Global ACI in Panama: three years to move to the revised ISO 20387 for biobanks, two years for the new ISO/IEC 17065 and new MRA scopes — including accreditation of proficiency testing providers and reference material producers
On 3 November 2026 the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) reported on the autumn meetings of Global ACI — the successor to ILAC and IAF — held on 19–26 October in Panama City. The General Assembly set the transition period for the revised ISO 20387 on general requirements for biobanking at three years from its publication — after which accreditation to ISO 20387:2018 will not be recognised under the Global ACI MRA — and at two years for the new edition of ISO/IEC 17065; it also noted new MRA scopes of accreditation bodies.
- The transition period for ISO 20387:202X was set by Resolution 2026-66, adopted on the recommendation of the Technical Committee for Laboratories (TC-1): three years from the date of publication of the revised standard, after which accreditation of biobanking to ISO 20387:2018 will not be recognised under the MRA. Resolution 2026-69, adopted on the recommendation of the Technical Committee for Certification and Validation/Verification Bodies (TC-3), gives two years for the transition to ISO/IEC 17065:202X — requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services — counted from the last day of the month of publication of the revised standard.
- The General Assembly noted MRA scope extensions of accreditation bodies since the Third General Assembly (Prague, 25 April 2026), including: Tunisia’s TUNAC — accreditation of proficiency testing provision (ISO/IEC 17043) and certification of persons (ISO/IEC 17024); IAS (United States) and Colombia’s ONAC — accreditation of reference material producers (ISO 17034); Peru’s INACAL-DA — medical laboratories (ISO 15189); Paraguay’s ONA — inspection bodies (ISO/IEC 17020); the Czech ČIA — certification of anti-bribery management systems (ISO/IEC TS 17021-9, ISO 37001). Honduras’s OHA was accepted into the arrangement for testing to ISO/IEC 17025.
- The MRA was extended to ISCC CORSIA (documents 102–206, version 2.0, as a sub-scope of product certification to ISO/IEC 17065:2012) and to the Get It Fair (GIF) ESG Rating and Reporting Assurance Scheme (GIF DOC 100 and GIF DOC 121, as a sub-scope of validation and verification to ISO/IEC 17029:2019). The General Assembly welcomed the signature of memoranda of understanding (MoU) with BIPM, UNIDO, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and the Grain and Feed Trade Association (Gafta), and the transfer of the CertSearch certificate database from IAF Database LLC to Global ACI (agreement of 26 October 2026).
- According to EA, EA President Maureen Logghe (BELAC, Belgium) chaired the Accreditation Committee (AC), Maria Papatzikou (ESYD, Greece) vice-chaired the Arrangement Committee (MRAC) and Sergio Guzzi (ACCREDIA, Italy) vice-chaired TC-1. The General Assembly approved the Global ACI Strategic Framework 2026–2028 and the 2027 budget, and 128 eligible voting members submitted a signed motion to amend the GOV-001 Constitution.
Source: European Accreditation — Highlights from the Global ACI Autumn meetings 2026 (3.11.2026)