Back
to:
Internat. Relations
Homepage:
DAC Home
 |
|
  |
|---|
Eurachem is a network of organisations in Europe, having the objective of establishing a system for the international traceability of chemical measurements and the promotion of good quality practices. It provides a forum for the discussion of common problems and for developing an informed and considered approach to both technical and policy issues. It provides a focus for analytical chemistry and quality related issues in Europe.
Content:
About Eurachem
Within
Europe there are thousands of organisations concerned with analytical
measurement. However, within the broad field of testing, chemical
measurement has generally been poorly represented. Eurachem was
established in 1989 to address this concern by enabling analytical
laboratories to work together, across international boundaries, on
analytical measurement issues. Eurachem's uniqueness as an organisation
comes from its primary concern, which is the analytical quality of
chemical measurement.
Membership of Eurachem is open to all EU/EFTA
countries and the
Commission of the European Communities.
Other European countries may participate in Eurachem as Associate
Members and representatives of organisations. For example, AOAC
International and the European
Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EUCheMS) can
attend EURACHEM
meetings as observers. All delegates to the Eurachem Committee are
eligible to voice their opinions and participate in projects of
interest. The only requirement is that members actively participate and
share the costs of activities by contributing support for selected
tasks.
Eurachem activities cover many areas, some of which are specifically
addressed through small working groups. These working groups, some of
which are organised jointly with other organisations, pursue programmes
of work to seek the practical achievement of the aims of Eurachem. This
includes the production of guides, the organisation of technical
workshops, the identification of collaborative practical work, and
liaison with the many existing organisations whose activities impinge
on the analytical measurement community.
Goals
- promote best practice and develop networks for collaboration
- develop international comparability of chemical measurements
- provide a framework for co-operation in establishing traceability
- establish national Eurachem groups and provide input to other international organisations
- raise awareness amongst decision makers and develop boadly based education and training.
Present status
At present, full Eurachem membership is open to EU and EFTA, other countries may become associate members. It has been recognised that a revision of that regulation is urgently needed, and a decision-making process has been put on the wheels. Currently, 28 countries and the European Commission are Eurachem members (including associated), most of which have a national mirror organisation. This, in fact, is now a prerequisite to become accepted as a new member.
Most of the technical work is done in working groups. At the moment, Eurachem comprises 4 WGs:
- Education and Training
- Measurement Uncertainty
- Reference Materials
- Proficiency Testing
The last two WGs are joint with EA and Eurolab.
Eurachem has active collaboration with various European and international organisations including AOAC, CITAC, ILAC and IUPAC. It has been invited into the Permanent Liaison group of EA and EUROLAB since the last meeting this spring in Espoo, Finland, and continuous discussions are going on about metrology in chemistry with EURAMET. The common goal is collaboration for improving traceablility of chemical measurement results, undoubtedly a long-term activity for several international organisations in the beginning of the new century.
Outlook
Emerging issues of the forthcoming century which should be on the agenda of Eurachem are:
- Accreditation/Certification - With the new standard ISO 17025 and the revised ISO 9000, analytical laboratories will face new challenges and problems. The European market will grow further by integrating Central and Eastern European countries. Consequently, accreditation will be a key topic for laboratories in these countries. A new understanding of metrology in chemistry will shift the accreditation scope for analytical chemistry labs from testing towards calibration.
- Traceability/Measurement uncertainty - are the vehicles of the standards mentioned above and the keys to global comparability and acceptance of measurement results and laboratory services. Considerable consequences for standardisation, method validation, the producers of reference materials, and organisers of proficiency tests are expected.
- Training/Education - Quality in Analytical Chemistry will become a basic element in the chemistry syllabi at universities and institutes of higher technical education. Globalisation will not keep clear of universities, so teaching material must be harmonised and fit for transnational application. The idea of proficiency testing (with a European Quality Award) will conquer the nowadays still impregnable fortresses of higher education.
- R&D - The Internet will become the most important source of information and the most important medium for the exchange of data, knowledge and expert material on Analytical Chemistry and QA. Concerted problem-solving efforts will be virtualised in regional or global networks.
Eurachem Publications
You can find the following documents on the web site of Eurachem (Eurachem Publications):
- Terminology in Analytical Measurement: Introduction to
VIM 3 (2011)
- Traceability in Chemical Measurement (2003)
- The Selection and use of Reference Materials (2002)
- Guide to Quality in Analytical Chemistry (2002)
- Selection, Use and Interpretation of Proficiency Testing
(PT) Schemes
by Laboratories (2011)
- Quantifying Uncertainty in Analytical Measurement, 2nd
Edition (2000)
- Measurement uncertainty arising from sampling: A guide to
methods and
approaches (2007)
- Use of uncertainty information in compliance assessment.
(2007)
- The Fitness for Purpose of Analytical Methods: A
Laboratory Guide to
Method Validation and Related Topics (1998)
- Harmonised Guidelines for the Use of Recovery Information
in Analytical
Measurements (1998)
- Quality Assurance for Research and Development and
Non-routine Analysis
(1998)
Newsletter
Developments within Eurachem, and associated international issues, are reported in the Eurachem Newsletter which is published regularly.
Swiss Contact Point
Dr. Ernst P.
Halder
LONZA AG
CH-3930 Visp
Switzerland
Tel +41 27 948 5626
Fax +41 27 948 6480
ernst(DOT)halder(AT)lonza(DOT)com
Dr. Hanspeter Andres
Bundesamt für Metrologie METAS
Sektion Analytische Chemie
Lindenweg 50
CH-3003 Bern-Wabern
Switzerland
Tel +41 31 32 33 370
hanspeter(DOT)andres(AT)metas(DOT)ch
Working Group Validation
This link is for the members of the Eurachem Working Group Validation only. The access is contolled by password.