Mutual Recognition Arrangement
SAC and its Mutual Recognition Arrangements
Key to international trade, Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) promote cross border stakeholder confidence and the acceptance of accredited conformity assessment bodies. The objective of MRAs is to develop a global network of conformity assessment bodies (such as certification bodies, testing and calibration laboratories, and inspection bodies) that can be relied on to provide competent services such as certification activities, testing, calibration and inspection.
Benefit from MRAs?
SAC’s signatory status in the MRAs is a global passport for enterprises in Singapore , as there is no need for duplicative re-testing, re-inspection or re-calibration of goods upon entry to importing countries. Moreover, government agencies these days rely more on results from accredited facilities and those of the MRA partners, as they are beginning to realise the credibility of accreditation programmes that are based on internationally recognised standards. These government agencies need a fair and meaningful basis for identifying qualified providers and enterprises can stand out, through accreditation.
How does MRAs work?
A MRA is based on the results of intensive peer evaluation of its signatories. The accreditation body to the MRA must agree to abide by the requirements in ISO/IEC 17011 – Conformity assessment – General Requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies and ensure that the conformity assessment bodies that they accredit conform to standards such as ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratories, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection bodies, and ISO/IEC Guide 65 and ISO/IEC 17021 for accreditation of certification bodies.
How to recognize accredited reports & certificate?
Once a laboratory or inspection body becomes accredited, it is allowed the exclusive use of the logo of that accreditation body that issued its accreditation. The accredited body can only refer to its accreditation for those tests, calibration or inspection for which accreditation was accorded. For easier recognition across borders, the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) has come with a world recognised mark called the ILAC mark. This ILAC is to be used alongside with the logo of the accreditation body . An example of how the ILAC mark is used by accredited laboratories in Singapore is as shown below :
Notes: To facilitate recognition of testing & Inspection report, the accreditation mark of members where available are listed below.
Since 1997, SAC has signed numerous multi-lateral MRAs such as:
| Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC MRA) ·for Testing, Calibration and Inspection | Signed in 1997, 24 signatories (Testing and Calibration) Signed in 2003, 10 signatories (Inspection Bodies) |
 |
| European Accreditation Cooperation for Testing and Calibration | Signed in 2000, 30 signatories |  |
| International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation for Testing and Calibration | Signed in 2001, 54 signatories |  |
| International Accreditation Forum for Quality Management System and Product Certification (IAF MLA) | Signed in 1999, 41 signatories(QMS) Signed in 2007,28 signatories (Product) |
 |
| Pacific Accreditation Cooperation for Quality Management System and Product
Certification (PAC MLA) |
Signed in 1998, 14 signatories(QMS) Signed in 2006, 4 signatories (Product) |
 |
Please click below for the respective MRA listings.
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SAC MLA Partners for Quality Management System
and Product Certification
Last Updated: 17August 07
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SAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) Partners for Testing and Calibration
Last Updated: 26 Oct 06
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SAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) Partners for Inspection
Last Updated: 24 Jul 08
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