UKCA
Date published:
The new certification to replace CE Marking
The North East England Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with BSI, want to ensure you’re aware of the key changes regarding product testing and certification.
Background
The UK officially left the EU on 31st January 2020. As a result, the UK introduced United Kingdom Conformity Assessed marking, known as the UKCA mark. This replaces the CE mark on products placed on the market in Great Britain.
Existing CE product marking is acceptable for products already on the market, however products sold in Great Britain from 1 January 2023 will require UKCA marking. Placing products in Northern Ireland differs, however, with the CE mark or the UKNI mark being required.
UK regulations are currently similar to the EU directives and regulations, with identical underlying standards. This means that manufacturers shouldn’t need to repeat product testing. However, both remain free to amend regulations or introduce new regulations to suit their own needs.
What does this mean for you?
Whilst Notified Bodies across the EU could certify for CE, only UK Approved Bodies can support you with achieving UKCA. This means your choice has been reduced heavily, and in some cases, may result in delays in certification.
Companies bringing goods into the UK from EU countries are typically classified as ‘importers’. Previously they were known as ‘distributors’. It is the importers’ responsibility to meet both the relevant regulations and place UKCA marking on the product. Therefore, importing an applicable product from Europe now requires a UK Approved Body.
If you are wanting to sell a product into both the European Union and the United Kingdom, you will require both UKCA and CE Marking. It is possible to achieve and place both marks on a single product.
Some regulations are self-declaration and don’t require an Approved Body. The circumstances for self-declaration of conformity for UKCA marking are the same as for CE marking. BSI offers both UKCA Marking (from the UK) and CE Marking (from the Netherlands).
The Chamber has joined with BSI to provide webinars, guides and FAQ’s for members. For more on UKCA Marking, and BSI resources, Chamber members can click here to access our dedicated page.
To stay up to date with the latest government regulations, visit the Gov UK website.