Industry welcomes move to extend UKCA Marking deadline

The Government has announced that the deadline to transition from CE to UKCA Marking has been extended to 1st January 2023, giving the market an additional year to adjust.

The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) Marking is a new UK product marking that is used for goods being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). It covers most goods which previously required the CE Marking.

The UKCA Marking came into effect on 1st January 2021. However, to allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, you will still be able to use the CE Marking on existing products until 1st January 2023 in most cases.

Construction Leadership Council co-chair Andy Mitchell said: “Given the widespread pressures on product supply, we welcome this pragmatic decision by the Government to extend the deadline for CE-marked products.

“However even with this extension, it will still be very challenging to ensure that the whole sector is ready for the new date, given the need to drive major increases in testing capacity.

“It is vital that industry continues to work with the Government to address these issues, ensuring that we don’t just postpone the crisis by 12 months, but instead establish a
robust testing and marking regime to ensure the continued safety and performance of the products that we use.”

Manufacturers’ body Make UK said it had successfully lobbied the UK Government to extend the standstill period for recognition of the CE mark for a further 12 months.

Fergus McReynolds Director of EU Affairs & International Affairs, Make UK said: “This is a welcome move from Government which will come as a huge relief to industry and is a vital lifeline to protect supply chains.

“Companies were becoming increasingly nervous as the clock ticked down to the end of the year, caught up in the delays and bureaucracy in getting their products tested. The extra year will provide both exporters and importers with valuable breathing space to enable a new testing system to bed in place.”

“Recognising the impact of the pandemic on businesses, the Government will extend this deadline to 1 January 2023 to apply UKCA marks for certain products to demonstrate compliance with product safety regulations, rather than 1 January 2022. Businesses will have more time to meet their legal obligations given the continued impact of the pandemic, providing clarity and certainty.

“(This) announcement follows the Government’s extensive and ongoing engagement with business groups, including Make UK, and reflects the issues businesses have raised, particularly given the impact of the pandemic.”

Businesses must take action to ensure they are ready to apply UKCA marking by 1 January 2023, the final deadline.

Make UK will host a webinar with Government officials on the introduction of the UKCA mark at 12:30 - 14:00 on 20th September 2021. Follow the link below to register for the event.

Book your place: Make UK - Product Labelling: UKCA and CE Marking Registration, Mon 20 Sep 2021 at 12:30 | Eventbrite

Made in Britain, the organisation that brings together the British manufacturing community united with the use of the registered collective mark, has a number of useful guides on UKCA Marking.