Brendon Moo
Head, Marketing and Communications
NATA

The vital role of how accreditation provides trust and confidence for global trade will be the topic of a special keynote address by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at a much-anticipated conference in Sydney, Australia in June.

Devin McDaniels, Deputy Secretary of the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Committee, will present at Accreditation Matters 2024, a landmark 2-day conference focusing on accreditation, testing and conformity assessment organised by Australia’s National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).

Scheduled to take place on 25 and 26 June at the Sydney International Convention Centre, Accreditation Matters 2024 will provide a dynamic platform for stakeholders to explore the critical nexus between accreditation, conformity assessment, and international commerce.

In a presentation titled “Accreditation Matters for Better Global Trade and Public Policy”, McDaniels is expected to discuss how accreditation is the “invisible foundation” that ensures the smooth, safe and secure functioning of our societies and economies, how the WTO’s trade rules and guidance recognise the foundational role of accreditation, and how it helps governments strike the balance between facilitating commerce and protecting public interests.

Against the backdrop of an increasingly interconnected global economy, his insights are anticipated to underscore the importance of adherence to internationally recognised standards in promoting transparency, trust, and regulatory compliance across borders.

McDaniels will be among more than 50 speakers confirmed to present at Accreditation Matters 2024. Also presenting will be Jennifer Evans, NATA CEO and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Executive Committee Member; Dr Bruce Warrington, Australia’s Chief Metrologist and CEO of the National Measurement Institute (NMI); Alan Cook, CEO of the Joint Australia and New Zealand Accreditation System (JASANZ); Dr Ian Oppermann, former New South Wales Chief Data Scientist; Dr Olivier Salvado, Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO’s Data61 and Tracey Gramlick, Deputy Director, Growth and Strategy Infrastructure Technologies, CSIRO Science Connect and Chair of Standards Australia.

With a program featuring 30+ sessions, interactive workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, participants will have the opportunity to exchange insights, share best practices, and explore innovative approaches to quality assurance in an era of rapid technological advancement.

More than 400 industry leaders, visionaries, government stakeholders, regulators, quality professionals, technical experts and colleagues from Australia’s leading conformity assessment bodies and testing laboratories are expected to attend.

Attendees will receive expert insights on the role of accreditation – including future-focused sessions on artificial intelligence (AI); the critical importance of accreditation, from the basics to its role in global trade and supply; essential discussions on food testing; our hydrogen future; the built environment; human pathology, biobanking, sports drug testing, and much more. 

View highlights from the program, access the full schedule and register to attend at the following link: https://nataevents.nata.com.au/am2024/