CBTL UL International New Zealand limited, Auckland (former Wakefield Laboratories) has been transferred from NCBs SAI Global and TUV RH JP to NCB UL Demko

CBTL LIQ has been transferred from NCB Certif to NCB TUV SUD PSB Pte for Product Category INST

In early September, IECEE Executive Secretary Pierre de Ruvo participated in the 23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) in Valencia, Spain, one of the world’s largest events in that field.

IECEE, the IEC worldwide System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for electrotechnical equipment and components, has seen its activities in the PV (photovoltaics) sector soar in recent years. This has been particularly true in the past 12 months with the signing of an agreement between the IEC and PV GAP, the Global Approval Program for Photovoltaics. Under this agreement, IECEE Member NCBs (National Certification Bodies) will become the exclusive provider of the PV GAP Mark and Seal, and by the end of 2008, full ownership of the Mark and Seal will be transferred to IECEE Member NCBs.

De Ruvo was one of the many speakers invited to the five-day conference. Because the IECEE PV Scheme is a truly international certification programme, based on IEC International Standards, this event was the perfect opportunity to promote it to an international audience.

The conference itself was broken down into six different segments, each addressing particular issues relating to PV solar energy:
1. Advanced photovoltaics
2. Wafer-based silicon solar cells and materials technology
3. Thin films
4. Components for PV systems
5. PV systems
6. PV deployment

De Ruvo’s intervention, IECEE PV Programme – The best tool to facilitate trade of photovoltaic in the global market, was scheduled in the sixth segment (PV deployment). After a brief description of the IEC and the IECEE System, the core of the presentation was dedicated to the IECEE PV Programme: its objectives, its values, its membership – France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Spain and the United States; the IEC International Standards to which PV modules are tested and certified; and the complete process from application to certification.

De Ruvo explained how industry and government can benefit from the globally-recognized certification system to ensure quality and improve safety. He went on to say that countries are now using both IEC International Standards and the IECEE Certification System to create frameworks for their own domestic industry or to regulate the products and equipment being imported from overseas.

To emphasize this point, de Ruvo gave the example of the Australian government’s guidelines for residential applicants, encouraging the long-term use of PV technology to generate electricity from sunlight, and requiring that all PV modules be tested and certified to IEC International Standards by a laboratory registered under the IECEE CB Scheme.

In conclusion, de Ruvo said the IECEE PV Programme is providing manufacturers with the most appropriate tool to market their products worldwide and the most economic and cost-effective procedures within the best certification time frames.

More than 4 200 delegates from 87 countries attended EU PVSEC, held 1-5 September. The accompanying exhibition had 715 exhibitors and attracted about 30 000 visitors. The next EU PVSEC is scheduled to take place 21-25 September 2009 in Hamburg, Germany.

IECEE has seen its activities in the PV (photovoltaics) sector soar in recent years

Please click here in order to read the official press release.

As per the CMC decision 42/2008, the CBTC on-line system has been modified to include the Statement of Test Results for the soon to be published RoHS standard IEC 62321 (publication foreseen for the end of November 2008). Therefore, as soon as this standard has been added to the CB Scheme and the already submitted scope extensions have been granted, IECEE members will be able to proceed in issuing the Statement of Test Results - STRs - as per the below CMC decision:

9.11 WG 20 Hazardous Substances

The Convenor of WG 20, Jukka VUORINEN, reported on the development of the WG assignments and summarized the five recommendations as detailed in doc. IECEE-CMC/801A/INF and IECEE-CMC/801A/RCMC and requested the CMC to approve the Operational Procedure for the reporting service of HS, .the dedicated HS Test Report Form and the Statement of Test Results template as per A1, A2 and A3 of the WG Report.

He also requested that the CMC could approve the elements as detailed under A4 of the WG Report, to be part of the future public area of the IECEE On-line system and concluded informing that the applications to the Secretariat to become Issuing NCB/CBTL for HS have started in December 2007, however, the effective testing can only start once the IEC 62321 has been published.

