How can we simultaneously make it cheaper and easier for UK businesses to trade goods while ensuring safety-critical products meet essential requirements and preserving UK regulatory autonomy? Through conformity assessment Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs).
What are MRAs?
MRAs are sector-specific agreements in which countries allow conformity assessment bodies (CABs) and, in some cases, government agencies to test and certify products domestically to the partner country’s regulations in the agreed sectors. CABs may only achieve designation from accreditation bodies such as the UK Accreditation Service if they demonstrate competence in testing and certifying to the partner’s regulations.
How do MRAs work?
UK manufacturers and exporters can send some types of products to an accredited domestic CAB to test and certify them to the partner country’s regulations prior to shipping. After finishing the testing and certification, the UK CAB may apply the other country’s compliance marking to the products meaning they are ready for sale in its market. The only remaining step for the UK manufacturer or exporter is to ship the products, with no further testing or certification required.
In the same way, an accredited CAB located in a partner country may test and certify the product types to UK regulations and affix the UKCA marking before placing on the UK market.
Under conformity assessment MRAs the UK maintains its high product safety requirements, while any accredited non-UK CABs must achieve the same testing and certification standards as those in the UK. Some UK MRAs also cover sectors such as Pharmaceuticals and Automotive in which government agencies rather than CABs perform conformity assessment procedures.
What are the benefits?
For UK CABs, MRAs can generate new business opportunities by enabling them to test and certify some products to partner countries’ regulations on behalf of UK manufacturers and exporters. Undertaking conformity assessment procedures in the UK prior to shipping a product to an export market saves costs and simplifies the export process for businesses. This makes some UK exports more price competitive while also facilitating imports.
How many MRAs does the UK have?
The UK already has MRAs with seven highly trusted regulatory partners across the world. We are keen to hear views from industry on any other countries and sectors in which MRAs could make it easier and cheaper for UK businesses to trade products.
Further information and next steps
In January 2025 the Department for Business and Trade published guidance for CABs on how to apply for accreditation under one or more of the UK’s MRAs. A summary of key guidance is on the BMTA website at Applying for accreditation under a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) – BMTA
If you would like to know more about the UK’s conformity assessment MRAs or let us know about countries and sectors of interest, please get in touch with the Department for Business and Trade’s MRA team via conformityassessmentmra@businessandtrade.gov.uk
To find a UK CAB that is designated under a UK MRA to test and certify products to a partner country’s regulations: Search – UK Market Conformity Assessment Bodies
There is also information on GOV.UK about conformity assessment testing under mutual recognition or free trade agreements – GOV.UK
