On Tuesday 1st August 2023, the UK Government announced that they intend to continue the recognition and use of the CE mark indefinitely. This latest update ensures that the CE mark is still a valid form of certification for Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The UKCA mark was set to be mandatory for applicable products produced after December 2024. However, after already having the deadline pushed back twice, this final development helps provide manufacturers and authorities with more clarification on the use of CE marking.
The UKCA mark will still be valid and can be applied to products, however this is now an optional extra and poses no additional benefits. The CE mark alone will allow for goods to be sold in Great Britain and Northern Ireland beyond December 2024, the same way they are certified and sold within the EU. There still remains some differences in selling in the two regions (UK & EU), for example the need for region-based representation, but the use of the CE mark will mean that a products safety compliance will be achieved.
This latest change to CE & UKCA marking will have an effect on goods that require the use of an approved body, we will provide more information on this once it is available. It is advised to note that the CE marking extension currently is only applied to the eighteen regulations that are controlled by the DBT (Department for Business and Trade), it can be expected that the extension may be applied to other regulations in the coming months.
At the time of writing, the CE mark extension applies to the following regulations:
- Toys
- Pyrotechnics
- Recreational craft & personal watercraft
- Simple pressure vessels
- Electromagnetic compatibility
- Non-automatic weighing instruments
- Measuring instruments
- Measuring container bottles
- Lifts
- Equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres (ATEX)
- Radio equipment
- Pressure equipment
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Gas appliances
- Machinery
- Equipment for outdoors
- Aerosols
- Low voltage electrical equipment
Within the latest update from the UK Government, the following have not been included. These should be communicated in the coming weeks/months on how these may be impacted:
- Medical devices
- Construction products
- Cableways
- Transportable pressure equipment
- Unmanned aircraft systems
- Rail products
- Marine equipment
- Eco design
It should be noted that the withdrawal of the UKCA mark does not cover all of the products that can use the CE mark. For example, the list published on Tuesday 1st August does not include rail products or unmanned aircraft.
This is because these products are not regulated by the OPSS (Office of Product Safety and Standards) in the UK, it is also a recognition that there remain product areas where the UK wants to have stronger control over their requirements in the long term. The United Kingdom is free to pick and choose which of the European Directives and Regulations it now applies.
Companies most impacted by this recent change of approach will be the Approved Bodies established to service the UK market for third party involvement. These businesses will now find themselves competing with the EU’s Notified Bodies in a market where the Notified Bodies work is widely accepted across the European Single Market, plus the UK, however their own work is only accepted in the UK.
This is not a sustainable or operable business model and businesses who are currently considering the appointment of an approved body may wish to take a step back and consider their long term future.
Overall, the key message for the vast majority of manufacturers is that you can officially focus on the CE mark and move on from the UKCA mark and its requirements.
Contact our team today
Authorised Representative Service are on hand to help you understand and gain more clarity on these changes. If you require any help and support, please contact us today and we’ll be happy to help you and your business.