The Convenor informed that WG 19 has a good relationship with TC 111 and that at this point in time nothing shows that there is overlapping between IECEE WG 20 and IEC TC 111, that a Market study on HS services is developed and that to properly start with this new activity, the development of a tailored database is necessary where the Manufacturer of end-equipment could select the amount of parts and material from the database after which the database would output a table of levels with a link to the STR’s. He recognized that developing such tailored a database would generate some cost that will have yet to be evaluated after the meeting he would have in Geneva IEC C.O. with the Secretary and the IEC IT Expert.

With the explanations that were provided by the Report, the Canadian delegation felt that their comments and concerns were covered.

Answering a technical comment from the Norwegian delegation pertaining to the competence of the laboratory staff seeking scope extension in Hazardous Substances it was answered that non-destructive x-ray or screening methods need the expertise of chemical engineers to properly interpret the screening test and determine the need for wet chemical testing. It was agreed that written comments shall be forwarded to WG 20 and that the issue will be tabled at the next WG 20 meeting. It was also agreed that the recently set CTL ETF Hazardous Substances shall be consulted for technical advice as needed.

DECISION 42/2008: The CMC approved the elements as detailed under A1, A2 and A3 and supported the recommendations as detailed under A4 and A5 with the concurrence of the IECEE Secretariat and IEC IT department to analyse the extent of the database development and correlated costs.

Mr. Breton's IECEE-related responsibilities have been re-assigned to other ULC staff as follows:

Mr. Gunsimarbir Paintal, Regional Quality Manager, will be responsible for the ULC NCB operations and will be the main contact for ULC. He will continue to be the main ULC Signatory.

Mr. Andrew Saunders, Manager, CAS/Lab Operations, will be responsible for the ULC CBTL and will be the main CBTL contact person.

Mr. Joe Gryn, Director IECEE Relations, will replace Normand Breton on IECEE WG12. Joe Gryn will also be the ULC representative to the CMC. He will also be the back-up signatory for the ULC NCB

A new brochure entitled "International Standards and Conformity Assessment for the PV industry and government" shows how IEC International Standards for photovoltaics and the IEC's Worldwide System for Conformity Testing and Certification of Electrotechnical Equipment and Components (IECEE) provide both benchmarks and proofs of quality for industry and government.

The brochure is available in high and low resolution PDF.



Please click here to access the brochure.

CBTL Austest has been transferred from NCB SAI Global to NCB TUV Rheinland Japan

The IECEE MEE Task Force was formed in September 2007 to consider the implementation of risk management requirements in the 3rd Edition of IEC 60601-1 medical electrical equipment. The Task Force has held four meetings since that time with the last meeting held at Canadian Standards Association, Toronto. A final report and Guidance document, that had been submitted by the IECEE MEE Task Force in June 2008 to the IECEE CMC, was approved by that body. The IECEE Management Committee (CMC) further requested that the task force undertake the responsibility for developing a training workshop in April 2009 for certification bodies and testing laboratories operating under the IECEE System. Consequently that was the primary objective of the Task Force at the Toronto meeting.

The Task Force proposed that the April 16-17 workshop should be limited to NCB’s and CBTL’s staff. The purpose of the workshop is to provide an introduction to the implementation of ISO 14971 within IEC 60601-1 medical electrical equipment. It is to be understood that it is only introductory training and subsequent on-going training will be necessary for both testing and certification engineers as well as technical assessors as part of the IECEE Peer Assessment programme. A program was developed by the Task Force and four small working teams were formed to further develop the technical and the logistical administrative aspects for the program. Emphasis was on using practical examples drawn from the various clauses of IEC 60601, which call up ISO 14971 risk management requirements. The intent is to use those examples to illustrate not only which clauses apply but to illustrate how ISO 14971 requirements are to be put in place by manufacturers.

