Purpose of The MLA

The purpose of the Global ACI Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) is to reduce technical barriers to trade by facilitating the international acceptance of accredited conformity assessment results. The MRA serves as a framework to enhance cooperation, consistency and trust among accreditation bodies, regulators and stakeholders.

MRA signatories commit to:

• Recognising other signatories’ accreditation processes and competence as equivalent, except when prohibited by regulation or law, ensuring confidence in accredited conformity assessment results.
• Promoting acceptance of accredited conformity assessment results within the recognised scope of the Global ACI MRA, aligning with international best practices.
• Supporting continuous improvement by implementing best practices, adopting technological advancements, and ensuring alignment with evolving international requirements.

Former accreditation body signatories of the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA have been accepted as Global ACI Full Members in all cases where the organisation has joined Global ACI. Associate Members of Global ACI are granted MRA signatory status as Full Members only after a stringent evaluation of their operations by a peer evaluation team.

Global ACI and its members invest significant effort and resources to maintain the integrity and consistency of the MRA through the peer evaluation process. The Global ACI MRA Annual Report sets out the detailed activities that are carried out as part of the peer evaluation process, to ensure that regulators, specifiers, and businesses can have confidence in the MRA.