035 that are applicable to any measurements or tests undertaken by the PT provider
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
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:

• How to interpret information from proficiency test exercises concerning the relative performance of accredited laboratories (2001)

Surveys:

• Use in Practice of Proficiency Testing by Accreditation Bodies and Laboratories (2003)
• Accreditation, Recognition or Approval of Proficiency Testing Schemes (2003)
• Co-organised with the EA-LC a survey on whether further guidance was required for flexible scopes for PT providers (2022)

Position Papers:

• Use of Proficiency Testing as a Tool for Accreditation in Testing (2002) – formed the basis of ILAC22:2004
• “Trade-Off” issue between Participation in Proficiency Testing and the Level and Frequency of Surveillance Activities (2004)
• Organisation of Proficiency Tests and Interlaboratory Comparisons for EA Laboratory Committee (2003)
• Establishment of a Multi Lateral Agreement (MLA) for the Accreditation of Proficiency Testing Providers (2004)
• Educational Aspects of Proficiency Testing Programs (2005)
• Use of Measurement Uncertainty in Proficiency Testing (2006)
• Guidance to accreditation bodies' policies on the level and frequency of proficiency testing participation (2009)
• Guidance document, for EA, on the content of scopes of accreditation for PT providers (2015)
• Developed a guidance document, for EA, with respect to the use of inter-laboratory comparisons with few participants (2018)
• Developed guidance, for Eurolab, for users of laboratory PT results with respect to a single questionable or unsatisfactory performance score (2018)
• Position paper on whether rapid performance evaluation schemes can be used as a replacement for traditional PTs and whether they can be accredited to ISO/IEC 17043 developed (2018)
• Information leaflet on 'Proficiency testing schemes for sampling' for publication by Eurachem (2020)
• Information leaflet on 'Interlaboratory comparisons other than proficiency testing' for publication by Eurachem (2024)

Standards/Guides:

• Contributed to the revision of ILAC G13 (2007)
• Eurachem guide on Selection, Use and Interpretation of Proficiency Testing (PT) Schemes (Second Edition, 2011)
• Contributed to the work of ISO in the revision of ISO 13528 (2015)
• EA-2/18:INF 2015 Guidelines for Accreditation Bodies on The Contents of the Scopes of Accreditation for Proficiency Testing Providers
• EA-4/21 INF:2018 Guidelines for the assessment of the appropriateness of small interlaboratory comparisons within the process of laboratory accreditation
• Eurachem guide on Selection, Use and Interpretation of Proficiency Testing (PT) Schemes (Third Edition, 2021) on behalf of Eurachem
• EA-4/18 G: 2021, ‘Guidance on the level and frequency of proficiency testing participation’

Workshops:

Co-organised the EA-LC workshop on flexible scopes for PT providers (2023)

Contact

You can contact the EEE-PT Secretary here

Sampling Uncertainty Working Group

Details

Published: Tuesday, 20 July 2010 11:51

Terms of Reference

1. The Eurachem Sampling Uncertainty Working Group operates in accordance with the Constitution agreed in the Eurachem Memorandum of Understanding.
2. The Eurachem Sampling Uncertainty Working Group will prepare guidance for the evaluation of uncertainties in measurement arising from the process of sampling. This guidance will be applicable to all chemical measurements that require the taking of a sample. It will provide guidance on the assessment of the uncertainty of the measurement that is caused by the process of sampling, and any physical preparation of the sample prior to analysis, and how this can be combined with estimates of uncertainty arising from the analytical process.
3. These guides will be developed in collaboration with relevant international bodies  and will be updated as experience is gained in their use.

Activities

In addition, a Joint Task Group (JTG) has been set up between the Sampling Uncertainty WG and the Method Validation WG, with input from Eurolab and NMKL, to prepare Supplementary Guidance on the Validation of Measurement Procedures that Include Sampling (VaMPIS). Initial discussions within the JTG have focused on the balance between the quantitative and descriptive approach, and also between the integrated and isolated approach. A Discussion Forum, joint with Eurolab, was held online on 4th May 2022 to engage with the wider user community and attracted 450 participants.