The question of how the Collaterals to IEC 60601 were to be handled was also considered in detail. Collaterals to IEC 60601 standards become normative on there date of publication. The IECEE Task Force is preparing to begin development of guidance documents to Collaterals and the accompanying annexes to the TRF. But the Task Force does recognize the necessity for prioritization of the work on the Collaterals and that transition time be clearly defined.

The next Meeting of the Task Force will be in February in San Jose with the objective of finalizing the program and arrangements for the training workshop that will be hosted by the Italian IECEE Member, IMQ, and take place in Milano 14-15 April 2009.

The CBTL I-TEC Corp. has changed its name to NATOM Corp.

The twin towers of the Bahrain Financial Harbor.

A major international conference involving the IEC, the IECEE (the IEC Worldwide System for Conformity Testing and Certification of Electrotechnical Equipment and Components), government officials and industry will take place in Bahrain this November. Some 300 delegates from the Persian Gulf area are expected to attend.

The first GICSE (Gulf IEC – IECEE International Conference for Standardization and Conformity Assessment in Electrotechnology) is to be held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manama, Bahrain on 2-3 November 2008. It is being organized by the IEC and the IECEE in collaboration with GSO (Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization)* and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Kingdom of Bahrain. It aims to give experts a thorough overview of the role of electrotechnical standards in ensuring a safe environment while providing a networking platform for representatives from trade, regulatory bodies and executive functions in the Gulf area.

The conference is scheduled to start with an opening speech by His Excellency Dr Hasan Abdulla Fakhro, the Bahrain Minister of Industry and Commerce. It will be followed by presentations on the situation of international standardization and conformity assessment in the world and in the region followed by two other lectures - the roles and benefits of being an IEC Member particularly in relation to safety regulations and the reasons for and various means of reducing electrical hazards in household appliances. The final part of the first day will concern the concept and value of the IEC flagship Conformity Assessment System (IECEE ), the role of national certification bodies and testing laboratories in helping industry conform to international standards and the fundamentals of Product Certification, concluding with a panel discussion to be chaired by the General Secretary of GSO.

The second day will cover the IECEE System and Schemes in more detail with an introduction to the structure of the IECEE, the CAB, CB Scheme and the Full Certification Scheme , followed by the IECEE Peer Assessment Programme and the ACAG (Assessment and Certification Advisory Group) & the Manufacturers’ Testing Laboratories programmes .

Industry case studies will then be given by representatives from multinational conglomerates such as Hewlett Packard and Panasonic, that specialise in corporate quality and product safety and certification

The final part of the second day will highlight the role of the IECEE FIC (Factory Inspection Committee) & IECEE development and outlook, followed by an overview of the mechanisms for the Gulf Region Countries to seek and optimize their Membership in the IECEE System. The two-day conference will wrap up with a presentation on how the IECEE Schemes are applicable to the industry in the GCC States and future directions followed by a panel discussion to be chaired by the IECEE Chairman, Gosta Fredriksson.

It is hoped that the conference will demonstrate the real benefits that can be obtained through participation in electrotechnical standardization and conformity assessment thus enabling Gulf countries to become more deeply involved in protecting the domestic markets from non-conforming electrotechnical products and helping domestic industry to export in the global market. At the same time it should suggest ways for GCC Member States to search jointly for the mechanisms that conform to the World Trade Organization trade and customs agreements that are already applicable in the Gulf area.

* GSO is a financially and administratively independent entity that is concerned with standardization, conformity assessment procedures, accreditation and measurements among the GCC States: United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait.

Please click here to view the full agenda of this event.

PV (photovoltaic) modules sold in Australia must now be tested and certified to IEC Standards by a laboratory accepted by IECEE, the IEC worldwide system for conformity testing and certification of electrotechnical equipment and components.

The Solar Homes and Communities Plan of the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, is a new programme that encourages the long-term use of PV technology to generate electricity from sunlight and to increase the use of renewable energies in Australia.

The key objectives of the programme are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to help develop the Australian PV industry and to increase public awareness of renewable energies.

