Within the international IECEE/CB Scheme, there are presently 54 member countries with totally 94 national certification bodies (NCBs) that have about 600 associated testing laboratories (CBTLs) and over 2000 accepted manufacturers’ laboratories (CTFs). Moreore than 120 000 CB Test Certificates are now issued annually to more than 15 000 manufacturers worldwide.
Last year, the 40 years anniversary for the CB scheme was duly marked during IECEE’s annual Certification
Management Committee (CMC) in Helsinki, Finland. This year’s CMC meeting was in Chester, UK in June, hosted by their IECEE Member Body, BSI.
Amongst other topics on the agenda were:
- Change of CMC Chair from Mr. Simon Barrowcliff (Element, UK) to Mr. David Brière (CSA, Canada) from 2027.
- As funding of the IEC requires significantly more contribution from their Conformity Assessment Systems including the IECEE, the fee per issued CB Test Certificate to customers will from next year increase from CHF6 to CHF35.
- The official application last year from Uzbekistan has been approved so their organization UIS has now become an IECEE Member Body (with Observer status).
- Proposal by Norway (based on wish by several major customers) to make the CB Scheme more flexible by opening up for more than one NCB-CBTL relation for same product categories. A Task Force was set up to analyze pros & cons.
- Proposal by Norway about means to ensure compliance with the fundamental obligation of all member countries to recognize CB Test Certificates issued by NCBs in other member countries.
- The current Task Force for AI and Digital Transformation is working on necessary steps for inclusion of the standard IEC 63524 (Artificial Intelligence enabled Medical Devices) in the CB scheme and also on a draft concept document on Use of AI in conformity assessment.
- The first project funded by IEC’s Global Impact Fund (GIF) related to reduction of electronic waste, specifically
batteries, and the refurbishment of off grid solar installations in rural Kenya, has been successfully completed. - The Peer Assessment Committee (PAC) considers improvements to the composition of the assessment teams for the comprehensive obligatory initial- and 3-yearly peer assessments of all NCBs and CBTLs.
- The IEC has a training program for Young Professionals (YPs), which includes also IECEE activities. In a YP Group workshop about promotion last year, they made a video called “Leo The Lightbulb” to illustrate the benefits and value proposition the IECEE/CB scheme offers. The video is accessible from the IECEE
homepage at this this link.
(This article is based on information provided by Morten Andersen; edited by T.Sollie)
