The International Network
One of the main objectives of INAB is to ensure international acceptance of certificates issued by our accredited organisations. INAB achieves this objective through its Multilateral Agreements (MLAs) with the European and worldwide accreditation body organisations.
The European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) is the European Association of National Accreditation Bodies. Its purpose is to develop and promote accreditation criteria and guidelines which will ensure harmonised performance of national accreditation bodies throughout the European economic area. EA achieves this objective by establishing through a consensus process, a set of agreed accreditation requirements and policies that must be implemented by the accreditation body members of EA. As an active member within EA, INAB ensures that the special interests of a small economy like Ireland are fully respected.
The establishment of MLAs between the EA accreditation body members creates mutual confidence in, and acceptance of, accredited certifications, inspections and test reports thereby eliminating the need for suppliers of products or services to be certified in each country where they sell their products or services. EA’s role in supporting the proper functioning of the Single Market is recognised by the European Commission through a Memorandum of Understanding with EA.
INAB, as a signatory to the EA MLA, is subject to routine rigorous evaluations by multinational peer evaluation teams. The purpose of these regular on-site evaluations is to verify INAB’s continuing compliance with the international accreditation standards and best international practice to re-affirm INAB’s signatory status to the MLA.
Information Sheet - 
IS14 ISO 17011 and the Multi-Lateral Agreements (MLAs) (PDF, 2 Pages, 48KB)
EA Multilateral Agreement - INAB (PDF, Pages 1, 253KB)
EA Multilateral Agreement - INAB
In the broader international arena the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade recognises the importance of accreditation and two other organisations undertake the functions described above for EA. These are: IAF – International Accreditation Forum and ILAC – International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation. More than forty countries throughout the world are signatories to the Multilateral Agreements of IAF and ILAC, including USA, Canada, Japan, China, India, South Africa, Australia and Ireland. The aim is to achieve global accreditation structures and worldwide mutual acceptance of accreditation - “certified or tested once, accepted everywhere”.
Europe’s Accreditation Bodies include:| POLAND
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