The UK market access certification "UKCA" will be implemented from January 1, 2021-Industry News

As we all know, the United Kingdom has already left the European Union and is currently in the transitional period of Brexit, which will end at the end of 2020. On September 1, 2020, the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of the United Kingdom officially released the guidance document for the UKCA logo. From January 1, 2021, the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) logo will become the new British product logo. Most of the products covered by the previous CE mark need to switch to or apply for the UKCA mark after Brexit before they can enter the UK market.

It should be noted that Northern Ireland is not included, and the UKCA logo is only applicable to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). The rules require that the CE mark, which is the same as the UKCA mark, can continue to be used until January 1, 2022, but the British government encourages manufacturers to switch to the UKCA mark as soon as possible.

01 Determine whether the UKCA logo is required

Most products that currently require CE marking will also fall within the scope of use of the UKCA mark. It will also be suitable for aerosol products. From January 1, 2021, those products that require the CE mark in the EU market must have the UKCA mark, manufacturer's declaration of conformity and complete conformity assessment technical documents to enter the UK market. UKCA Declaration of Conformity DoC (UK Declaration of Conformity) requirements are also equivalent to the EU CE Marking Declaration of Conformity, but it is necessary to use the corresponding British BS standard on the DoC and declare compliance with UK regulations.

As a transitional period, products with the same technical requirements and marking rules of the UK and EU can still accept the CE mark before January 1, 2022. However, if there is a change in the CE marking rules of the product during this period, the CE marking made under the new EU rules will not be accepted by the UK market. Therefore, it is recommended to transition to the use of the UKCA logo as soon as possible.

02 When to use the UKCA logo

1. If your product has been sold in EU countries (or the UK) before January 1, 2021, no processing is required.

2. For products deemed to be within the scope of compulsory regulatory control to enter the UK market, they need to have the UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) mark and must contact a third-party agency recognized by the UK.

3. For certain products, the UK will still accept the CE mark before January 1, 2022. For products deemed to be within the scope of compulsory regulatory control to enter the EU market, they need to have the CE mark before January 1, 2021, and they must contact a third party designated by the EU 27 countries.

4. Products with the CE mark can still be sold in the UK as long as the product has the UKCA mark and complies with the relevant British rules. The UKCA mark cannot be used alone for products placed on the Northern Ireland market. Such products must be CE marked or UK (NI) marked.

5. Before January 1, 2021, that is, before the end of the transition period, manufacturers must transfer their certification from a third-party designated agency in the EU 27 or from a third-party designated agency in the United Kingdom. The CE mark is only valid in areas where the UK and EU testing rules are consistent. If the European Union changes its rules and the products are CE certified in accordance with the new rules, even with CE certification, they cannot be sold in the UK before January 1, 2022.

03 UKCA mark usage requirements

1. General requirements of UKCA

·UKCA logo can only be affixed to the product as the manufacturer or its authorized representative (where permitted by relevant laws);

·When affixing the UKCA mark, the manufacturer assumes full responsibility for the product's compliance with relevant regulations;

·The manufacturer must only use the UKCA mark to prove that the product complies with relevant UK regulations;

· The manufacturer shall not place any mark on a third party that may misunderstand the meaning or form of the UKCA mark;

· The manufacturer shall not attach other signs that affect the visibility, legibility or meaning of the UKCA mark on the product;

·The UKCA logo cannot be placed on products unless there are specific requirements in legislation.

2. Marks will be used in the UK in the future

Starting from January 1, 2022, the CE mark will not be recognized in the UK. However, products with the CE mark can still be sold in the UK as long as they have the UKCA mark and comply with relevant UK regulations.

3. Technical document requirements:

·From January 1, 2021, those products that require the CE mark in the EU market need to have the UKCA mark, manufacturer's declaration of conformity and complete conformity assessment technical documents to enter the UK market.

·UKCA Declaration of Conformity DoC (UK Declaration of Conformity) requirements are also equivalent to the EU CE Marking Declaration of Conformity, but it is necessary to use the corresponding British BS standard on the DoC and declare compliance with UK regulations.

·After January 1, 2021, British importers need to ensure that products entering the British market have conformity assessment technical documents and DoC, and the product has the company name, address and contact information of the British importer, and the importer needs to hold And save the manufacturer DoC for 10 years.

4. UKCA logo pasting requirements

Affix the UKCA logo: The UKCA logo should be placed on the product, but in some cases, it can also be placed on the packaging, manual or other related documents. The specific usage rules depend on the specific regulations applicable to the product.

5. