EU launches tool to help exporters seize the benefits of Mutual Recognition Agreements

The new Access2Conformity tool launched on 13 November will allow EU exporters large and small to reduce red tape by making better use of the EU's Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with third countries. When businesses export goods to a trade partner, said goods have to be certified by the conformity assessment bodies (CABs) in the country of destination to ensure that they comply with local rules and regulations, even when already certified for their domestic market. Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) can solve this problem. They work by allowing the exporting trade partner to designate their own CABs as capable of testing and certifying exported products to make sure that they comply with the rules and regulations of the importing trade partner.

MRAs are powerful tools to help companies save time and money, and making full use of them can boost trade by up to 40%. Moreover, the reduced paperwork makes it up to 50% more likely that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will export. Access2Conformity is part of the Commission's Access2Markets tool, which helps SMEs to find key information to facilitate trade with third countries. It will help EU exporters identify where in the EU they can perform product testing and certification when exporting to certain third countries. For example, an EU exporter can check if their product can benefit from an existing agreement providing for acceptance of test results and certificates by EU CABs.

Share this article: