![Earbuds with UKCA marking](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Earbuds_with_UKCA_marking.jpg)
UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking is a conformity mark that indicates conformity with the applicable requirements for products sold within
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
.
The UKCA marking became part of UK law at the end of the
Brexit transition period
The Brexit withdrawal agreement, officially titled Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, is a treaty between the European Uni ...
, on 31 December 2020, with the coming into force of The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
It has been mandatory since then, although, until 31 December 2024
(an extended deadline, which was previously 1 January 2022 then 31 December 2022),
the CE mark is accepted as a valid alternative. The scope and procedures of the UKCA scheme will initially follow those for
CE marking
On commercial products, the letters CE (as the logo ) mean that the manufacturer or importer affirms the good's conformity with European health, safety, and environmental protection standards. It is not a quality indicator or a certificatio ...
, but after 31 December 2020 the two schemes may diverge.
Initial guidance regarding UKCA marking was originally published by the
Government of the United Kingdom
ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd
, image = HM Government logo.svg
, image_size = 220px
, image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
, image_size2 = 180px
, caption = Royal coat of arms of t ...
in 2019 ahead of a potential
no-deal Brexit
A no-deal Brexit (also called clean break BrexitBBC. (2019)''Brexit: Jargon-busting guide to the key terms'' (BBC) Retrieved 29 March 2019.) was the potential withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (EU) without a withdrawal ...
but subsequently withdrawn.
Characteristics of UKCA marking
The height of the UKCA marking must be at least . If reduced or enlarged its proportions have to be kept.
The marking should be "easily visible, legible, and
rom 1 January 2023permanently attached to the goods".
Northern Ireland
The UKCA marking only applies to products placed on the market in Great Britain. In
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, which remains aligned to the
European Single Market due to the
Northern Ireland Protocol
The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, commonly abbreviated to the Northern Ireland Protocol, is a protocol to the Brexit withdrawal agreement that governs the unique customs and immigration issues at the border on the island of Ireland betwe ...
, CE marking continues to be required. UK-resident bodies are no longer qualified to carry out CE mark conformity assessments for goods intended for the EU, but under the
Northern Ireland Protocol
The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, commonly abbreviated to the Northern Ireland Protocol, is a protocol to the Brexit withdrawal agreement that governs the unique customs and immigration issues at the border on the island of Ireland betwe ...
may do so for Northern Ireland. Where a UK body has carried out the assessment for goods intended for Northern Ireland, the product should display both the CE mark and a UKNI mark.
However, goods intended for export to the EU must be assessed by an EU-resident body and carry a CE mark (and must not carry the UKNI mark).
As part of the British Government's policy of "unfettered access" for "qualifying Northern Ireland goods" to be sold in Great Britain without restriction, goods may be sold in Great Britain using the relevant Northern Ireland markings, and without any additional approvals that would be required for the UKCA marking.
See also
*
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals#In non-EU countries for the proposed "UK REACH".
*
European Committee for Standardization
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN, french: Comité Européen de Normalisation) is a public standards organization whose mission is to foster the economy of the European Single Market and the wider European continent in global tr ...
and
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
CENELEC (french: Comité Européen de Normalisation Électrotechnique; en, European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization) is responsible for European standardization in the area of electrical engineering. Together with ETSI (telecommun ...
: the UK remains a member of these European Standards bodies.
Notes
References
{{Certification marks
Certification marks
Brexit replacement schemes
2020 establishments in the United Kingdom
Symbols introduced in 2020