Asean to ink automotive MRA this year

• Apr 22, 2019

Asean is scheduled to sign a Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRA) pact on automobiles and parts in September to reduce production costs and facilitate exports and imports of automotive products among members. 
Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department, said the Asean Senior Economic Officials’ Meeting in Vientiane, held April 4-5, approved Asean MRAs for automotive products among the 10 Asean members after negotiations lasting seven years. 
MRAs are deals between two or more parties to mutually recognise or accept some or all aspects of one another’s conformity assessment results. MRAs can be concluded at the technical or the government-to-government levels. 
Through MRAs, products that are tested and certified before export can enter the importing country directly without having to undergo similar conformity assessment procedures in the importing country. 
Mrs Auramon said the MRA pact on automobiles and parts will be submitted to the Asean Economic Ministers’ Retreat for acknowledgement during April 22-23 in Phuket and forwarded to the 51st Asean Economic Meeting (AEM) to sign in September. 
The MRA will cover automotive products such as braking systems, safety belts, seats, tyres, steering systems, speedometers and safety glass. 
Once the MRA agreement is approved by the AEM, related agencies in each Asean country will work out the implementation process. 
Mrs Auramon said the Thai Industrial Standards Institute under the Industry Ministry will take charge of the implementation. 
After the MRA is in force for four years, Asean will review the MRA agreement and may expand the pact to cover non-Asean countries, she said. 
Previously, Asean countries had agreed to have a MRA on processed food and one on electricity and electronic products. 
In 2018, Thailand’s two-way trade with Asean totalled UScopy14 billion, up 13% from 2017. Exports represented $68.4 billion and imports were $45.5 billion. 
Asean accounts for a 27% market share of Thailand’s total exports. 
In 2017, Thailand shipped $233 billion worth of automobiles and auto parts to Asean, making up 12% of the total exports to Asean. 

Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/1664968/asean-to-ink-automotive-mra-this-year