Members

• Mike Ramsey - University of Sussex, UK & RSC AMC (Chair) (Eurachem)
• Peter Rostron - RSC AMC, UK (Secretary) (Eurachem)
• Ricardo Bettencourt da Silva -Univ Lisboa, Portugal (Eurachem & CITAC)
• Steve Ellison - LGC, UK (Eurachem)
• Nathalie Guigues - LNE, France (Eurachem)
• Achilleas Iakovakis -Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Greece (Eurachem)
• Perihan Ömeroğlu (Bursa Uludag University, Türkiye) (Eurachem)
• Fernando Cordeiro Raposo - Portugal (Eurachem)
• Andrea Paul - BAM, Germany (Eurachem)
• Eskil Sahlin - RISE Research Institutes of Sweden (Eurachem)
• Carlo Tiebe - BAM, Germany (Eurachem)
• Alex Williams - UK (Eurachem)
• Roger Wood - RSC AMC (UK) (Eurachem)
• Vassilis Zonaras - Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Greece (Eurachem)

Corresponding members

• Bertil Magnusson - Trollboken, SE (Eurachem)
• Paolo de Zorzi - APAT; Environment Agency, Italy (Eurachem)

Outputs

Publications

The working group has published the second edition of the Eurachem Guide Measurement uncertainty arising from sampling (2019).

The second edition of the Guide added several new features, including provisions for handling the large relative uncertainty common in sampling by use of uncertainty factors, and more economical designs for sampling uncertainty studies.

The group has also published an information leaflet on the Uncertainty Factor.

Workshops

• Eurachem Workshop: Uncertainty in Sampling and Compliance (Berlin,  April 2008)
• Eurachem workshop: Uncertainty from sampling and analysis for accredited laboratories (Berlin, November 2019).

Collaborative activities

The working group works closely with other groups interested in sampling, in particular the UK Royal Society of Chemistry Analytical Methods Committee (AMC). Particularly relevant outputs related to the Eurachem Sampling Uncertainty guide are the following sampling-related Technical Briefs produced by the AMC Sampling sub-committee:

1. Terminology - the key to understanding analytical science. Part 2: Sampling and sample preparation (2005) Technical Brief 19 of the Analytical Methods Committee (ISSN 1757- 5958)
2. Analytical and sampling strategy, fitness for purpose, and computer games (2005) Technical Brief 20 of the Analytical Methods Committee (ISSN 1757- 5958)
3. Optimising your uncertainty - a case study (2008) Technical Brief 32 of the Analytical Methods Committee
4. Measurement Uncertainty arising from sampling: the new Eurachem Guide (2008) Technical Brief 31 of the Analytical Methods Committee
5. What is uncertainty from sampling, and why is it important? (2008) Technical Brief 16A of the Analytical Methods Committee
6. The Duplicate Method for the estimation of measurement uncertainty arising from sampling (2009)Technical Brief 40 of the Analytical Methods Committee
7. The importance, for regulation, of uncertainty from sampling (2009) Technical Brief 42 of the Analytical Methods Committee
8. Quality Control of routine sampling in chemical analysis (2012) Technical Brief 51 of the Analytical Methods Committee
9. Estimating sampling uncertainty – how many duplicate samples are needed? (2014) Technical Brief 58 of the Analytical Methods Committee
10. Random samples (2014) Technical Brief 60 of the Analytical Methods Committee
11. Unbalanced robust ANOVA for the estimation of measurement uncertainty at reduced cost (2014) Technical Brief 64 of the Analytical Methods Committee
12. Sampling theory and sampling uncertainty (2015) Technical Brief 71 of the Analytical Methods Committee
13. Representative sampling? Views from a regulator and a measurement scientist (2016) Technical Brief 73 of the Analytical Methods Committee
14. Proficiency testing of sampling (2017) Technical Brief 78 of the Analytical Methods Committee
15. Beam sampling: taking samples at the micro-scale (2018) Technical Brief 84 of the Analytical Methods Committee
16. Why do we need the uncertainty factor? (2019) Technical Brief 88 of the Analytical Methods Committee
17. The role of accreditation in ensuring sampling quality (2019) Technical Brief 90 of the Analytical Methods Committee
18. What’s novel in the new Eurachem guide on uncertainty from sampling? (2019) Technical Brief 96 of the Analytical Methods Committee
19. How reliable is my uncertainty estimate? (2021) Technical Brief 105 of the Analytical Methods Committee
20. Comparing measurement uncertainty values (2022) Technical Brief 112 of the Analytical Methods Committee