The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts issued guidelines for residential applicants outlining under what conditions homeowners can receive cash rebates for the installation of PV systems on their residences.

To be eligible, applicants must have a family taxable income of less than AUS $100 000, be connected or close to a main-grid, install at their principal place of residence and hire a contractor accredited for the design and installation of the PV system, among other requirements. All equipment in the PV system must be new and meet the relevant Australian standards, or, where they don't exist, the relevant international standards.

In addition –and this is of particular interest to the IEC and the IECEE — all PV modules must be tested and certified to IEC 61215, Crystalline silicon terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval, or to IEC 61646, Thin-film terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval, by a laboratory registered under the IECEE CB Scheme and CB-FCS Scheme.

A similar programme is in place for schools and educational buildings. Here again, all installations must conform with the relevant Australian or international standards and be certified to IEC 61215 or equivalent.

IECEE Executive Secretary Pierre de Ruvo said: "This is a significant step for IECEE and the CB Scheme and we are extremely pleased to have a government place its trust in our system."

The IECEE PV sector of activity dates from 2003. Under the agreement signed earlier this year between IECEE and PV GAP (the Global Approval Program for Photovoltaics), IECEE is now the exclusive provider of the PV Mark through its NCBs (National Certification Bodies). For a transition period until the end of 2008, PV GAP retains overall responsibility before transferring full ownership of the Mark to the IECEE (see the May 2008 e-tech).







The Australian government programme encourages households to install solar panels tested and certified to IEC standards.

CBTL Intertek Hong Kong has been transferred from NCB ITS Singapore to NCB Intertek Semko for Product Category LITE

The CBTL APPLUS CTC LGAI TECHNOLOGICAL CENTER S.A. has changed it's name to LGAI TECHNOLOGICAL CENTER S.A.

The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) joins the IECEE and becomes the Pakistan Member Body. The IECEE Community is pleased to welcome the 51st Member Country and wishes PSQCA the very best for their future operation in the truly worldwide Conformity Assessment Scheme, IECEE.



Contact:

President of the Pakistan Member Body of the IECEE - Mr. Abdul Ghaffar Soomro, President Pakistan National Committee of the IEC, Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA)
Tel: +92 21 9206260
Fax: +92 92 21 9206263
E-mail: psqcadg@super.net.pk

Bureau Veritas has appointed Mr. Christophe Richard as General Manager of LCIE in place of Mr. Arduin Geenen since August 20th, 2008.

Mr. Tahir BUYUKHELVACIGIL was elected as Chairman of Board of Directors and President of TSE in the last TSE General Assembly held on May 29th 2008. Please click here for a brief CV and photo of Mr. Tahir BUYUKHELVACIGIL

The NCB/CBTL Eurofins ETS Product Service GmbH has changed it's name to Eurofins Product Service GmbH.

The CBTL KEMA Quality Hong Kong Limited, Shanghai Laboratory operating under the responsibility of NCB KEMA has changed it's name to China KEMA Quality Ltd.

The CBTL Advance Data Technology Corporation operating under the responsibility of NCB LCIE has changed it's name to Bureau Veritas Consumer Product Services Limited, Taoyuan Branch (BV CPS Ltd, Taoyuan Branch).

This year's IECEE Certification Management Committee (CMC) General Meeting took place on Jeju Island, Korea, on 11-12 June 2008. The meeting was hosted by Korean IECEE Member Body KATS (the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards) and its associated NCBs (National Certification Bodies). Approximately 150 delegates participated from some 50 member countries.

Yoo Chong Chu, Director of Electrical & Telecommunications, Product Safety Division, KATS, opened the 11th IECEE CMC meeting and welcomed the participants. He stated that the Certification Management Committee plays a critical role in directing the efforts of the IECEE towards the facilitation of global trade through the mutual recognition of test data from participating NCBs and direct acceptance from the marketplace.

