Mutual recognition of conformity assessment
Agreements with third countries relating to third party testing, certification, or marking
Introduction
The European Commission was mandated by the General Affairs Council to negotiate agreements on the mutual recognition of conformity assessment with several third countries. The mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) are confined to sectors (covered by New and Old Approach EC Directives, as well as non-harmonised national legislation) which require independent testing and / or certification and / or marking by a third-party.
The scope of the negotiations is restricted to reaching an agreement only in respect of accepting designated conformity assessment bodies (CABs) in third countries as being competent to test / certify / mark in accordance with Community legislative requirements and for nominated bodies in the Community to test / certify / mark to the legislative requirements of the third country. The scope does not, therefore, extend to the mutual recognition of products for sale in the Community, which have been tested / certified / marked to the third country requirements, or vice versa. Nor does it extend to products that are not independently tested / certified / marked.
The scope of the MRAs is, therefore, limited. For example, in the case of machinery it is only machinery which is submitted for type-examination that is able to be tested to Community requirements by an approved third country body. In a similar manner, bodies in the Community are able to test machinery to be exported to the third country which requires independent testing according to the third country requirements.
Current status
The Community has signed individual mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) with Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States of America, Israel, Japan and Switzerland. Community obligations under the sectoral annex for Electrical Safety of the MRA with the US have been suspended (Official Journal OJ L23 of 28.01.2003). Further information on the Agreements can be found on the European Commission website.