These are all available on the RSC AMC Technical Briefs page.

Software for Uncertainty from Sampling and Validation

The RSC Analytical Methods Committee has published several versions of the robust ANOVA software (RANOVA) mentioned in Eurachem sampling uncertainty guidance, as well as the OptiMU software for finding an optimum level of measurement uncertainty. The software can be downloaded at teh link below.

• RSC AMC Software page

Note that registration may be needed in order to access the software.

Qualitative Analysis Working Group

Details

Published: Tuesday, 20 July 2010 11:10

Introduction

At the Eurachem/CITAC workshop Measurement uncertainty and traceability: meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025  in Lucerne, June 2002, a workshop session was held on the topic of uncertainty in qualitative analysis and testing. That workshop recommended the formation of a new Eurachem working group to provide guidance on the topic, based on the discussion paper presented at that meeting. The following constitutes the Terms of Reference for the working group.

Terms of reference

Members*

• R Bettencourt da Silva (PT) (Chair)
• S Ellison (UK) (Secretary)
• A Botha (CITAC)
• H Emons (EU)
• D Ivanova (BG)
• R Kaus (DE)
• I Kuselman (CITAC) (Observer)
• S Lardy-Fontan (FR)
• O Levbarg (UA)
• I Leito (EE)
• K Matveinen (FI)
• O Pellegrino (PT)
• P Pereira (PT)
• P Saunders (IE)
• M Sega (IT)
• A Togola (FR)
• E Totu (RO)
• Mairead Webster (IE)

 * Current members; last updated March 2025

Guidance documents

The working group published the Eurachem Guide "Assessment of performance and uncertainty in qualitative chemical analysis" in 2021.

Work programme

The Eurachem working group started working on uncertainty issues in qualitative analysis in response to early concerns about the implementation of measurement uncertainty under ISO 17025 accreditation. Eurachem published a policy paper on the subject in 2000 [1]. At the Eurachem/CITAC workshop Measurement uncertainty and traceability: meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025  in Lucerne, June 2002, a workshop session was held on the topic. That workshop recommended the formation of a new Eurachem Qualitative Analysis Working Group  to provide guidance on the topic, based on a discussion paper presented at that meeting. The group met first in May 2003, and works in cooperation with CITAC. It is currently working on the topic of the assessment and expression of uncertainty in qualitative analysis and testing. The aim is to provide guidance on issues such as:

• The effort required to obtain sufficiently reliable false response rates (the most common basis for assessing the reliability of qualitative tests);
• methods of determining false response rates, including experimental methods, methods based on databases, and prediction of false response rates from the performance of quantitative methods used in the testing process;
• practical methods of expressing the performance of methods, including guidance on the wide range of different terminology in use.

