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Inventory of National Practices on Standards, Technical Regulations
and Conformity Assessment in the Western Hemisphere


VI. Inspection and Testing
C. Arrangements with Other Organizations

Antigua & Barbuda

Argentina

Bahamas
There are no international, regional or bilateral relationships presently.

Barbados

Belize

Bolivia
Bolivia is supporting the development of regional accreditation and certification activities in the Andean Group as a Cartagena Agreement signatory country. This area includes Decision 376 of the Cartagena Agreement (Andean Standardization System) establishing the Andean Network of Testing Laboratories. Bolivia is responsible for coordinating this Network, which is now being formed.

Brazil
Brazil participates in the CASCO Working Group meetings where all the concerned guides are elaborated.

Canada
The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) has a partnership agreement with the Canadian Association for Environmental Analytical Laboratories (CAEAL) covering voluntary environmental laboratory accreditation. SCC has mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) with the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Voluntary Accreditation Program (NVLAP) and with the US American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) which provides SCC-accredited testing laboratories with the status of laboratories accredited by these organizations and vice-versa.

Chile

Colombia
Colombia participates actively in the tasks of the Andean Group, particularly in relation to the Andean Network of Accreditation Agencies and the Andean Network of Laboratories, under Decision 376. It also has a mutual recognition agreement on product testing with Venezuela.

Costa Rica
At this time there are no agreements with other organizations in the areas of inspection and testing. Nonetheless, the national legislation has expressly set as one of the short-term objectives of the National Accreditation Entity (ENA) that it be registered with and recognized in the Quality System Accreditation Recognition (QSAR) and its membership in the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador
The SINLA plans to have mutual recognition agreements with the accredited countries of the Andean countries that are members of the Cartagena Agreement in the framework of Decision 376, "Andean System for Standardization, Accreditation, Testing, Certification, Technical Regulations, and Metrology."
In addition, the SINLA will establish working relations and agreements with the NVALAP of the United States, the EOTC of Europe, and accredited laboratories in other countries.

El Salvador
El Salvador has no agreements with other organizations.

Grenada

Guatemala
Guatemala has no agreements with other organizations.

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Jamaica
The JBS participates in the ISO's Laboratory Accreditation Programme.

Mexico
Agreements have been signed for technical exchange and for memoranda of intentions. Examples of these are the following: RELE - Spain; A2LA - United States; SCC - Canada.

Panama
At present Panama is receiving support from a foreign government in the area of accreditation through a Program for Training and Advisory Services in Certification of Non-traditional Products for Export.

Paraguay

Peru
At present, the INDECOPI has signed cooperation agreements in this area aimed at securing mutual recognition of the persons it has accredited with AFNOR of France and SENORCA of Venezuela. In addition, it has the recognition of the health authorities of the European Union for tests performed on fish products exported to the European market.

Saint Lucia

Trinidad & Tobago
TTBS participates in the ISO's Laboratory Competence Programme.

United States
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in general, work performed by U.S. EMC laboratories is accepted elsewhere in the world. The FCC accepts work done by EMC laboratories outside the United States on an equal basis with work done by U.S. laboratories. In those economies with which there is a recognition agreement with a U.S. accreditation program, testing and inspection is generally accepted. In addition, as noted above, both NVLAP and A2LA accreditation programs are open to foreign-based applicants, as are a number of other U.S. programs. Both NVLAP and A2LA have a mutual recognition agreement with Canada for product testing.

Uruguay
There are mutual recognition agreements with Brazil and People's Republic of China through the Technological Laboratory of Uruguay. Agreements have been concluded with other countriesunder the ministry of Livestock. There are cooperation agreements with other agencies on specific products.

Venezuela
There are no agreements with other organizations for mutual recognition of testing and inspection.

 
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