Letter to European Commissioners on the Mutual Recognition Agreement between the EU and Switzerland
Published: 1 February 2017
Policies & Issues: Internal Market - Compliance, Standards & Enforcement
In force since 2002, a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between the European Union and Switzerland facilitates trade in machinery and appliances by granting mutual recognition as regards conformity assessment. This relates to sectoral legislation which is vital for the work of the companies Orgalime represents.
However, following alignment of several key EU directives and the relevant Swiss ordinances with the New Legislative Framework, the European Commission has yet to endorse the corresponding amendment of the MRA. As a result, European manufacturers are facing legal uncertainty – and the prospect of technical barriers to trade arising in the future cannot be ruled out.
We detail our concerns in an open letter to Commission Vice President Timmermans and Commissioners Bienkowska and Malmström, responsible for the Internal Market and trade respectively. We call on the Commission to take swift action to process the MRA amendment and protect the competitiveness of our industries going forward.
Download the letter to read more.