On January 1, 2026, a new era began in the field of international accreditation: the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (GACI) officially began its work-a single international organization that combined the functions of two historically formed structures-the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).
📌 Why this is important
Accreditation is the foundation of the international conformity assessment system: it confirms the competence of laboratories, certification bodies, inspection and other conformity assessment bodies, as well as ensures the recognition of test results and certificates in different countries. So far, the system has been implemented through separate multilateral agreements — the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA, which allowed the recognition of accredited results worldwide.
Creating a single organization is aimed at:
- simplification of the global accreditation mechanism,
- harmonization of rules and procedures,
- reducing duplication of efforts,
- building confidence in accreditation by government agencies, businesses, and consumers.
🛠 ️ What exactly has changed
✔ Unified structure, unified MRA
GACI took over the functions of the IAF and ILAC and launched its own Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA), a multilateral agreement for mutual recognition of accredited conformity assessment results.
This means that a single global entity now manages the recognition of test results, calibrations, inspections, certifications, and other competency assessments.
✔ Recognition of old accreditations continues
It is important to note that:
- all valid accreditations and certificates issued under the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA schemes prior to January 1, 2026, continue to be recognized without the need for revaluation;
- During the transition period (until GACI’s own symbols and logos are implemented), organizations can continue to use the IAF and ILAC signs.
This ensures a smooth transition without disrupting the work of accreditation and evaluation bodies around the world.
✔ New organization — not just rebranding
Although GACI inherits the functions of old structures, its task goes far beyond formal unification. The organization strives to:
- more coordinated application of accreditation standards and practices,
- coordination of technical requirements,
- reduce business uncertainty,
- improve the effectiveness of international recognition.
How will global accreditation work next?
🧩 Regional structures remain
Regional organizations (for example, AFRAC, APAC, EA, IAAC, SADCA, etc.) will continue their work on evaluation and coordination, and peer evaluation (mutual evaluation and quality control) processes will remain a key mechanism for building trust between MRA members.
, Transition period
- IAF and ILAC continue to exist on paper during the transition period, but no longer conduct new activities;
- Their previous multilateral agreements are integrated into the new organization’s MRA.
- The new GACI accreditation mark is expected to be implemented in 2026.
🤝 What does this give to key participants
🏛 Regulators and government agencies
They are encouraged to update their legal and regulatory references to correctly refer to the GACI MRA instead of the previous IAF and ILAC agreements.
🧪 Accreditation Bodies (ABs) and Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs)
They continue their work without interruptions — the current accreditation remains in force, and the transition to the use of the new logo and designation will take place in stages in accordance with the recommendations of the GACI.
, Business and industry
Companies will have a more predictable and unified system of recognition of accreditation at the international level, which will facilitate export, market access and mutual recognition of certificates.
👥 Consumers and users of services
International recognition of accredited results increases confidence in the quality, safety, and compliance of products and services with global standards.
📌 Conclusion
The launch of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated is an important step in the development of the global quality infrastructure. By combining the efforts of two key international organizations, the new structure creates a simpler, more transparent and reliable mechanism for international accreditation.
Its work promises to strengthen confidence in conformity assessment, improve international cooperation and simplify the recognition of results in a global economy-without losing the value of existing accreditations.
