Australia and UK sign Mutual Recognition Agreement

Australia and the UK have signed a new Mutual Recognition Agreement that will ensure continuity for Australian businesses and conformity assessment bodies following Brexit.
Photo at signing of the Australia and United Kingdom Mutual Recognition Agreement

H.E. the Hon George Brandis QC, Australian High Commissioner to the UK, and the Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP, UK Secretary of State for International Trade.

Australia and the United Kingdom (UK) have signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) covering Conformity Assessment, Certificates and Markings.

Our department is the lead policy agency for the MRA. The Agreement will facilitate trade flows between our two countries, guaranteeing continuity of the existing mutual recognition arrangements when the UK leaves the European Union.

This is good news for Australian businesses and conformity assessment bodies (CABs) engaging with the UK – Australia’s seventh largest two-way trading partner, worth $27.8 billion in 2017-18.

Australian businesses will be able to continue testing and certifying that their products conform with UK regulatory requirements before they depart Australia. This eliminates the cost and time of duplicative product testing or the need for re-certification on arrival. UK businesses will benefit in the same way.

The MRA will now be formally ratified by the Australian and UK Parliaments.

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