SAC Mutual Recognition Arrangements

In today’s economy, markets are increasingly interconnected. As businesses seek to go global, they need to comply with international standards for easy access into markets. Having accredited certificates or reports helps you gain the trust of your customers and opens doors to markets that require specialised certificates.

MRAs are agreements among accreditation bodies (from different countries and economies) to mutually recognise the reports and certificates issued by each other’s accredited conformity assessment bodies (CABs) within their scope of accreditation. This reduces barriers to trade by allowing goods and services to move freely across borders without the need for further testing, inspection or certification by the importing country.

The Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) works closely with other international bodies on MRAs. The MRAs signed by SAC provide Singapore companies with easier access to over 100 economies, including China, India, Indonesia and the United States. Find out more about MRAs by SAC here.

The SAC is a signatory to MRAs with the following organisations:

• International Accreditation Forum (IAF)
• International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)
• Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC)

As the Singapore Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Monitoring Authority, the SAC, under Enterprise Singapore, also manages the Singapore GLP Compliance Programme and represents Singapore as an adherent member of the OECD Mutual Acceptance of Data (MAD) framework. Studies conducted in Singapore under GLP-compliant conditions are accepted in more than 30 OECD and non-OECD member countries.

• Good Laboratory Practice Compliance Programme
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

MRAs function as an accelerated global passport for your products and services. The SAC's signatory status in the MRAs:

• Enables easy entry into different markets 
• Reduces the hassle and cost of re-testing, re-inspection, re-calibration or re-certification
• Speeds up entry into overseas markets and reduces costs for your business

Use an SAC-accredited CAB to boost your business credibility. Show your local and global partners and customers that your products and services have been assessed to meet internationally recognised standards.