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 (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.
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.
The agreement between the EU and Australia covers the following sectors
Text of the Protocol on the mutual acceptance of the results of conformity assessment is part of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada, of the one part, and the European Union and its Member States, of the other part
The agreement between the EU and Canada covers the following sectors
The agreement between the EU and Israel covers the GLP.
The agreement between the EU and Japan is operational for the following sectors
The agreement between the EU and New Zealand is operational for the following sectors
The agreement between the EU and Switzerland is operational for the following sectors
Chapter 12
Swiss authorities (199 KB) responsible for type-approval, technical services and testing bodies under motor vehicles chapters.
Chapter 13
Swiss authorities (89 KB) responsible for type-approval, technical services and testing bodies under motor vehicles chapters.
Chapter 14
(Good Laboratory Practice - GLP)
For the purpose of this sectoral chapter, 'Conformity Assessment Bodies' means the test facilities recognised under the GLP monitoring programme of each party.
Chapter 15
(Medicinal products, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspection and batch certification)
For the purpose of this sectoral chapter, 'Conformity Assessment Bodies' means the official GMP inspection services of each party.
Chapter 18
(Biocidal products)
For the purposes of this sectoral chapter, 'Conformity Assessment Bodies' means the competent authorities of Switzerland for placing biocidal products on the market: Federal Office of Public Health, Notification Authority for Chemicals
Chapter 11 (Measuring instruments and prepackages)
For the purpose of this sectoral chapter, 'Conformity Assessment Bodies' also means Competent Authorities (80 KB) (verification services and laboratories) responsible for calibration.
Chapter 12 (Motor vehicles) and 13 (Agricultural or forestry tractors)
For the purpose of these sectoral chapters, 'Conformity Assessment Bodies' means the authorities responsible for type-approval, technical services and testing bodies.
Chapter 14 (Good Laboratory Practice-GLP)
For the purpose of this sectoral chapter, 'Conformity Assessment Bodies' means the test facilities recognised under the GLP monitoring programme of each Party.
Chapter 15 (Medicinal products, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspection and batch certification)
For the purpose of this sectoral chapter, 'Conformity Assessment Bodies' means the official GMP inspection services of each Party.
Chapter 18 (Biocidal products)
For the purposes of this sectoral chapter, 'Conformity Assessment Bodies' means the competent authorities of the Member States of the European Union
The agreement between the EU and the USA is operational for the following sectors
List of approved conformity assessment bodies designated by the USA
List of approved conformity assessment bodies (CABs) designated by the EU Member States
