Agreement with the United Kingdom on mutual recognition of conformity assessments extended
Bern, 05.12.2025 — On 5 December, the Federal Council extended the agreement between Switzerland and the United Kingdom on the mutual recognition of conformity assessments. At the same time, three further product sectors from the trade agreement were incorporated. This maintains facilitated market access, meaning that additional product testing by a British conformity assessment body is still not necessary when exporting to the United Kingdom.
Since the UK left the EU, the agreement on mutual recognition of conformity assessments between Switzerland and the EU, covering 20 product sectors, no longer applies. For three of these 20 product sectors, provisions on the mutual recognition of conformity assessments were agreed under the February 2019 trade agreement between Switzerland and the UK. These cover the product sectors of motor vehicles, good laboratory practice (GLP) and inspection of good manufacturing practice for medicinal products and batch certification (GMP inspection and batch certification). In future, the trade agreement is to be replaced by a modernised free trade agreement, which is currently being negotiated. The three product sectors must therefore find a new contractual home.
An additional agreement on mutual recognition of conformity assessments (MRA) was concluded with the UK in 2022. This facilitates access to the UK market for Swiss manufacturers in five additional product sectors. This MRA covers transportable pressure equipment, telecommunications equipment, electromagnetic compatibility, noise emissions from equipment used outdoors and measuring instruments. As it is set to expire on 31 December 2025, it will now be extended.
The three product sectors from the trade agreement will be transferred to the 2022 MRA. This ensures continuity, enabling manufacturers in Switzerland to have their products tested by a single conformity assessment body. These conformity assessments can then be used for both the Swiss and UK markets. This will reduce costs and delays for manufacturers when exporting to the UK.
What does conformity mean in simple terms?
Conformity refers to the fulfilment of a legally prescribed technical requirement. Non-conformity means the opposite. That situation can be described as a ‘deviation’ or ‘non-conformity’.
What is conformity assessment?
In addition to technical requirements, conformity assessment may also be required by law, voluntary or contractually agreed. Conformity assessments include activities such as calibration, certification, inspection and testing (e.g. testing drinking water for contaminants).
A conformity assessment body is a neutral, independent and competent body that assesses the conformity of products in the goods market.