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Summaries of EU Legislation

    EU-Japan mutual recognition agreement (MRA)

    Date of last review:
    17/07/2018
    Author:
    Publications Office of the European Union
    Responsible entity(ies):
    Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

    EU-Japan mutual recognition agreement (MRA)

     

    SUMMARY OF:

    Agreement on mutual recognition between the European Community and Japan

    Decision 2001/747/EC concluding the mutual recognition agreement between the European Community and Japan

    WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND OF THE DECISION?

    The mutual recognition agreement (MRA)* aims to promote trade in goods between the EU and Japan by removing technical barriers. Under the bilateral agreement EU governments approved on 27 September 2001, the EU and Japan accept the conformity assessments* each carries out for specified industrial products.

    The decision adopts the MRA with Japan on behalf of the EU.

    KEY POINTS

    The agreement covers the following sectors:

    • telecommunications terminal and radio equipment;
    • electrical products;
    • good laboratory practice for chemicals;
    • good manufacturing practice for medicines.

    The agreement:

    • enables EU companies to have their products — which must comply with Japanese requirements — tested and certified in the EU and then they can export them to the Japanese market and vice versa;
    • lists the legislation, regulations and administrative rules the agreement covers for each sector;
    • lays down the conditions for reciprocal acceptance of conformity assessment results;
    • provides procedures for designating EU and Japanese conformity assessment bodies* for each sector;
    • requires the EU and Japanese authorities to audit, inspect and monitor the designated conformity assessment bodies to ensure they carry out their work correctly;
    • provides for the suspension of a designated conformity assessment body;
    • establishes a joint committee of EU and Japanese representatives to deal with any issues that might arise under the agreement.

    FROM WHEN DOES THE AGREEMENT APPLY?

    It has applied since 1 January 2002.

    BACKGROUND

    For more information, see:

    KEY TERMS

    Mutual recognition agreement: an international agreement where 2 or more countries recognise each other’s conformity assessment results.
    Conformity assessment: the procedure in which a product, before it can be marketed, is tested, inspected and certified to ensure it complies with the relevant legislation.
    Conformity assessment bodies: these assess whether a product meets the relevant regulatory or legislative requirements.

    MAIN DOCUMENTS

    Agreement on mutual recognition between the European Community and Japan (OJ L 284, 29.10.2001, pp. 3-32)

    Council Decision 2001/747/EC of 27 September 2001 concerning the conclusion of the Agreement on Mutual Recognition between the European Community and Japan (OJ L 284, 29.10.2001, pp. 1-2)

    Successive amendments to Decision 2001/747/EC have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

    last update 17.07.2018

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