Swiss approve MRA (mutual recognition agreement) with Europe in referendum:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
In a referendum on May 21, the Swiss population voted in favour of a proposed package of bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the European Union, which includes a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) covering medical devices. The accord opens the door for the mutual recognition of testing and certification results and the exchange of vigilance information - the agreements are now on target to come into force by January 1 2001 (see Clinica No 905, p 6). The European Parliament has already approved six of the seven agreements, including the one on medical devices. The seventh, concerning the free circulation of persons and other social matters, still needs to be approved by the national parliaments of the 15 EU member states.