Bassersdorf, Switzerland
April 8, 2020
Dear ISTA Stakeholders,
During the time of the COVID-19 pandemic a lot of travel restrictions occur. This makes physical audits of ISTA accredited member laboratories and sampling entities difficult, if not impossible for a certain amount of time. Mostly all ISTA accredited laboratories and sampling entities are running on a minimum capacity in the moment to ensure at least ISTA related seed testing and therefore seed quality and food security. ISTA is pleased that all Governments, it knows of, are regarding the seed sector as an essential industry sector for the above reasons.
The ISTA Executive Committee decided therefore to prolong the ISTA accreditation without further notice for a maximum of 1 year for the laboratories and sampling entities for which the re-accreditation audits are planned for 2020. This means that all accreditation Certificates expiring before December 31, 2020 are still valid for an additional year after the initial audit date, unless replaced by a new accreditation Certificate. The affected laboratories will not receive any further information, but will stay listed as accredited on the ISTA Website.
Authorities and Import Control Officers are asked to consult the ISTA Website, if they are in doubt of a laboratory being accredited.
The ISTA Accreditation and Technical Department is trying their best to fix audit dates with the respective laboratories as soon as possible.
ISTA was looking into other possibilities in these cases, but decided against them, as we would not like to interfere in a situation, where labs work with minimum staff and do their best to ensure seed quality and food security for the coming seasons under such critical circumstances.
We hope you will understand the situation and ask you to #StayAtHome whenever you can.
Best regards,
Dr. Andreas Wais
ISTA Secretary General
Dr. Florina Palada
Head of ISTA Accreditation and Technical Department
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