[1] Ellison SLR, Accred. Qual. Assur. 2000, 5, 346-348

Past activities

• International workshop, "Assessment of Performance and Uncertainty in Qualitative Chemical Analysis", January 2022

Education and Training Working Group

Details

Published: Saturday, 10 July 2010 21:35

Terms of Reference

1. The Eurachem Education and Training Working Group (ETWG) has been established and will operate in accordance with the Constitution agreed in the Eurachem Memorandum of Understanding.
2. The ETWG will attempt to have representatives from each of the Eurachem member countries either as Full Members or as Corresponding Members*.
3. The ETWG, in accordance with Eurachem policy on Establishment and Operation of Eurachem Working Groups, will appoint a Chair who will serve for a period of 3 years. A Vice-Chair/Secretary will also be appointed by the Working Group to serve for a period of 3 years. Both the Chair and Vice-Chair can be reappointed on completion of their term.
4. The ETWG will promote the concepts and importance of quality in analytical measurement with a particular focus on the development of guidance on quality management which emphasises metrology.
5. The ETWG will organise workshops and training events on metrology in chemistry and related quality assurance issues. Members will report on these activities at least annually.
6. In collaboration with the other Working Groups, the ETWG will regularly review and publish on the Eurachem website a Reading List of references relating to quality assurance for analytical science.
7. The ETWG will collaborate with other organisations having similar or complementary aims.
8. The ETWG will meet at least annually, usually at the General Assembly and review progress of projects against the work programme.

* Full members agree to attend meetings and carry out tasks agreed at the annual Working Group meeting

Corresponding members agree to comment on draft papers sent out to the Working Group

Members

*Corresponding member

Activities

Current

1. Collate and evaluate information on the state of education and training in analytical science in different member countries, with a particular focus on the development of teaching and training materials on quality management which emphasise metrology.

2. Engage with working analytical scientists, experts and other international organisations to contribute to the development of internationally harmonised terminology for analytical chemistry.

3. Contribute to the development and delivery of education and training in chemical metrology and quality assurance for both analytical scientists and the broader community by producing freely available materials. Current activities are:

• Development and maintenance of a reading list to support teaching and training of metrology in chemistry and quality assurance. Click here to access the reading list.
• Revision of the Eurachem/CITAC 'Guide to Quality in Analytical Chemistry: An aid to accreditation'

3. In collaboration with other WGs, prepare short videos for the Eurachem YouTube channel to address and explain challenging topics in the field of metrology in chemistry.

4. Organise workshops in metrology in chemistry which bring together academic staff, industrial scientists, instrument manufacturers and students.

• ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 15189 – Experiences and challenges of implementing the revised accreditation standards (Nicosia, March 2025)
• Complex matrices: Applications, laboratory standards, and accreditation (Bucharest, May 2025)

Specific projects in each area will be agreed at the Working Group meetings. Each work package will have a group of members identified in the Minutes to carry the project forward.

Past

• Publication of a video on the importance of a common language in analytical measurement
• Training event on Recent developments in Quality Assurance (Nicosia, March 2024)
• Publication of an information leaflet on the revision of ISO 15189
• Publication of the 2nd edition of the Guide: Terminology in Analytical Measurement: Introduction to VIM 3
• Publication of an information leaflet on terminology
• Publication of an information leaflet on the revision of ISO/IEC 17025
• Training event on ISO 15189:2022 – The New Standard for the Competence of Medical Laboratories (Nicosia, March 2023)
• Training event on Accreditation of Analytical, Microbiological and Medical laboratories – ISO/IEC 17025:2017 & ISO 15189:2012 (Nicosia, February 2020)
• Workshop on Data – Quality, Analysis and Integrity (Dublin, May 2018) 
• Training course and workshop on Key Challenges in Internal Quality Control (Berlin, October 2012)
• Workshop on Key Quality Assurance Challenges for Analytical Measurements (Moscow, May 2011)
• Development of a questionnaire to seek information about activities in teaching and training in metrology in chemistry

Measurement Uncertainty and Traceability Working Group

Details

Published: Saturday, 10 July 2010 21:26

This is a joint WG with CITAC.

Terms of Reference

1. The EURACHEM/CITAC Measurement Uncertainty and Traceability Working Group has been established and will operate in accordance with the Constitution agreed in the EURACHEM Memorandum of Understanding.
2. The EURACHEM/CITAC Measurement Uncertainty and Traceability Working Group will prepare guidance for the evaluation of uncertainties and establishment of traceability in chemical analysis. This guidance will be applicable to all chemical analytical laboratories and will provide guidance on the assessment of uncertainties and establishment of traceability required for accreditation.
3. These guides will be developed in collaboration with EA and will be updated as experience is gained in their use.

