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British Standards Institution issues reminder as UKCA marking deadline approaches
01 July 2021
WITH JUST six months to go before UKCA marking becomes a requirement, the British Standards Institution (BSI) has issued a reminder to all fire safety system manufacturers looking to place relevant regulated products on the Great Britain market.
UKCA marking will replace traditional CE marking from 1 January next year. Almost all products that previously required the CE marking will need to have the UKCA marking affixed by an approved body. CE marking will cease to be recognised for most products from 1 January 2022.
Shahm Barhom, product certification director at the BSI, said: “We have been in a transition period since we left the European Union on 31 January 2020. Both the UKCA and the CE marking have been accepted, but from 1 January 2022 this will no longer be the case. Most products placed on the market in Great Britain will require the UKCA marking from next year. The associated testing and certification to support the UKCA marking must be undertaken by a UK approved body.”
Barhom added: “We’re committed to helping our clients build resilience through this new regulatory landscape. However, we know that a significant number of manufacturers are yet to apply for UKCA marking. We urge all manufacturers who plan to sell their products in Great Britain next year to act now in order to avoid disruption to their supply chains.”
The BSI has already issued over 1,000 UKCA certificates to manufacturers. Those organisations certified by BSI to date can be viewed by accessing the BSI Verifeye directory.
FAQs on UKCA marking
Which products require UKCA marking?
Most products currently covered by regulations and directives on CE marking will be covered by the UKCA marking.
You’ve used a non-UK notified body for CE marking/UKCA marking. Do you have to work with a UK approved body for UKCA marking services?
Yes. The UK regulations require the use of a UK approved body in place of the EU notified body that was used in the EU regulations.
You want to sell your products in Northern Ireland. What different combinations of CE, UKCA and UKNI marks allow products to be placed on the market there?
For Northern Ireland, the UKCA marking is not accepted. The acceptable marks are CE marking supported by an EU notified body (where required) or the CE UKNI mark supported by a UK notified body (where required). For further information on this topic, the BSI has published an informative fact sheet that’s available for download from the organisation’s website.
How long does it take to obtain a UKCA marking certificate?
This will depend on many factors (for example, the regulations that apply to your products, the number of products you make and the number of manufacturing locations in which the business operates). This process will be quicker for products that are already CE marked. However, there are a limited number of approved bodies so the BSI is asking manufacturers to act now to avoid disruption.
How long is the UKCA marking valid?
The UKCA marking does not have any time limit. It’s a declaration made at a point of time. As with CE marking, some required certificates for UKCA may have time limits. For example, GAR-type examination certificates are valid for a maximum of ten years. This is also the case under UK law.
How much does UKCA marking cost?
Again, this will depend on many factors (for example, the regulations that apply to your products, the number of products you make and the number of manufacturing locations in which the business operates).
Will the CE marking cease to be recognised on all products in Great Britain from 1 January 2022?
No. The timelines are different for a few products, like medical devices, which have been granted slightly longer. That said, for most products, the CE marking is only going to be accepted until the end of 2021.
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