Mutual recognition agreement
Encyclopedia
A mutual recognition agreement or MRA is an international agreement by which two or more countries agree to recognize one another's conformity assessment
s.
A mutual recognition arrangement is an international arrangement based on such an agreement, and abbreviated to MRA also.
MRAs have become increasingly common since the formation of the World Trade Organization
in 1995. These have been forged within and among various trade bloc
s, including APEC and the European Union
.
MRAs are most commonly applied to goods, such as various quality control
MRAs. However, the term is sometimes applied to agreements on the recognition of professional qualifications as well.
Conformity assessment
Conformity assessment, also known as compliance assessment , , , is any activity to determine, directly or indirectly, that a process, product, or service meets relevant technical standards and fulfills relevant requirements....
s.
A mutual recognition arrangement is an international arrangement based on such an agreement, and abbreviated to MRA also.
MRAs have become increasingly common since the formation of the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
in 1995. These have been forged within and among various trade bloc
Trade bloc
A trade bloc is a type of intergovernmental agreement, often part of a regional intergovernmental organization, where regional barriers to trade, are reduced or eliminated among the participating states.-Description:...
s, including APEC and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
MRAs are most commonly applied to goods, such as various quality control
Quality control
Quality control, or QC for short, is a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production. This approach places an emphasis on three aspects:...
MRAs. However, the term is sometimes applied to agreements on the recognition of professional qualifications as well.