When exporting to countries outside the European Union, companies must undertake an assessment of a product’s compliance with the regulatory requirements of the importing country, a so-called 'conformity assessment'. These requirements cost time and create costs for exporters, which is especially burdensome for smaller companies.
Mutual Recognition Agreements on conformity assessment (MRAs) are instruments that facilitate market access by reducing costs and time associated with mandatory product certification and testing. With an MRA in place, EU exporters can save time and money.
The EU currently has MRAs with Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the USA. However, most EU MRAs were concluded more than 20 years ago, so they might not adequately cover some more recent regulatory requirements.
To get a better picture of the current companies needs, the Commission has launched an online survey targeted at EU exporters of manufactured goods, in order to map problems exporters face in terms of conformity assessment requirements. Mapping these needs will also contribute to the ongoing work in the context of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council, Working Group 10 on Global Trade Challenges.
Have your say and help the Commission collect information on the specific product and sectorial challenges EU companies face on the US market.
We look forward to your replies by 3 April 2022!
