The UK government has for the third time delayed the requirement for firms to adopt the UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) mark for their goods to be placed in the UK market.
The UKCA mark can already be used for goods traded in the UK and the government’s intention is for it to eventually replace the EU’s CE mark.
Both marks are used to verify that manufactured goods meet the safety standards of their respective markets.
Two more years
The government has given businesses two additional years to prepare for a new deadline of 31 December 2024, at which point the UKCA mark will be legally required for affected goods placed in the UK market.
The UK will continue to recognise the CE mark for this period, with the EU certificate remaining valid until the end of 2027.
Difficult times
The government has cited the difficult business environment caused by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine as the reason for the delay.
“This move will give businesses the breathing space and flexibility they need at this crucial time and ensure that our future system for product safety marking is fit for purpose, providing the highest standard for consumers without harming businesses,” said business secretary Grant Shapps.
Industry response
Industry response to the delay has been mixed, with the Federation of Small Business’s policy team tweeting that the move was welcomed but “greater consistency” from government was needed for businesses to plan.
The FSB and manufacturing lobby group Make UK agreed that a long-term mutual recognition agreement with the EU is needed on industrial standards. Such a deal could negate the need for the UKCA mark.
“Given this is the third time this has been delayed, we need to ask why the government is still ploughing ahead with the plans which are only adding costs and extra bureaucracy,” Make UK head Stephen Phipson told the FT.
Capacity issues
Industry bodies have repeatedly raised concerns about the requirement for goods to be re-tested to ensure they meet the UK’s post-Brexit safety standards and have said that the UK would not have sufficient capacity to meet the surge in demand for this.
Firms have also warned that some EU suppliers would not bother with the additional administrative requirements for getting the new certification, potentially stopping supplying the UK market.
Easements
In June this year, the UK government announced a series of easements to make the application process easier.
This included allowing certificates issued by EU assessment bodies before the end of 2022 to be used as the basis for a UKCA mark application, as well as the removal of the need to relabel permitted existing goods imported before January 2023.
Review
Announcing the latest delay, the government said it will review the wider product safety framework, “ensuring we minimise the burdens on business while keeping our system up to date with new innovative methods such as e-labelling.”
The government said it will look to make the application process easier as part of this review.