ECA Foundation Aims to Become Largest Pharma Association for GMP/GDP Compliance
The ECA Foundation, one of the most important not-for-profit organizations for regulatory know-how and exchange in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry for more than 25 years, is pursuing an ambitious goal: to increase the number of members in its ECA Academy and ten Associations, Interest and Working Groups from currently over 20,000 professionals from almost 60 countries to 30,000 - and thereby becoming the largest independent GMP/GDP organization worldwide.
The ECA Foundation was founded on January 1, 1999 with three clear objectives:
- To promote the exchange of information between representatives from industry, regulatory authorities and academia in the field of pharmaceutical quality assurance and control, particularly with regard to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Distribution Practice (GDP),
- to promote the move towards a harmonized set of GMP/GDP and regulatory guidelines by providing information and interpretation on new or updated guidelines and
- to issue guidelines and position papers in order to contribute to the harmonization of regulations and to promote/facilitate the exchange of information and networking.
One area of the ECA is the ECA Academy, which organizes and conducts GMP and GDP training courses, conferences and webinars and, with 15 GMP/GDP certification programs, specifically supplements the existing qualifications of participants and closes an important gap in further training.
The ECA Foundation Groups continuously develop and publish guides, best practice and white papers in their respective areas of expertise, thereby significantly shaping the professional exchange between industry, science and authorities.
They are supported by Advisory Boards, which are made up of experts in the specialist areas, as well as by the Executive Board of the ECA Foundation. Another particular strength of the ECA is its ability to set up flexible task forces on current regulatory developments - e.g. on Contamination Control Strategy, Annex 1 or cannabis. In addition, the groups have published a large number of helpful documents in recent years that can serve as guidelines for those responsible in authorities and industry, especially in areas where the official guidelines are lacking or incomplete.
Special promotion for GMP PharmaCongress offers free membership
In order to reach the goal of 30,000 members and to further increase its profile in industry, science and authorities, the ECA Foundation is launching a special promotion as part of PharmaCongress & PharmaTechnica Expo 2026:
- Anyone who registers by December 31, 2025 will receive three one-day tickets for the price of one - plus a two-year free membership for all three participants (worth EUR 380 each).
- Participants will also benefit after that: From January 1, 2026, there will be two tickets for the price of one, also including a two-year membership.
- Visitors to PharmaTechnica Expo will also receive a two-year ECA membership at no extra cost.
Interest groups of the ECA Foundation
In addition to membership of the ECA Academy, the ECA Foundation also offers membership in various specialist groups and interest groups.
The ECA Foundation comprises the following specialist groups, each of which is dedicated to specific topics of pharmaceutical quality assurance.
- The European QP Association was founded in July 2006 to provide a platform for Qualified Persons (QPs) in Europe to exchange experiences, discuss regulatory developments and promote a harmonized European approach. Further information can be found at www.qp-association.eu.
- The European GDP Association aims to support Responsible Persons (RPs), logistics managers and professionals in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Members benefit from guidance on the interpretation of GDP requirements, a discussion forum and a database of GDP suppliers. Details can be found at gdp.gmp-compliance.org.
- The Pharmaceutical Microbiology Working Group was originally established in 2006 as the Rapid Microbiology Working Group and has since developed into a central point of contact for microbiological issues - both for members and for authorities. Today, the group offers technical support on all topics related to pharmaceutical microbiology. Further information can be found at microbiology.gmp-compliance.org.
- The Analytical Quality Control Group is aimed at analysts and scientists who want to exchange information on current regulatory requirements and discuss technical challenges together. Find out more at analytical.gmp-compliance.org.
- The Validation Group aims to create a Europe-wide network to promote the exchange of information on regulatory requirements and validation issues. The group also develops position papers and generic procedures that enable a harmonized approach to common problems. Further details can be found at validation.gmp-compliance.org.
- The Visual Inspection Group draws on the experience and knowledge of its members as well as the results of previous conferences. Among other things, this has resulted in a best practice paper that can be used as a guide for controversial issues. Further information can be found at visual-inspection.gmp-compliance.org.
- The Data Integrity & IT Compliance Group supports the pharmaceutical industry in implementing new IT technologies in accordance with international GMP requirements. Details are available at di-itc.gmp-compliance.org.
- The ATMP Interest Group provides a Europe-wide networking platform for professionals involved in the development, manufacture, quality control and approval of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs). The aim is to promote an effective exchange between science, industry, authorities and pharmacopoeias. Further information can be found at atmp.gmp-compliance.org.
- The European GMP Auditor Association was founded in 2024 and closes a previous gap in the representation of interests of GMP auditors. The aim is to connect auditors from different companies and promote professional exchange. Details can be found at gmp-auditor.gmp-compliance.org.
With its growing network, highly qualified training programs and continuous exchange between industry, science and authorities, the ECA Foundation has been strengthening quality assurance in the pharmaceutical world since 1999 - and is now focusing on the next big step: the global leadership role as the largest GMP/GDP association.
Further information on the groups, activities and membership offers can be found on the ECA Group websites and on the ECA Foundation website.
