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1. Introduction
The Government of Canada and Australia have agreed, through an exchange of letters, to implement Phase I of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for Conformity Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment (APEC-TEL MRA).
The MRA between Canada and Australia covers the recognition requirements of testing laboratories and the acceptance of test reports generated by recognized laboratories.
2. Regulatory authority in Australia
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is the statutory authority responsible for regulating telecommunications and radiocommunications, including industry self-regulation, and managing the radiofrequency spectrum. ACMA administers the Australian APEC-TEL MRA Program.
2.1 Standards available for ACMA recognition
Please refer to the ACMA website for the list of Australian technical standards.
| Regulatory standard | Additional information |
|---|---|
| Radiocommunications standards | Both the ACMA standards and the industry standards referenced in the ACMA shall be listed on the Scope of Accreditation. |
| Telecommunications standards | High-risk standards require testing by an accredited testing body/recognized testing authority. The risk category for each standard is specified in Schedule 1 of Telecommunications (Labelling Notice for Customer Equipment and Customer Cabling) Instrument 2015. |
| Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standards | Refer to ACMA’s instructions on the expiry date and transition periods when including dates on the Scope of Accreditation. |
| Electromagnetic Energy (EME) standards | The Radiocommunications (Electromagnetic Radiation—Human Exposure) Standard 2014 (ACMA’s standard) specifies the test method a supplier must follow to determine the specific absorption rate (SAR) or radio frequency (RF) fields associated with a device. This ACMA standard references the following test methods:
ACMA is able to recognize this standard if all three (3) test methods for EME are listed on the CAB’s certificate of accreditation. |
3. General requirements for Canadian CABs
Canadian CABs must meet the General Requirements for Designation as a Canadian Conformity Assessment Body (CAB).
4. Application requirements and processes for Canadian testing laboratories
The online designation application form as well as the list of required documentation can be found for:
- Phase I (Testing Laboratories): in section 7 of DES-LAB, Procedure for Designation and Recognition of Canadian Testing Laboratories
- Where the ACMA list of standards includes a version, year and/or amendment number, the Scope of Accreditation must include the same information.
Once Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) receives an application and confirms its completeness, ISED will forward a designation request to ACMA, who, under the terms of the MRA, has up to 60 days to respond.
Upon recognition by the foreign regulatory authority, ISED will assign a unique CAB ID and issue a recognition letter to the CAB. The recognition letter will state the standards or specifications for which recognition has been granted, and the recognized CAB will be added to ISED’s list of Conformity Assessment Bodies.
For renewals, recognized CABs shall update their recognition expiration date by submitting their renewed or extended ISO/IEC 17025 Scope(s) of Accreditation and Accreditation Certificate(s) through DES-LAB Application for Designation or Recognition of a Canadian Testing Laboratory.
5. About the APEC-TEL MRA
The initial signing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangement for Conformity Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment (APEC-TEL MRA) took place on May 8, 1998. Participation in the APEC-TEL MRA is voluntary and includes two phases: Phase I for mutual acceptance of test reports and Phase II for certification of product approvals.
6. For more information
For more information about the Canada-Australia MRA, please contact MRA Admin.