He said that Korea would change its mandatory safety certification system in early January 2009 to a more flexible system called Self-Regulatory Safety Confirmation System. He underlined that in Korea, IEC standards are extensively drawn upon to guide, develop and serve domestic and international manufacturers.

He stated that this year’s meeting carried significance for Korea’s efforts to strengthen its safety certification system and that KATS and the associated NCBs, such as ERI (Korea EMC Research Institute), KETI (Korea Electric Testing Institute), KERI (Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute) and KTL (Korea Testing Laboratory), would strongly support the IECEE’s efforts to help the electrotechnical industry and all concerned parties to produce and trade safe products.


Delegates from some 50 member countries participated in the IECEE 11th Annual Meeting that took place on Jeju Island, Korea.

Following Yoo Chong Chu’s address, the participants focused on the agenda, dealing with a variety of topics that led to a number of actions and decisions of particular importance to all IECEE members and stakeholders.

Discussions during the meeting involved such management issues as strategy and policy in business development; the election of the Board of Appeal Chairman, Members and Alternates; and the approval of the new process of accounts and budgets.

Items related to IECEE activities were also on the agenda and centered on the On-Line IECEE CB-Bulletin database, launched earlier this year; the growth of IECEE Peer Assessment activities; the training of IECEE Technical Assessors; automated Test Report Forms; and, finally, the organization of workshops on Risk Management for the Electromedical Sector and on software evaluation.

The recognition of the CB Scheme and Full Certification Scheme by APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) was also highlighted.

PV GAP

One item on the agenda was the launch of the IECEE PV GAP services. Under the agreement signed earlier this year between IECEE and PV GAP (the Global Approval Program for Photovoltaics), IECEE is now the exclusive provider of the PV Mark through its NCBs (National Certification Bodies). For a transition period until the end of the year, PV GAP retains overall responsibility before transferring full ownership of the Mark to IECEE (see the May 2008 e-tech). This is obviously a major development in the IECEE photovoltaics sector of activity. All NCB members must keep abreast of all issues pertaining to the issuing of the PV GAP Mark.

Hazardous substances

In today’s environmentally-conscious world, more and more countries make rules to limit the use of hazardous substances in manufactured products. This global concern is also one that the IECEE thought essential and wanted to address. This is why hazardous substances was another key item on the agenda. The development of product analysis to identify hazardous substances was discussed thoroughly by all participants

In conclusion, IECEE Executive Secretary Pierre de Ruvo said: "The IECEE has been thriving for many years but there is still room for development and growth. The meeting was extremely productive and successful, reflecting our achievements in the past year."

Please click here for more Photos of the 2008 CMC Meeting

In May, Pierre de Ruvo, Executive Secretary of the IECEE, the IEC’s worldwide system for conformity testing and certification of electrotechnical equipment and components, travelled to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam to explain and promote the Scheme to interested parties in Asia.


IECEE promotional visit to Indonesia

First stop was Jakarta Indonesia, on 8-9 May 2008, where Pierre de Ruvo, together with IEC APRC Officer in Charge Dennis Chew, presented the IECEE and its CB Scheme to government, industry and other key stakeholders.

During their stay in Jakarta, de Ruvo and Chew participated in a seminar organized by the National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (BSN), toured laboratories providing testing for electrotechnical products and visited the Indonesian National Committee of the IEC, where they met with Dr. Bambang Setiadi, the new Chairman of BSN and President of the Indonesian NC (see e-tech May 2008).

At the seminar on 8 May, which was attended by some 50 participants, de Ruvo presented the many benefits of the CB Scheme in facilitating trade and the procedures required for applications as National Certification Body (NCB) and Testing Laboratory under the CB Scheme (CBTL).

Indonesia joined the IECEE in 2006 and has expressed interest in participating actively, as both recognizing and issuing NCB and CBTL under the IECEE CB Scheme. The country is expected to make its applications in the near future.


APEC Seminar in Brunei Darussalam

After Indonesia, de Ruvo went on to Brunei Darussalam, where he was a guest speaker at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Seminar on Understanding and Implementing the APEC EE MRA (APEC Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Conformity Assessment of Electrical and Electronic Equipment) on 12-13 May.

