Malaysia and Singapore signed an agreement today to mutually recognise each other's testing and technical standards for telecommunications equipment in a move to bolster two-way trade.

Under the Mutual Recognition Agreement, Singapore and Malaysia will accept test reports issued by accredited laboratories recognised by each country, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) said in a statement.

Both countries will also accept telecommunications equipment that are compliant to the technical specifications of each country after they are certified by independent certification bodies.

Two-way trade for telecommunications equipment totalled 3.5 billion Singapore dollars (US$2.2 billion) last year.

"The MRA aims to boost market access opportunities for telecommunications equipment exporters from both countries and make telecommunications equipment more affordable and accessible to consumers," the IDA said.

The signing of mutual recognition pacts in the sector was agreed by Association of Southeast Asian Nations telecommunications ministers during a meeting here in 2003.

Singapore has launched similar negotiations for such accords with Indonesia and Brunei.