Overview of the US EU MRA negotiations [EMC regulations]

For the last three years, the United States government and the European Union have been negotiating a Mutual Recognition Agreement for conformity assessment. These negotiations are limited to specific equipment sectors and to conformity assessment. The product sectors that may be included in the Agreement include: telecommunication equipment; pharmaceuticals; medical devices; recreational crafts; and others. The FCC participated in these negotiations for telecommunications and EMC at the request of the US industry, the office of the United States trade representative and the Department of Commerce, who are leading these negotiations for the USG. The agreement, which is expected to be signed by both parties in 1997, will allow for these two sectors, US manufacturers and laboratories, to test and approve in the United States certain telecommunications equipment bound for the European market. Conversely, European manufacturers will be allowed to test and approve in Europe similar equipment bound for the US market. This paper provides an overview of these negotiations from the FCC perspective and outlines a number of the steps the US Government and the FCC must take to implement the agreement.