German Delegation Visit to Beijing: Sino-German Cooperation on Proficiency Testing

From the 19th to the 23rd of September, Dr. Bertram Reindl, Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit (LGL) and Ms. Milena Funk, Deutsches Referenzbüro für Ringversuche & Referenzmaterialien (DRRR) visited Beijing within scope of the Sino-German cooperation on Proficiency Testing (PT). The main topics on the agenda were the first Sino-German PT with phthalates in toys plastic, implemented in 2015, and the planning of the second Sino-German PT with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which will be conducted by the German Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung (BAM) and the Chinese Guangdong Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center (IQTC).

The aim of the cooperation on PT is to evaluate whether the results of both country’s laboratories are comparable and it moreover serves as a competence evaluation of the Proficiency Test Providers (PTP).  Comparable standards can provide a basis for further bilateral cooperation in the field of accreditation and certification. The Sino-German Quality Infrastructure Project, implemented by GIZ on behalf of BMWi supervises the cooperation and accompanied the delegation to all relevant consultations.

In the course of expert discussions with the Chinese partners (CNCA, IQTC, AQSIQ, CNAS), the results of the 1. PT with phthalates were presented and discussed. Furthermore, the meetings outlined the basic parameters of the 2. PT with PAH, which will take place in November of this year. Dr. Johannes van de Kreeke, BAM, therefore joined the delegation to the meeting at China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) and presented research findings of BAM.

All participating experts agreed to continue close information exchange in order to provide optimal conditions for the upcoming PT with PAH.