Work Programme

Guides

• The Working Group produced the Eurachem Guide Quantifying Uncertainty in Analytical Measurement, first published in 1995 and now in its third edition, which was published in 2012. Several translations are available.
• The Eurachem guide Use of uncertainty information in compliance assessment, first published in 2007 and now it its second edition published 2021, provides guidance on how uncertainty may be taken into account in deciding compliance with a limit.
• The Eurachem guide Setting and Using Target Uncertainty in Chemical Measurement, published in 2015, gives guidance on the important task of deciding target uncertainty; this helps to make sure that a procedure is fit for its intended purpose.
• In 2003 the Working Group published the first Eurachem guide on Traceability in Chemical Measurement, which was updated in 2019. This Guide gives principles and guidance for the establishment of measurement traceability in quantitative chemical analysis.

Information leaflets

The working group has so far published six information leaflets:

• Traceability of analytical results summarise the principles of metrological traceability in routine testing.
• Use of uncertainty information in compliance assessment summarises the principles of interpreting results against regulatory or other specification limits.
• Using repeated measurements to improve the standard uncertainty addresses a common problem: when it is appropriate to divide a standard deviation by the square root of the number of observations when evaluating uncertainty for random variation.
• Treatmen of an observed bias discusses whether or not an observed significant bias should be corrected and the impact this may have on the measurement uncertainty (MU).
• The leaflet Setting Target Measurement Uncertainty gives a brief introduction to the Guide on the topic.
• What is the uncertainty factor  introduces the use of a factor when reporting high measurement uncertainty.

In addition, the WG maintains the leaflet Measurement Uncertainty for Laboratory Customers, originally published by SP (now RISE) and elaborated with Eurolab and others to help customers understand why laboratories report measurement uncertainty.

Workshops

The Measurement Uncertainty and Traceability working group has coordinated several International workshops on measurement uncertainty, including

• Measurement uncertainty evaluation based on in-house validation data
  (Online, 2022)
• Eurachem workshop on Uncertainty from sampling and analysis for accredited laboratories (Berlin, 2019)-
• Eurachem Workshop: Quality in Analytical Measurements (Lisbon, 2014)
• Evaluation of measurement uncertainty (Graz, 1994; Berlin, 1997, Lisbon, 2011)
• Measurement Uncertainty in Sampling and Compliance (Berlin, 2008)

Members*

*Last updated 2024-04-23

Contact

The working group may be contacted via the working group Secretary using the Website contact form.

Eurachem Proficiency Testing Working Group

Details

Published: Saturday, 10 July 2010 16:56

The Eurachem Proficiency Testing Working Group (PTWG) provides a forum within the European chemical community for pursuing excellence in the development and implementation of proficiency testing

Terms of Reference

1. The Eurachem Proficiency Testing Working Group has been established and will operate in accordance with the Constitution agreed in the Eurachem Memorandum of Understanding.
2. To improve the organisation of proficiency testing in Europe.
3. To promote best practice in proficiency testing using appropriate mechanisms such as publications, workshops etc.
4. To provide a forum for organisers and users of proficiency testing schemes on issues affecting the practice of proficiency testing
5. To organise, on a periodic basis, an International workshop on proficiency testing in analytical chemistry, microbiology and laboratory medicine.
6. To provide input and comments from the chemical measurement community to the EA/Eurolab/Eurachem Working Group on Proficiency Testing in Accreditation (EEE-PT WG).
7. To provide input and disseminate output between Eurachem and the EEE-PT WG.
8. To collaborate and provide input on proficiency testing into other Eurachem working groups.
9. To provide input into international activities related to proficiency testing.

Membership

*Corresponding Member

 Current Activities

• Organisation of the 11th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine.
• Preparation and translation of a series of information leaflets regarding topics of interest to proficiency testing, to encourage good practice across Europe.
• Development of guidance on the performance evaluation of qualitative and interpretative results in PT schemes.

