European companies that wish to export to Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the USA, Israel or Switzerland need to know about Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) and the designated Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs).
Mutual Recognition Agreements are instruments that facilitate market access by reducing costs and time associated with mandatory product certification and testing as they provide for the mutual recognition between trading partners of mandatory test results and certificates for certain manufactured products. This makes trade quicker, easier and cheaper, while maintaining a high level of safety.
The EU Commission is willing to explore whether there is an interest on expanding these agreements to new product sectors (such as green and digital goods) – as currently they cover mostly radio equipment and electromagnetic compatibility – or to more countries.
Mutual Recognition Agreements
Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) promote trade in goods between the European Union and third countries and facilitate market access. They are bilateral agreements, and aim to benefit industry by providing easier access to conformity assessment.
The mutual recognition agreements between the EU and the different countries include several sectors depending the countries, like medical devices, automotive products, low voltage equipment, electronic and electrical equipment, toys, construction products…
Conformity Assessment Bodies
Mutual recognition agreements lay down the conditions under which one Party (non-member country) will accept conformity assessment results (e.g. testing or certification) performed by the other’s Party (the EU) designated conformity assessment bodies (CABs) to show compliance with the first Party’s (non-member country) requirements and vice versa.
MRAs include relevant lists of designated laboratories, inspection bodies and conformity assessment bodies in both the EU and the third country. Links to existing lists are provided on this website.
