Leaving the European Union, the United Kingdom has adopted new regulations to replace those of Community legislation. One of the major regulatory transitions has been the move away from the EU CE marking – which is a clear indicator that the products comply with European product standards – to the newly formed UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA). The UKCA brand is having a major impact on supply chains around the world and is vital for any company trading with the UK, know the regulations and test and certification procedures related to this marking.
Scope
From January 1st 2021, the UKCA mark has officially replaced the CE mark in the UK. However, the CE mark will still be accepted until 31 December 2024.
The UKCA mark covers all UK markets, including Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland.
The UKCA marking applies to the following products:
- Toys
- Pleasure boats and jet skis
- Simple pressure vessels
- Non-automatic weighing instruments
- Measurement tools
- Elevators
- ATEX
- Radio equipment
- pressure equipment
- Personal protective equipment
- Gas appliances
- Machinery
- Outdoor equipment
- Ecodesign products
- Aerosol
- Low voltage electrical equipment
When using the UKCA marking for products, it is essential to consider that :
- the UKCA marking must be affixed to the product by the manufacturer or an authorized representative.
- the UKCA marking makes them responsible for the conformity of the product to the requirements of the pertinent legislation
- only the UKCA marking may be used to demonstrate compliance with relevant UK legislation
What are the differences between CE Mark and UKCA?
The UKCA conformity and marking verification process is very similar to the CE one in Europe and requires technical requirements and conformity assessments according to the relevant regulations (BS – British Standards). More marked differences concern certain product categories for which the UK has introduced specific guidelines and conditions. In particular the categories concerned are:
- Medical devices
- Civil explosives
- Railway interoperability
- Construction goods
The UKCA marking process
These are the basic steps to obtain the UKCA marking of a product:
- Determination of the British Standards applicable to the product
- Verification of product conformity through testing and execution of other technical activities to ensure compliance with the requirements of the applicable regulations.
- For elevators and some other product categories, the verification of compliance must be conducted by a “UK Approved Body”.
- Creation of a technical file compliant with the requirements dictated by the UKCA regulations
- UKCA marking of the product
In case the product is already equipped with an EU technical file, the necessary tests may also be significantly reduced.
Products can be CE and UKCA marked at the same time?
Yup, it is possible to have both CE and UKCA markings on the same label for all those products destined for both Europe and the United Kingdom. Carrying out the practices simultaneously can lead to cost savings compared to carrying out them separately.
To request more information on this topic, write to info@sicomtesting.com
or call +39 0481 778931.
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A ukca branded product can be sold in Italy?
Good morning,
The UKCA marking is not valid for the European Union market, to be marketed in the single market of the Union a product must have the CE marking, A product can have both markings but for marketing in the single market (So also in Italy) only CE marking is valid.
Kind regards
Sicom Test
I would like to have information about the transition from CE mark to UKCA mark bearing in mind that the product already has the CE marking
Good morning,
To affix the UKCA mark, to a product already CE marked, It is necessary to evaluate under which “UK Regulations” falls and what are the “designated standards” of the United Kingdom applicable, whether these correspond to the European harmonised standards, the technical documentation dossier for the United Kingdom must be prepared and the “UK Declaration of Conformity”, at that point the UKCA marking can be affixed.
In case there is not complete correspondence between the “designated standards” of the United Kingdom and European harmonised standards, a technical assessment and any additional tests and/or analyses must be carried out before preparing the technical documentation dossier for the United Kingdom and drawing up the “UK Declaration of Conformity”.
Kind regards
Sicom Test