Brexit is also affecting the marking requirements for products in the United Kingdom. An overview of the new UKCA marking.
Significant changes in UK market access have occurred as a result of the UK leaving the European Union. As of January 1, 2022, the CE marking will not be recognised in the UK for most product categories. However, a CE-marked product will still be valid for sale in the UK as long as it also carries the UKCA marking and complies with the relevant UK regulations. Separate regulations apply to medical products.
What is the UKCA marking?
The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is a new label for goods placed on the UK market (England, Wales, and Scotland). It covers most products that previously required CE marking.
Categories covered by the UKCA marking:
- Toy safety
- Recreational and personal watercraft
- Simple pressure vessels
- Electromagnetic compatibility
- Non-automatic weighing instruments
- Measuring Instruments
- Elevators
- ATEX
- Radio equipment
- Pressurised Equipment
- Personal protective equipment
- Gas Equipment
- Mechanical Equipment
- Equipment for outdoor use
- Ecodesign
- Aerosols
- Low voltage electrical equipment
- Restriction of Hazardous Substances
Categories that fall under the UKCA label but have special rules:
- Medical devices
- Rail compatibility
- Building products
- Civil explosives
Do you need UKCA marking?
The UKCA marking requirements became valid on 1 January 2021. However, to give businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, you will still be able to use the CE marking until January 1, 2022, in most cases. The CE marking is only valid in the UK for areas where GB and EU rules remain unchanged. If the EU changes its rules and you CE-mark the product based on these new rules, you will not be able to use the CE marking to sell in the UK even before December 31, 2021.
The UKCA marking applies to most products that were previously subject to CE marking. It also applies to aerosol products that previously required the "reverse epsilon" marking.
The technical requirements your product has to meet, and conformity assessment processes and standards, are in many ways similar to the requirements for CE marking. If you want to check for sure if you will need to use the UKCA label, then check out the guidelines for placing manufactured goods on the UK market on the official website.
When to use the UKCA marking
Your company will only need to use the new UKCA label before January 1, 2022, if all of the following conditions apply:
- Your product is for the UK market
- Your product is subject to legislation that requires UKCA marking
- A mandatory third-party conformity assessment is required
- The conformity assessment has been carried out by a UK conformity assessment body
Please note that this does not apply to existing stock, for example, if your product was fully manufactured, CE marked, and ready to be placed on the market before 1 January 2021. You can still distribute your product with the CE marking in the UK in such cases, even if it has a certificate of conformity issued in the UK before January 1, 2021.
Technical documentation for UKCA marking
Your company or its representative must keep documentation to prove that your product meets regulatory requirements. This must be kept for 10 years after the product is placed on the market. This information may be requested at any time by market surveillance or law enforcement agencies to verify your product's compliance with legal requirements. The information required in the Declaration of Conformity is largely the same as the information required in the EU Declaration of Conformity.
It is highly recommended that you carefully study the details of the new marking on the official website of the UK government. In many cases, the UKCA label requires special testing to enter the UK market (England, Wales, and Scotland).
Where to order product testing for UKCA marking
In many cases, UK regulations may require products to conform to certain standards. How can you find a suitable testing laboratory that can test your product samples for the UKCA conformity requirements that apply? One easy and convenient way to get testing for your products is to submit a free request at testxchange! This simple action can bring your company one step closer to officially marketing products in the UK by the relevant UK regulations.