WORLD ACCREDITATION DAY

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator EgemenBagis has issued the following written statement on the occasion of the 9 June World Accreditation Day.

EgemenBagis said the following in his statement:

International trade has become more prominent in our globalising world in the recent years. Accreditation is a system that facilitates world trade by removing the technical barriers to trade. Every year, 9 June is celebrated as World Accreditation Day by the International Accreditation Forum and International Laboratory Accreditation Association. International organisations have determined the years’ theme for the fifth celebration of World Accreditation Day as “Accreditation facilitates world trade” so as to draw more attention to the issue. We would like to extend our congratulations on the occasion of the Accreditation Day to the relevant parties of the Turkish Accreditation Agency (TÜRKAK).

Accreditation is significant for the producer, seller and consumers because it ensures the quality and safety of products and services while facilitating trade eliminating the need for testing of products and services in the importing countries, thereby decreasing costs and time lags. Reports prepared by companies with accreditation allow access to a wider market due to their international recognition.

Accrediation is carried out in Turkey by TÜRKAK since 2001. During this 12-year period, TÜRKAK has provided accreditation to a total of 800 institutions, including experimental and calibration laboratories, medical laboratories, product licensing, management systems licensing, personnel licensing and institutions for quality control.

As a result of the internationally recognised accreditation services provided by TÜRKAK, Turkey’s producers, industrialists and exporters are no longer dependent on other countries. TÜRKAK has concluded bilateral and multilateral agreements in all areas of activities with institutions such as EA (European Accreditation), ILAC (International Laboratories Accreditation Cooperation), and IAF (International Accreditation Forum). Therefore, the accreditation services provided by TÜRKAK are recognised as being equivalent to those of its international counterparts and the international validity and recognition of the documents and laboratory reports prepared in Turkey by assessment institutions are ensured. For this reason, the accreditation services provided by TÜRKAK is very important in the framework of these agreements.

TÜRKAK has moved forward quickly in domestic and international areas and has become widely recognised at the regional and the international level. In April 2013, the EA decided that TÜRKAK will continue to be competent in the area of accreditation and endorsed recognition of this institution at the international level. This has been another achievement for TÜRKAK. TÜRKAK will continue to carry out its accreditation services in an impartial, speedy and transparent manner. I would like to once again extend my congratulations to our institutions and organisations on the occasion of 9 June World Accreditation Day and wish you the best in your work.