Government delays requirement for firms to adopt UKCA mark by a year

The government has postponed the requirement for manufacturers to adopt the UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) mark for goods placed in the UK market.

Businesses can already use the mark, which replaces the EU’s CE mark,  but are not obliged to do so until 1 January 2023.

The UKCA mark is required for a range of products, including electrical goods, and shows that the goods meet British safety standards.

The UK government introduced its own mark when it left the EU to allow it to establish its own product safety rules.

According to gov.uk, goods will require the mark from 1 January 2023 if all of the following criteria apply:

The product is for the market in Great Britain
It is covered by legislation which requires the UKCA marking
It requires mandatory third-party conformity assessment
The conformity assessment has been carried out by a UK conformity assessment body
The CE mark will continue to be required for goods entering the EU market, meaning businesses trading goods in both the UK and EU markets may require both marks.

Before today’s announcement, trade bodies had repeatedly warned that the UK did not have sufficient capacity to handle the huge demand for the testing of products that the introduction of the new mark would require, also warning that some European suppliers could have stopped supplying the UK to avoid the need of getting the new certification, leading to further supply chain disruption.

The government said that the delay was in recognition of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses.

Commenting on the delayed deadline, ECA director of legal and business Rob Driscoll commented: “With the ongoing materials shortage and severely limited product testing facilities, the materials market was clearly going to struggle to verify common products as UKCA-compliant within the government’s previous deadline.

“All things considered, it is unlikely that material supplies will improve dramatically in the next 12 months. However, this deadline extension will offer some sorely needed respite for manufacturers as well as contractors. The looming cliff-edge of the soaring materials shortage will be eased by this move, but not removed as many of the other global causes are beyond the UK Government’s control.”