The seminar covered a wide range of topics, aimed at promoting a better understanding and greater awareness of the functioning of the MRA, building networks among regulators of electrical and electronic equipment., and more specifically providing a better understanding of IEC International Standards and the IECEE CB and FCS Schemes.

Attended by close to 60 EE regulators and other stakeholders from 16 APEC member countries, the seminar was a great opportunity for Pierre de Ruvo to highlight the many benefits of the IECEE CB Scheme and to encourage regulators from APEC member economies to recognize the scheme. The implementation of the APEC EE MRA is underpinned by among others, the IECEE CB Scheme and this important role played by the IECEE was reflected in the mentions the scheme received in the local press coverage of the seminar.

De Ruvo also met with Mr. Hj Abd Gapar HJ Abdullah , Head of the Construction, Research and Planning Unit of the Ministry of Development and principal contact for Brunei Darussalam’s participation in the IEC Affiliate Country Programme. He encouraged Brunei Darussalam to consider upgrading its participation in the IEC from Affiliate to Associate Member and to participate in the IECEE.

CBTLs ITS Hong Kong, ITS Hangzhou and ITS Shenzhen Guangzhou Branch are now operating under responsibility of NCB Intertek Testing Services (Singapore) Pte Ltd and are no longer operating as associated CBTLs for NCB Intertek Semko AB.

CBTL Kesco is now operating under responsibility of NCB UL International Demko and is no longer operating as an associated CBTL for NCB TUV SUD Germany.

Geneva, Switzerland, 2008-04-23 – The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the leading organization in International Electrotechnical Standards and Certification for renewable energies is now the provider of a quality mark for the photovoltaic industry.

Under an agreement between the IECEE, the IEC’s worldwide system for conformity testing and certification of electrotechnical equipment and components, and PV GAP, the Global Approval Program for Photovoltaics, the IECEE is now the exclusive issuer of the PV GAP Mark. The Mark is the worldwide reference for manufacturers and suppliers of photovoltaic components and equipment. It ensures that solar equipment and components are manufactured to IEC International Standards.

PV GAP Mark








PV GAP Seal




The IEC has been an ardent supporter of renewable energies since it was founded in 1906, developing standards in areas such as wind turbines, hydroelectricity and solar energy. With this agreement, signed under the auspices of the World Bank, the IEC , through its flagship Conformity Assessment Scheme, the IECEE, is taking its commitment to solar energy one step further.

The market for photovoltaic power applications is expanding rapidly. A report published by the International Energy Agency(1) shows that the cumulative installed generating capacity in selected countries grew by 36% in 2006. The total photovoltaic cell production volume for 2006 was reported to be about 1 900 MW, an increase of 27% from 2005.

While until recently, the PV GAP Mark could also be delivered by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) in Europe and Power Mark in the USA, the agreement stipulates that from now on, the IECEE is the exclusive provider of the PV Mark through its National Certification Bodies (NCBs), PV GAP retaining overall responsibility. By the end of 2008, PV GAP will transfer ownership of the PV GAP Mark to the IEC-IECEE and the NCBs members of the IECEE. The IECEE National Certification Bodies will then be responsible for the mark in their countries, and therefore be able to issue certificates and guarantee that certified manufacturers can label products with the PV GAP Mark.

The products covered primarily include photovoltaic modules but there may be other products falling under the scope of the IEC International Standards developed by IEC Technical Committee 82: Solar photovoltaic energy systems.

IECEE Executive Secretary Pierre de Ruvo says: “The PV GAP Mark takes the conformity assessment of Photovoltaics further to the next level where safety and performance against International Standards are a reality.” Asked about the number of certificates issued, de Ruvo said: “The starting point will be once we advertise to the public and relevant parties. The number of certificates issued is not really relevant in the PV field since one certificate may cover millions of solar panels.”

