QUALITY POLICY STATEMENT
General Chemical State Laboratory (G.C.S.L.) is committed to providing a high level
of service quality in the areas of its activities that include:
 contribution towards ensuring public revenues through scientific support to
Customs, Tax and Economic Crime Suppression Authorities
 support to the work of Judicial, Police and other State Authorities
 control of products as to monitor their compliance with regulatory
specifications
 compliance testing of products with regard to their quality and fitness for
intended use and purpose
 support to productive and commercial activities for both private sector and
market by offering arbitration and testing services whenever appropriate
 support of the national metrology infrastructure for chemistry
In this context:
(a) G.C.S.L. seeks to close collaboration with the public as well as with the State
Authorities in an attempt to satisfy their demands, improve the quality of the services
provided and assure the confidentiality of the data concerning transactions. Services
improvement through an electronic platform of transaction (MIS-GCSL),
understanding of the requirements and demands of the public, the collaborating
institutions and Authorities, combined with a correct implementation of legislation in
all cases, are the key steps towards this direction. Accordingly, G.C.S.L
Administration guarantees that all staff members have understood the importance of
meeting the requirements of traders as well as the legal and regulatory requirements.
(b) The Administration of the General Chemical State Laboratory is committed to
assuring the quality of the laboratory test results by:
 caring, on an ongoing basis, to ensure the necessary human and material
resources
 maintaining a high level of staff scientific and technical competence
 using documented and validated test methods
 operating appropriate state of the art equipment
 implementing and maintaining an appropriate management quality system.
(c) Quality management systems which have been so far introduced and implemented in
the General Chemical State Laboratory are the ΕΛΟΤ EN ISO/IEC 17025 and
ISO/IEC 17043. According to them, the accredited laboratories of the G.C.S.L. have
to comply with the requirements for accredited testing laboratories and for providers
of interlaboratory proficiency testing schemes, respectively, and also have to accept
the procedures of the assessment body. G.C.S.L accredited laboratories are covered
by fixed or flexible scope of accreditation.
Sampling and compliance statements are not currently included in the accreditation
scope. However, they are covered by legislative provisions in force.
(d) As far as the accredited laboratories are concerned, G.C.S.L Administration is
committed to developing and applying a quality management system according to the
ΕΛΟΤ EN ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC 17043 standards and taking measures for the
continuous improvement of its efficiency. All changes are planned and implemented
as to ensure that the quality management system retains its integrity as well as its
consistency and compliance with the principles set out in the ΕΛΟΤ EN ISO/IEC
17025 and ISO/IEC 17043 standards.
(e) The policy applied in every aspect of the quality system is documented in the quality
manual of the G.C.S.L. The quality manual is continuously reviewed in order to
improve the applied system and its effectiveness. The personnel must be familiar
with the quality manual and its amendments comply with policies established and
implement the procedures described in.
(f) Communication between G.C.S.L services, as well as within each service, is a
fundamental prerequisite for the satisfactory implementation of the quality
management system.
Responsible for the overall implementation of the quality policy is the Director
General of G.C.S.L.
The Head of the Directorate of Planning, Laboratory Support, Chemical and
Technical Tarification, through the Planning and Quality Department, is responsible
for the overall monitoring, supporting implementation and uniform application of the
ΕΛΟΤ EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard in all G.C.S.L Services and of ISO/IEC 17043 in
the Chemical Service of Metrology as expressed in the manual of the quality system
and complemented with the Part B 'of C.S. of Metrology quality system.
The Head of each Chemical Service is responsible for the implementation of the
quality policy in the field of activities of the Service.
The Quality Manager of each Service is responsible for:
- Monitoring the quality of test results and services
- Initiating and promoting actions to improve the provided services
- Detecting and preventing problems on quality assurance
- Overseeing the application of procedures that ensure the continuous compliance
with the ΕΛΟΤ EN ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC 17043 -for the C.S. of Metrologystandards and the service's quality manual.
The most crucial factor for the successful implementation of the ΕΛΟΤ EN ISO/IEC
17025 and ISO/IEC 17043 Standards is the active involvement of all members of
staff according to their responsibilities and tasks assigned.
The accreditation scope of each GCSL Service is recorded in the documentation held
by the Service.
THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
NIKOLAOS VLACHOS