[ Certification Information ]

The term " Multilateral Recognition Arrangement" (MRA) is commonly used to refer to intergovernmental agreements that are legally binding about the intergovernmental regulation sector such as Multilateral Recognition Arrangements.

Voluntary arrangements, distinct from intergovernmental agreements, typically use "MLA (Multilateral Recognition Arrangement)" and representatively, IAF MLA (Multilateral Recognition Arrangement) promoted by the IAF (International Accreditation Forum).

The IAF MLA is based on the equivalence of accreditation programs operated by accreditation bodies that are members of the IAF, which are verified through an inter-accreditation body equivalence assessment under ISO/IEC 17011 (requirements for accreditation bodies). This assessment should encourage accredited bodies to accept other accredited bodies accreditation systems as equivalent to those issued by the accrediting accredited bodies, within the scope of the accreditation program.

In order to join the IAF MLA, if members of the PAC (Pacific Accredited Cooperation) or the EA (European Cooperation for Accreditation) are automatically granted IAF MLA membership, and members who are not affiliated with a regional organization must join the IAF MLA separately.

The purpose of the IAF MLA is to ensure that equivalent certification and verification bodies in other countries operate on the same standards as certification bodies in their economies.

Certificates granted by signatories of IAF MLA certification bodies are globally recognized based on equivalent certification programs, reducing costs and adding value to industries and consumers.

Therefore, certificates in the areas about management systems of conformity assessment, products (including processes and services), personnel, validation/vilification and other similar programs issued by a certification body certified by the IAF MLA signatory rely on international trade.

[ The necessity of IAF MLA ]

The primary purpose of conformity assessment is to provide users with confidence that the requirements applicable to their products, services and systems have been met. This trust directly contributes to the market's acceptance of such products, services and systems.

One of the reasons why internationally traded products and services are repeatedly assessed for conformity is that the eligibility of an agency to conduct conformity assessments in one country is insufficient to give confidence to users of conformity assessments in other countries. This situation serves as a clear non-tariff barrier to trade, and companies incur increased and delayed costs associated with repeated certification in multiple markets.

IAF introduced a multilateral recognition agreement (MLA) to address trade barriers that may arise from market demands for certification of specific management systems, and the purpose of IAF MLA is to ensure that certificates issued by IAF MLA signatories and certification bodies are the result of the assessment conducted appropriately.

Under the IAF MLA Agreement, each recognized agency must issue a certificate or confirmation to its purchaser at the request of another country's MLA membership body, and encourage its authorities to equally treat national certificates in public procurement and bidding.

The IAF MLA allows certificates issued by national certification body to be accepted worldwide, but there are limitations that cannot be enforced if the agreement is rejected by the government or buyer because it is not a legally binding intergovernmental agreement.

The IAF MLA allows certificates issued by national certification agencies to be accepted worldwide, but there are limitations that cannot be enforced if the agreement is rejected by the government or buyer because it is not a legally binding intergovernmental agreement.

[ Reference ]

IAF Website : https://www.iaf.nu