(1) International Energy Agency, Trends in photovoltaic applications – Survey report of selected IEA countries between 1992 and 2006

You can find the news release in MNet at: www.iec.ch/mnet. Look under the heading "Renewable Energies", then "PV GAP Mark ".

Mr. Arduin Geenen, Chief Executive Officer of LCIE France, a Bureau Veritas Company & Chief Executive Officer of Bureau Veritas CPS France, has taken over his responsibility as of 6 February 2008.

The IECEE Community wishes Mr. Arduin Geenen every success in his new function and a fruitful and continued collaboration with the IECEE.

Our Germany NCB SLG and CBTL SLG are changing the responsible managers as of 1st of April 2008.

Mr. Mirko Brunner, will take over the responsibility at the NCB SLG from Mr. Uwe Schult as of the 1st of April 2008.
Mr. Rene Schubert, will take over the responsibility at the CBTL SLG from Mr. Mirko Brunner as of the 1st of April 2008.

The IECEE Community wishes Mr. Mirko Brunner and Mr. Rene Schubert every success in his new function and a fruitful and continued collaboration with the IECEE.

Our Korean IECEE Member Body, the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) has a new Director, Mr. Yoo, Chong Chu who has taken over this responsibility from Mr. Gab-su Kang as of the 27th of March 2008.

The IECEE Community wishes Mr. Gab-su Kang every success in his new function and a fruitful and continued collaboration with the IECEE.

Please also note that KATS is the governmental organization under the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE), which is newly created on 3rd March 2008, based on Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE), in accordance with the lanuch of new administration.

CBTL emitel AG is now operating under responsibility of NCB SIQ and is no longer operating as an associated CBTL for NCB Intertek Testing & Certification Ltd.

The IEC’s worldwide system for conformity testing and certification of electrotechnical equipment and components, the IECEE, officially launched the IECEE Online CB Bulletin Database on 6 March 2008.

The new online system represents a milestone for IECEE. Henceforth, members and non-members will be able to consult the CB Bulletin online, using an interactive tool that provides a huge amount of information in a few clicks. The database replaces the old and cumbersome PDF versions of the CB Bulletin, providing the exact same information as its predecessor, only in a more user-friendly manner.

Detailed information on each standard
The database offers a comprehensive source of information on adherence to IEC standards by IECEE NCBs, including national and group differences, national deviations, special national conditions and regulatory requirements.

The list of all standards used in the CB Scheme is broken down by product category to make the search easier. Clicking on a standard number in the list displays:
- a table showing the number, title and publication date of the standard;
- which NCBs are entitled to issue and recognize (I/R) or have declared their willingness to recognize (R) the certificate of conformity to this particular standard;
- whether there are group or national differences; and
- national adoption of the standard, when applicable.

In addition, clicking on the standard number in the display opens a pop-up window that provides additional information on the publication, namely the date of inclusion in the CB Scheme and an abstract explaining briefly what it is about.

The database also provides the complete list of IECEE Members, their contact details and regulatory requirements, and their scope.

A free search function is also available, allowing searches by organisation, country or standard.

This information is accessible to anyone visiting the IECEE website. All IECEE Members have access to the restricted area that displays details of all national and group differences. Non-members can access the actual differences after purchasing a subscription from the IEC Webstore.

The new database also allows NCBs to declare their recognition to IEC standards directly as well as to upload any associated national differences through a web interface.

CBTL TUV PS Ltd Jiangsu is now operating under responsibility of NCB TUV SUD PSB Pte Ltd and is no longer operating as an associated CBTL for NCB TUV SUD PS GmbH.

CBTL TOTL - TÜV SÜD Ohtama, Ltd., Tokyo Laboratory is now operating under responsibility of NCB TUV SUD PSB Pte Ltd and is no longer operating as an associated CBTL for NCB TUV SUD PS GmbH.

CBTL KERI-ERTL is now operating under responsibility of NCB KERI and is no longer operating as an associated CBTL for KTL.

