Following continued calls by Make UK the Government announced this week (Monday 14th November) that it intends to introduce legislation to continue recognition of the CE marking and reversed epsilon marking until 31 December 2024 for most goods being placed on the market or put into service in Great Britain.
The package of measures announced is intended to provide businesses with more flexibility and reduce burdens for businesses. The Government also intends to introduce legislation to give effect to the measures previously announced in June 2022 with amended timescales, in line with the extension. These measures intend to:
- Reduce labelling costs by continuing to allow 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 a label until 31 December 2027.
- Reduce re-testing costs for UKCA certification by allowing conformity assessment activities for CE marking undertaken by 31 December 2024 to be used by manufacturers as the basis for UKCA marking, until the expiry of the certificate or until 31 December 2027, whichever is sooner.
The Government has also published a news story on GOV.UK and updated the guidance on GOV.UK:
- Using the UKCA marking
- Placing manufactured goods on the market in GB
- UK conformity assessment and documentation
- Roles and responsibilities
Please note that there are different rules for medical devices, construction products, cableways, transportable pressure equipment, unmanned aircraft systems, rail products, and marine equipment. Departments responsible for these sectors are making sector specific arrangements.