What is the UKCA Mark?
Where did ‘UKCA’ come from?
Following the Brexit decision to leave the EU in 2016, the existing CE mark had to be replaced with a UK only mark. The UK Government put in place a transition period of a year, running from January 2020 to December 2021, for the UKCA mark to replace the existing CE mark for all products placed on the UK market. The UK Government extended the acceptance of CE Marking in 2023.
How UKCA looks in 2024:
The UK Government announced in August 2023 that they have extended the recognition of CE Marking indefinitely.
The decision as to whether you choose to use the UKCA mark and/or the CE mark is left up to the manufacturer. If you intend for your product to remain exclusively as a GB only product, then you may choose to apply the UKCA mark. However, as the CE mark gives you access to the UK as well as Europe, some are choosing the one that gives them greater acceptability over wider markets.
It’s important for manufacturers to remember that the support documentation for a product being placed on the market, commonly known as a Technical File, should reflect the current build status. Any update or change to the design of the product should be reviewed and the Technical File should be amended where necessary. It should also be noted that the standards may also be updated over a few years and these should be reviewed every now and then to ensure you comply and to make sure that your DOC (Declaration of Conformity) lists the correctly dated version of any standards referenced.
Will Notified Body Assessments Still be Required?
For UKCA, the new system of UK Regulations does not make use of Notified Bodies. As a result of the UK’s departure from the EU, all existing UK based Notified Bodies lost their appointments on January 1st, 2021. However, those organisations had the option to automatically become ‘UK Approved Bodies’ (UKABs) on the same date.
What is an Approved Body for UKCA?
Under the new UK Regulations, UKABs fulfil precisely the same functions, as Notified Bodies do for EU Directives. Therefore, if an EU Directive made the involvement of a Notified Body a mandatory requirement for a specific product type, the equivalent UK Regulation will also make the involvement of a UK Approved Body mandatory on the same basis.
What is the UKCA Marking Process?
The precise actions that Manufacturers and other responsible parties will need to take to comply w ill depend on the specific UK Regulations that are applicable to a product or system. However, there are some common steps that will need to be followed, including:
- Amending existing EU compliance documentation such as Technical Files and Declarations of Conformity to reference current UK Regulations and Standards.
- Affixing UKCA Marks to products.
- When required, obtaining third-party approval from a UK Approved Body.
Are there any benefits of UKCA Marking my product?
Those who sell exclusively into the GB market may opt to take the UKCA route. Currently, for the majority of products, the time and effort needed to comply with UKCA is no different to that for CE marking. As a result, the vast majority of manufacturers choose to follow the CE marking route as this give access to greater markets for the same amount of effort.
UKCA Support From Technology International Europe
If you have questions or concerns regarding the new UKCA requirements, or need assistance meeting them, please contact Technology International Europe.
We can provide everything from advice and guidance on specific UKCA requirements that will impact your business, to product evaluation services and third-party approvals.
Technology International can provide UKCA support for the following Regulations:
Why work with Technology International?
Technology International’s goal is to simplify and guide our customer confidently through the complicated process of UKCA and other Regulations from start to finish.
Approved Body for Machinery, Electromagnetic Compatibility and Radio Equipment Regulations.
We have been a presence in Regulatory Compliance for over 30 years and have worked on over 10,000 compliance projects.
We are committed to an ethical, bespoke and consultative approach to all our customers.