Proficiency testing in analytical chemistry, microbiology and laboratory medicine: discussions on current practice and future directions

A summary of the working group discussions on proficiency testing (PT) and external quality assessment (EQA) held at the Eurachem Workshop, Portorož, Slovenia, 9-12 October 2017 is provided. The working groups covered a range of issues concerned with current practice and future directions; the importance of interpretative PT/EQA schemes; changes to PT/EQA schemes in developing countries over the last ten years; implementing ISO/IEC 17043 for sampling PT/EQA schemes; traditional versus virtual PT/EQA items; experience of the implementation of EA-4/18; and use and treatment of measurement uncertainty in PT/EQA schemes. Delegates from fifty-two countries attended the workshop and this diversity of different backgrounds was represented on each of the working groups to capture a range of views and experience from a number of different measurement sectors. Working group representatives included PT/EQA providers, participants in PT/EQA schemes, end users of PT/EQA results such as accreditation bodies and regulatory authorities, national measurement institutes, laboratory associations, suppliers, universities, and independent consultants from countries around the world.JRC.F.5-Food and Feed Complianc