Regional cooperation in proficiency testing: strategy planning and practical experiences in Western Balkan countries

• Published in: Accreditation and quality assurance Vol. 15; no. 2; pp. 125 - 131
• Main Authors: Drnovšek, Janko, Pušnik, Igor, Bojkovski, Jovan, Begeš, Gaber
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.02.2010; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accreditation; Analytical Chemistry; Applied sciences; Biochemistry; Calibration; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Collaboration; Commercial Law; Conformity; Consumer protection; Cooperation; Ecotoxicology; Electrical engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Food Science; Free trade; Global environmental pollution; Graduate studies; Infrastructure; Knowledge management; Legislation; Marketing; Metrology; Participation; Pollution; Practitioner's Report; Quality assurance; Quality standards; Questionnaires; Regional planning; Responsible persons; Staff participation; Standardization; Testing laboratories; Trade associations; Measurement and testing; Regional quality infrastructure; Conformity assessment; Proficiency testing; EU technical legislation; Construction; Temperature; Support; Standardization; Standard; Calibration; Laboratory; Implementation; Objective; Thermodynamics; Quality assurance; Quality; Metrology; Transfer; Environment; Strategy; Accreditation; Protection
• ISSN: 0949-1775; 1432-0517
• DOI: 10.1007/s00769-009-0569-9

The article describes the project of regional cooperation in proficiency testing within CARDS 2006 (assistance programme to the Western Balkans), which was coordinated by European Committee for Standardization, European Commission and European Free Trade Association and conducted by the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Laboratory of Metrology and Quality. The later is the holder of the national standard for thermodynamic temperature as well as an accredited proficiency testing provider and also accredited as a calibration, testing and inspection laboratory. It is also responsible for graduate study programme Quality Engineering. Proficiency testing was considered as a core activity of the entire project, but additionally as a very appropriate platform for knowledge transfer of EU technical legislation in selected sectors, metrology, testing and quality assurance in general. The project had a high added value for participating laboratories in countries of Western Balkans, because it required an active role of all participating laboratories, assured participation of staff from national metrology institutions, all national accreditation bodies, and was supported by national quality infrastructures, such as standardization, governmental institutions etc. in the entire Western Balkans region. The activities stimulated progress in the area of conformity assessment, added knowledge to the implementation of technical directives and development of the technical part of national legislation and therefore facilitated the process toward the accession to the European Union. The main objective was therefore to organize proficiency testing in those sectors (construction, consumer protection and environment) that were vital in the pre-accession process of countries seeking full implementation of EU technical legislation.