A key role of the PTWG is to discuss both input and outcomes of issues addressed at the EA/Eurolab/Eurachem Working Group on Proficiency Testing in Accreditation (EEE-PT WG). The EEE-PT WG discusses issues that go much wider than analytical chemistry, and it is the responsibility of the Eurachem representatives to ensure that any decisions and outputs of the WG take into account the needs of analytical chemistry. Current representatives of the PTWG who represent Eurachem on the EEE-PT WG are Brian Brookman, Caroline Laurent, Raquel Murtula and Piotr Robouch. In addition Frank Baumeister  (Germany) is also a Eurachem representative.

Previous Outputs

• 3rd International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Borås, Sweden, September 2020.
• Guide to the 'Selection, use and interpretation of proficiency testing (PT) schemes by laboratories', 2000.
• Input into the EEE-PT WG paper 'Use of Proficiency Testing as a Tool for Accreditation Bodies', 2000.
• 4th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Bracknell, UK, February 2003.
• Input into various EEE-PT WG discussion documents.
• Development and translation of a leaflet on an introduction to 'Proficiency testing schemes and other interlaboratory comparisons' aimed at PT participants and their customers.
• 5th  International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Portoroz, Slovenia, September 2005 [Presentations available on the workshop information page].
• Survey on the accreditation of EQA scheme organisers in laboratory medicine (in collaboration with EQALM) [Report available here].
• Production of a discussion paper on fundamental terms relating yo PT [Discussion paper available here].
• Contribution to the revision of ILAC G!3.
• 6th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Rome, Italy, October 2008 [Presentations and working group summaries available on the workshop information page].
• Contribution to the development of ISO/IEC 17043.
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'pre- and post-analytical proficiency testing'.
• 7th  International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Istanbul, Turkey, October 2011 [Presentations and working group summaries available on the workshop information page].
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'How can proficiency testing help my laboratory'.
• 8th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Berlin, Germany, October 2014 [Presentations available on the workshop information page].
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'Selecting the right proficiency testing scheme for my laboratory'.
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'Proficiency testing - How much and how often'.
• 9th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Portoroz, Slovenia, October 2017 [Presentations available on the workshop information page].
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'Use of surplus proficiency test items'.
• Development and translation of a leaflet on 'How to investigate poor performance in proficiency testing'.
• Translation of a leaflet on 'Proficiency testing schemes for sampling'
• Development of a leaflet on 'Let's call a PT scheme a PT scheme'
• Publication of paper "Is harmonisation of performance assessment in non-quantitative proficiency testing possible/necessary?" U. Tiikkainen, L. Ciaralli, C. Laurent, M. Obkircher, M. Patriarca, P. Robouch, E. Sarkany, Accredit Qual Assur, 27, 1-8 (2022)
• 10th International Workshop on Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine - Windsor, UK, September 2023 [Presentations available on the workshop information page].
• Development and translation of a leaflet on Understanding PT Statistics
• Development and translation of a leaflet on Understanding PT Performance Assessment
• Report on the results of a survey on performance evaluation on non quantitative PT

* Contact the PTWG Secretariat

Eurachem working groups

Details

Published: Sunday, 06 June 2010 21:23

Eurachem's technical activity is carried out by its various Working Groups. Working groups activities typically involve

• Producing Technical guidance
• Initiating or contributing to international workshops and other events

Active working groups

Eurachem currently has the following active working groups:

• Method validation
• Education and Training
• Measurement Uncertainty and Traceability
• Proficiency Testing
• EEE Proficiency Testing - “Proficiency Testing in Accreditation”
• Reference materials
• Uncertainty from Sampling
• Qualitative Analysis
• Analytical Equipment and System Qualification

In addition, Eurachem participates in the Euramet Technical Committee of Metrology in Chemistry.

Inactive/closed working groups

Terms of reference, membership and activities of inactive working groups are recorded here.