APAC MRA-002 APAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement

Issue No: 1.5 Issue Date: 17 November 2021 Page 1 of 6

APAC Mutual

Recognition 

Arrangement

Issue No. 1.5

Issue Date 17 November 2021

Application Date 17 November 2021
APAC MRA-002 APAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement

Issue No: 1.5 Issue Date: 17 November 2021 Page 2 of 6

AUTHORSHIP

This document was produced by the APAC MRA Council. 

COPYRIGHT

Copyright in this document belongs to APAC. No part may be reproduced for 

commercial exploitation without the prior written consent of APAC.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information about APAC or this document, please contact the APAC 

Secretariat. Contact details can be found at www.apac-accreditation.org. 
APAC MRA-002 APAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement

Issue No: 1.5 Issue Date: 17 November 2021 Page 3 of 6

CONTENTS

1. SCOPE .................................................................................................................... 4

2. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 4

3. STRUCTURE OF THE APAC MRA ........................................................................ 4

4. OBLIGATIONS OF APAC FULL MEMBERS......................................................... 5

5. APAC ENDORSED NORMATIVE DOCUMENTS .................................................. 6

6. AMENDMENT TABLE ............................................................................................ 6
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1. SCOPE

This document describes the structure of the Asia Pacific Accreditation 

Cooperation Incorporated Mutual Recognition Arrangement (APAC MRA) and 

also specifies APAC Full Members’ obligations that form the basis of the APAC 

MRA.

2. REFERENCES

IAF PR 4 Structure of the IAF MLA and List of IAF Endorsed 

Normative Documents

ILAC P5:02 ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement: Scope and 

Obligations

APAC GOV-001 APAC Constitution

APAC MRA-001 Procedures for Establishing and Maintaining Mutual 

Recognition amongst APAC Accreditation Bodies

APAC FMRA-001 List of APAC Endorsed Normative Documents

3. STRUCTURE OF THE APAC MRA

There are five levels in the APAC MRA structure:

Level 1 ISO/IEC 17011 specifies the criteria for an accreditation body.

Level 2 Conformity assessment activities of conformity assessment 

bodies (CAB) to which the AB grants accreditation according to 

the generic, normative documents listed in Level 3.

• Biobanking

• Calibration

• Certification - Management Systems

• Certification - Persons

• Certification - Products, Processes and Services

• Inspection

• Medical Testing

• Proficiency Testing Providers

• Reference Material Producers

• Testing

• Validation and Verification

Level 3 Generic accreditation normative documents used by the AB to 

assess the CAB competence for each activity in level 2 as 

specified in APAC FMRA-001.

Level 4 Sector specific normative documents which specify 

internationally recognized application of the Level 3 documents.

These application documents are used by the AB in combination 

with the generic normative documents listed in Level 3, to 
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assess the CAB competence in the relevant sector. These 

sector specific normative documents are listed in APAC FMRA001.

Level 5 Conformity assessment normative documents used by the 

CABs. These are listed in APAC FMRA-001.

For other activities of APAC MLA, this level includes the scope 

of accreditation of the CABs accredited by APAC MRA 

signatories.

4. OBLIGATIONS OF APAC FULL MEMBERS

(a) Abide by the APAC Constitution and rules and procedures developed by 

APAC, and maintain conformance with the list of normative documents 

contained in APAC FMRA-001;

(b) Ensure that all conformity assessment bodies accredited by the Full 

Member conform to the relevant normative documents contained in APAC

FMRA-001;

(c) Promote the acceptance and equivalence of endorsed certificates or 

reports issued by accredited conformity assessment bodies within the 

scope of the APAC MRA;

(d) Promote the world-wide acceptance and equivalence of accreditations 

granted by signatories to the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA;

(e) Contribute actively to the work of the APAC MRA Council;

(f) Co-operate with other accreditation bodies so that the APAC MRA may 

be extended as appropriate;

(g) Respond positively to requests from the APAC MRA Management 

Committee (APAC MRA MC) for the provision of suitable peer evaluators 

for the peer evaluation of APAC Full Members and other applicant bodies;

(h) Investigate all complaints about certificates/reports of conformity issued 

by its accredited conformity assessment bodies;

(i) Notify the APAC Secretariat on behalf of the APAC MRA Council Chair as 

soon as possible of any significant changes that have occurred or will 

occur in its status, in the operational practices of its system or in its 

accreditation programs using form APAC FGOV-010;

(j) Participate actively in the meetings of the APAC MRA Council and other 

APAC Committees;

(k) Use all information gained in the APAC MRA Council and any peer 

evaluation in a confidential and professional manner;

(l) Pay APAC membership fees and other expenses in a timely manner,

including reimbursement of peer evaluation expenses incurred by peer 

evaluation team members.
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5. APAC ENDORSED NORMATIVE DOCUMENTS

APAC FMRA-001 identifies the normative documents which shall be used in the 

peer evaluation of the accreditation body.

6. AMENDMENT TABLE

This table provides a summary of the changes to the document with this issue.

Date Section(s) Amendment(s)

17/11/2021 3 Minor editorial amendment to the name of the 

Level 2 scopes to align with latest IAF and 

ILAC Level 2 scope titles.

06/09/2021 3 Deleted greenhouse gases from the title of the 

Level 2 Validation and verification scope

24/12/2020 3 Added Biobanking under Level 2 list

08/02/2020 Level 3, 4 

and 5 lists

Removed specific lists from the sections and 

replacing them with a reference to APAC 

FMRA-001 List of APAC Endorsed Normative 

Documents. This was an editorial correction to 

remove unnecessary duplication between 

APAC MRA-002 and APAC FMRA-001.

16/06/2019 Level 4 and 

5 list

Minor changes to address IAF/ILAC Regional 

Evaluation findings

01/01/2019 All New issue on establishment of APAC.