The UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has recently submitted an update of the information on the UKCA mark which will be in place on products to be placed on the GB market from 1 January 2023.
The Department has organized a two-session webinar on 29th June specifically for businesses regarding the new UK regulatory regime for goods, which CEMA has disseminated to its members.
Further measures have been introduced to support businesses adopting the UKCA marking:
- Reduction of re-testing costs for UKCA certification, by allowing conformity assessment activities for CE marking completed by the 31st December 2022 to be used by manufacturers as the basis for UKCA marking. This will reduce the immediate costs faced by manufacturers and will be valid until the expiration of their certificate or for 5 years (31 December 2027), whichever is sooner. This will reduce duplication and costs for businesses and, by extension, consumers.
- Clarification on the fact that there is no need to re-test existing imported stock, as these products will be considered already placed on the market In Great Britain (GB). This will prevent the costly, and unnecessary re-labelling of existing stock for businesses.
- Clarification on the fact that spare parts that repair, replace or maintain goods already on the GB market can meet the same requirements that were in place at the time the original product or system was placed on the GB market. This will allow products and goods requiring spare parts to continue to be maintained.
- Possibility for businesses to affix the UKCA marking, and to include importer information for products from EEA countries (and in some cases Switzerland), on an accompanying document or label until 31 December 2025. This will allow business to adjust their product design to accommodate marking changes at a convenient and cost-effective time.
The changes do not apply to medical devices, construction products, cableways, unmanned aircraft systems, transportable pressure equipment, rail products and marine equipment. Departments responsible for these sectors are making sector specific arrangements.
Some publications and updates are available on the following links: