Mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) are agreements between two trading partners aimed at reducing technical barriers to trade. They are one of the themes covered in the trade negotiations between the UK and the EU. Mutual recognition agreements/agreements (MRAs) for compliance assessment are agreements between governments to facilitate trade in telecommunications equipment. MRA establish procedures for contracting parties to recognize the appropriate compliance assessment bodies (CABs – such as test laboratories or certification bodies) and to accept the results of the compliance assessment of these CABs for regulatory purposes. If the EU refuses to negotiate a similar system of mutual recognition with the UK, this may violate the most favoured nation obligation (MPF) under WTO law. The MFN is a non-discrimination rule that requires that any benefit granted to products originating in one country be granted to similar products originating in other countries. A traditional MRA is a mutual recognition agreement for „compliance assessment.“ The AGREEMENT between the EU and Australia covers the following sectors. However, its recent free trade agreements suggest a change in approach and acceptance of „traditional“ MRA. For example, Article 4.6 and Article 7.21, paragraph 4, of the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement provide for the negotiation of mutual recognition of the assessment of the compliance of goods and services. The transitional period for human-use drugs under the agreement ended on 11 July 2019: it is essential that „traditional“ MRIs do not require states to harmonize the rules (i.e. to establish technical standards and common rules) and do not require parties to one MRA to recognize each other`s requirements as equivalent – MMAs are limited to recognizing the competence of the partner`s CABs to carry out the compliance assessment. The UK document reaffirms the importance of regulatory autonomy – „respect for the regulatory law of each party“ – but also follows earlier considerations by proposing that the agreement „creates a framework for both parties to require the other to consider its technical regulation as equivalent to its own regulation.“ The European Union (EU) has signed Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA) with third-country authorities on the assessment of compliance of regulated products. These agreements contain a sectoral annex on mutual recognition of good manufacturing practice inspections (GMPs) and certification of batches of medicines for human and veterinary use.
Restrictions: Capacity determination applies to routine inspections. In the future, the following types of products and inspections may be included in the scope of the agreement until further consideration is taken: the UK government has raised mutual recognition of the rules in the Brexit negotiations, notably in Theresa May`s Florence speech and as an option for future regulation of financial services, but has been rejected by the EU.