It provides an additional two years, from the current 31 December 2022 deadline, to apply the UKCA product marking.
The UKCA is the conformity mark implemented by the UK government following Brexit. For the GB market, it takes the place of the CE marking applied to products required by European directives and used across Europe.
Measuring instrument type evaluation and manufacturing system certifications are covered by both CE and UKCA for the respective markets. Once certifications are issued, manufacturers can conduct the initial verification of their products.
Following the two-year extension, manufacturers wishing to retain access to the UK market for their products must still apply UKCA markings by 1 January 2025. EU certificates can be used as a basis for applying UKCA markings until 31 December 2027 (or earlier if the original certification is due to expire or requires significant revision).
The UKCA mark will not be recognised outside of Great Britain. Products sold in the EU will still require CE marking. CE marking will continue to be accepted in Northern Ireland under the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol alongside the UKNI marking.
Commenting on the announcement of a two-year delay in plans for CA marking Stephen Phipson, chief executive of Make UK, said: “Industry will welcome this announcement which recognises the simple fact that businesses in the UK and abroad are not ready for this change. If it had gone ahead as planned then many overseas companies would have pulled the plug on supplying the UK market as a result.
“Given this has been delayed yet again we need to ask why Government is still ploughing ahead with the plans which are only adding costs and extra bureaucracy. Instead, the UK should move to a longer term system of mutual recognition on technical regulations and standards particularly for CE marked products.”
