MRA - Press Release

Boost for Australia – Europe MRA

31 Jan 2000

You may download a Zipped Word version of this Document (eumra.zip 496kB).

Australian - European Mutual Recognition received a boost recently with a successful confidence building visit by a German accreditation authority delegation (DAR and Reg. TP) to their Ozzie counterparts, NATA, the National Association of Testing Authorities. The delegation was examining the ability of Australia to undertake conformity assessment to the same standards as European accredited conformity assessment bodies, NATA chose EMC Technologies Pty. Ltd. as one of the bodies to represent the industry.

A major cost for exporters is the demonstration of compliance or conformity with the regulatory requirements of the export market. The cost can be minimized when the testing and conformity assessment can be carried out in the home country, rather than having to send samples abroad to be examined. For this to be allowed for by the European Union (EU), there must be a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) in place between the home country and the EU. This means that each party accepts the results of the other’s accredited inspection bodies and test laboratories (known as Conformity Assessment Bodies or CABs), which implicitly means acceptance of that nation’s accreditation authorities (NATA and JAS-ANZ in Australia), who determine the acceptance criteria for CABs. All this is possible because, at the top level of conformity assessment, accreditation bodies around the world have themselves agreed to work to the same international standards.

The visit to EMC Technologies began with the main laboratories in Keilor Park. The visitors were given a tour of the facilities and this permitted the observation of a range of actual customer tests that were taking place in the four testing laboratories. Test officers were quizzed by the German experts on their work and the test procedures being used. A visit was then made to Lerderderg Gorge (near Bacchus Marsh) where the Open Area Test Sites are located, and again a customer test was observed. Thus the overseas guests were able to experience the reality of EMC testing in Australia, far preferable than a staged experiment or theoretical description. After lunch, they returned to Keilor Park to quiz for 4 hours, senior engineers on the European EMC Directive, and discuss interpretation issues that can result in discrepancies between inspection bodies and test reports from different countries.

The German delegation inspects EMC Technologies' Open Area Test Site at Lerderderg Gorge, Victoria.

Left to right: John Mitchell (NATA), Dr John Hunter (National Measurements Laboratory) Dipl-Ing Stibtz (German Regulatory Authority), Dr. Anton Kohling (lead assessor, DAR German Regulatory Authority) Jennifer Smith (NATA) and Chris Zombolas (EMC Technologies)

Dr. Anton Kohling observed that laboratory practices used at EMC Technologies were of the same high standards as international practices that he was accustomed to. He said he was “very pleased to find that test procedures in Australia corresponded very well to those used in Europe”, a highly significant response due to the wide interpretation possibilities with international technical standards. Dipl-Ing. Stibtz, Head of Accreditation Office of the German Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications said they were “very impressed with Australian facilities”. There is no doubt that such comments from such widely respected and experienced professionals, who work in what has to be the most tightly regulated EMC test regime in the world, is a significant cause for satisfaction. However, it should perhaps be no surprise to those in the know, as Australia, through NATA, has for 50 years lead the field worldwide in the area of laboratory accreditation. And the laboratory chosen by NATA to demonstrate Australia’s capabilities in EMC, EMC Technologies, has NATA accreditations for over 22 EMC test standards, covering all major product groups.

For further information contact: chris@emctech.com.au.

For more details please contact:
Melbourne: Chris Zombolas Phone: +61 3 9365 1000 Fax: +61 3 9338 9260	Sydney: Les Dickenson Phone: +61 2 9624 2777 Fax: +61 2 9838 4050	Auckland (NZ): Andrew Cutler Phone: +64 9 360 0862 Fax: +64 9 360 0861
5252 10862	Only a NATA test is risk free and accepted world wide. Check with NATA on the specific accreditation status of labs claiming NATA registration.

If it's really URGENT

Call any time on: +61 418 566 466

EMC Technologies - Victoria (Head Office)

176 Harrick Road Keilor Park Victoria 3042 Australia
Ph: +61 3 9365 1000 Fax: +61 3 9331 7455

EMC Technologies - New Zealand

47 MacKelvie Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland New Zealand Ph: + 64 93600 862 Fax: + 64 93600 861

EMC Technologies - New South Wales

Unit 3, 87 Station Road, Seven Hills NSW 2147 Australia Ph: + 612 9624 2777 Fax: + 612 9838 4050

EMC Technologies - Queensland

Unit 1 / 15 Success Street, Acacia Ridge 4110 Qld Australia Ph: + 617 3875 2455 Fax: + 617 3875 2466