IEC/ICEC Confidential

ICEC Report for IEC meeting on 7 May 2021
Issue 1 4/05/2021

ICEC Report for IEC meeting on 7 May 2021
1. ICEC online meetings
An online ICEC meeting was held on 4th September 2020 with draft notes and actions circulated on 20thFebruary 2020. The next online ICEC meeting is planned for 25th June 2021 and is planned to be as an on-linemeeting.

2. Multilateral Recognition Agreement (OP19)
2.1 Status of MRA Schedule 1•

There are 47 signatories to Schedule 1: The latest schedule (dated 07 September 2020) is on the ICNDTwebsite.

2.2 Status of MRA Schedule 2••••••

There are 20 registrations for Schedule 2. The latest schedule (dated 28 February 2021)
In the last 12 months; TAF- Chinese Taiwan, Nataional Certification Body for NDT - Sri Lanka and TWI-UK have become schedule 2 members.
Due to Covid 19 the ICEC have introduced a temporary easing of the re-registration requirements. For
those organisations finding difficulty obtaining audits we are allowing the OP19 Form C annual
continuity form to be applied. The annual continuity check does not require an audit provided thereare no major changes to the scope of the accreditation. This temporary easement was applied in 2020and due to the ongoing COVID situation is continuing but it has not been required in 2021.
There are no OP19 renewals due in 2021. China is undergoing the OP20 renewal route this year.
Revision of OP19 to include an annual continuity returns from PCBs
OP19 now includes a clarified requirement for an annual continuation of MRA and was applied
successfully in 2020.

Secretariat: The British Institute of NDT, Midsummer House, Riverside Way, Bedford Road,Northampton NN1 5NX, United Kingdom Tel: +44 1604 438300; Fax: +44 1604 438301; Email: icndt@bindt.org

IEC/ICEC Confidential

ICEC Report for IEC meeting on 7 May 2021
Issue 1 4/05/2021

3. PCB Conformity Assessment (OP20)
3.1 Status•

Currently China is in the process of completing the PCB conformity assessment.

4. Examination Question Bank (OP 23)
4.1 Status••••

The ICEC discussed at length the support for the EQB. There were many points raised by thecommittee.
The committee concluded that the overwhelming situation is that the cost of developing and running
the EQB is considerably higher than the income raised by selling the EQB. Much of the cost would beincurred in maintaining a secure web delivery service which has to be balanced against the low
demand for the service.
The ICNDT status as a charity further complicates the situation. Our finances are run from Austria andunder Austrian Law charity and receiving income from a product blurs the distinction under Austrian
law making the accounts of ICEC difficult to justify.
It was decided by the ICEC to ‘mothball’ the EQB until such time that above mentioned issues could
be realistically addressed since I maintain my opinion that this remains a viable commercial
opportunity for profit generating entity, especially within the ICNDT.

5. ICNDT Register of PCBs
•The ICNDT register of PCBs has been extended to include MRA membership and all known PCBs havebeen contacted to supply data. ICEC has recommended that only PCBs which have provided newdata should be listed in the public register. The revised register has been published on the ICNDT
website. http://www.icndt.org/What-is-ICNDT/Documents/Document-Store/EntryId/10158

Colin Bird

On behalf of the ICNDT CEC

4 May 2021

Secretariat: The British Institute of NDT, Midsummer House, Riverside Way, Bedford Road,Northampton NN1 5NX, United Kingdom Tel: +44 1604 438300; Fax: +44 1604 438301; Email: icndt@bindt.org