Following the establishment of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI) on 1 January 2026, the multilateral recognition arrangements formerly operated by ILAC and IAF were superseded by the Global ACI Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA). In light of discussions held at the Global ACI General Assembly in Prague on 25 April 2026, UKAS is issuing this notice to inform customers of important international developments concerning the use of accreditation marks, specifically the transition to the Global ACI MRA Mark.
This change supports continuity of international recognition following the integration of the MRA arrangements into Global ACI. UKAS remains fully committed to ensuring a clear, orderly transition for its accredited organisations.
What has changed internationally?
Under the new framework:
- Global ACI is now the licensee of the IAF MLA Mark
- Global ACI is the owner of the ILAC MRA Mark
A new Global ACI MRA Mark has been introduced for use under the Global ACI MRA framework and is currently going through registration in the countries of Global ACI members. Use of this new Global ACI MRA Mark is not permitted until the registration process is completed and Global ACI has confirmed its formal launch.
The Global ACI MRA has been established to ensure continuity of international recognition previously delivered through the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA frameworks. UKAS accreditations continue to be internationally recognised under this new structure
Can UKAS customers continue using the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA Marks?
Yes – during the transition period.
UKAS and its accredited CABs that were authorised to use the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA Marks prior to 1 January 2026, may continue to use those marks during the transition period subject to existing agreements being in place. These agreements for use of the marks remain valid within their original scope and duration. No new agreements are required for this temporary continuation.
Key points for UKAS customers:
- There are no new or relaxed conditions during the transition
- Existing rules governing use of the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA Marks remain unchanged
- Continued use remains subject to IAF ML 2, ILAC‑R7 and ILAC‑P8
When will UKAS customers need to transition to the Global ACI MRA Mark?
Formal guidance issued by Global ACI indicated that the introduction of the new MRA Mark would be implemented on an economy‑by‑economy basis, according to when the Mark was registered within each economy. However, discussions at the April Global ACI General Assembly concluded that such an approach could create confusion and potentially impact the competitiveness of conformity assessment bodies.
Given that the time required to register the MRA Mark may vary between economies, it was therefore agreed to pause the introduction of the Global ACI MRA Mark. This matter will be further considered at the next meeting of the Global ACI Arrangements Committee in October 2026, at which point a decision is expected based on the status of MRA Mark registration at that time.
Accordingly, for UKAS customers, the requirement to transition to the Global ACI MRA Mark will apply only once both of the following conditions have been met:
- the Global ACI MRA Mark is legally available for use in the United Kingdom;
- formal notification has been issued to UKAS by the Global ACI Secretariat.
UKAS will formally notify its accredited organisations once these conditions have been satisfied and will issue detailed guidance on implementation at that time.
What does this mean in practice for UKAS‑accredited CABs?
Existing accredited documents
UKAS‑accredited conformity assessment bodies (CABs) may continue to use the IAF MLA and/or ILAC MRA Marks on reports, certificates and statements that were issued prior to the transition being triggered, in accordance with UKAS requirements.
These documents remain valid and may continue to be used until they are renewed, reissued, updated or otherwise replaced.
Where there is no requirement for such documents to be renewed, reissued, updated or replaced, it is anticipated that a defined transition period will be established to allow continued recognition of the IAF MLA Mark and ILAC MRA Mark already in the marketplace following the introduction of the Global ACI MRA Mark. While this transition period has not yet been formally confirmed by Global ACI, it is currently expected to be in the range of three to five years, in order to avoid the need for reissuance of documents solely for the purpose of replacing the MRA Mark.
New or updated documents after notification
Once UKAS has been formally notified that the Global ACI MRA Mark has been launched and is legally available for use in the United Kingdom, UKAS‑accredited CABs will be required to cease use of the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA Marks on:
- new reports, certificates or statements;
- renewed certificates; and
- reissued or updated accredited documents.
Any new or updated accredited document issued after this notification must display the Global ACI MRA Mark, in accordance with UKAS transition requirements and instructions.
Further information
Further information on the Global ACI MRA Mark can be found on the Global ACI website (www.global-aci.org) and publications:
- Global ACI MRA-006 Use of the MRA Mark by Accreditation Bodies and Conformity Assessment Bodies, and Claims of Accreditation Status by Conformity Assessment Bodies
- Transition guidance on the use of the IAF MLA mark and ILAC MRA marks
- Supporting video on the transition guidance published on the Global ACI YouTube channel
Download a pdf copy of this bulletin here.