The SMT workshop took place 2007-12-04/05 was aimed primarily at NCBs operating Supervised Manufacturer's Testing, the focus is on:

- How the NCB performs SMT supervision of testing carried out by the SMT staff, e.g. definition/approval of test program, supervision, recording of the supervision, signatures of the report, forms used, registration in your Certification database and follow-up.
- How the NCB handles SMT laboratories when auditing them, e.g. general procedure, qualified auditors, audit itself and follow-up of the SMT labs.

Lead by the IECEE Executive Secretary, Pierre de Ruvo, with the highest contribution of Dr. Wolfgang Kreinberg, Mr. Don Mader, Mr. Richard Pescatore, Mr. Michel Brenon, Mr. Calogero Lana, Mr. Dieter Fietz, Ms. Jola Wroblewska, Mr. Mauro Casari, Mr. Fritz Beglinger, Mr. Muhammas Nazif Zakaria and Mr. Joe Gryn, the event focused on the technique used by the various Certification Body to supervise testing carried out by the Manufacturer's Laboratory staff as well as the Audit Technique that is currently excercised by the Certification Bodies Auditors over SMT Laboratories to check compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 and associated IECEE Operational Documents.

Special thanks are extended to the speakers for their particular contribution for the SMT workshop.

About 100 people from around the world attended the 2007 IECEE Technical Assessor Training Course the 3rd and 4th of December in the CICG, Geneva aimed at training the IECEE Technical Assessors located in the European Union and surrounding countries.

The IECEE Technical Assessor training courses are aimed at to ensure consistent assessments with common understanding of ISO/IEC Guide 65 and ISO/IEC 17025 and the Peer Assessment techniques and procedures. The IECEE System being a Multi Recognition Agreement of test results, Peer Assessment is a tool to build confidence among certification bodies and testing laboratories that participate in the IECEE’s CB Scheme and FCS Scheme.

The IECEE uses Peer Assessment to specially ensure that all certification bodies and test laboratories operating within the IECEE CB and FCS Schemes have an equal level of knowledge of the IEC standards and the appropriate competence to carry out testing with the agreed technique and methodology as this is seen necessary to maintain confidence among member national certification bodies (NCBs), who are the operators of the CB Scheme.

“Mutual Confidence” is needed for NCBs to grant their Certification Mark on the basis of the review of Test Results without repeat testing; this is what Peer Assessment achieves.

Led by the IECEE Executive Secretary, Pierre de Ruvo, with the highest contribution of Dr. Wolfgang Kreinberg, Mr. Don Mader, Mr. Ted Gaertner, Mr. Trond Sollie, Mr. Ron Vaikauski, Mr. Piet Roelof and Mr. Joe Gryn, the event focused on specific technical topics that are currently used by the Technical Assessors during the on-site IECEE Peer Assessments.

The course also allowed technical assessors to share experience related to assessment(s) techniques when assessing e.g. Measurement Uncertainties and Accuracy, preparation and use of Thermocouples, Power Supply Distribution and Harmonic Distortion etc.

IECEE Technical Assessors are seen as important contributors to the IECEE community and in the Peer Assessment program. Upon successfully passing the final examination at the end of the course the technical assessors will receive a Certificate as Registered Technical Assessor.

Special thanks are extended to the speakers for their particular contribution for the training.

NCB TÜV SÜD PSB Pte Ltd has replaced their previous logo with this new logo.

The group of companies ETS Product Service AG and ETS Product Service International will be transferred to the Eurofins Group starting from 2008-01-01.

The ETS Product Service AG will operate under that name of Eurofins ETS Product Service GmbH in future. The business of ETD with its testing laboratories and certification bodies will be continued without changes.

The contact persons and organizational structures, the measuring equipment and the quality management system will not change. The Eurofins ETS Product Service GmbH takes over all tangible and intangible assets and steps into all rights and duties of ETS.

Please note as well that the NCB Eurofins ETS Product Service GmbH has replaced their previous logo with this new above logo.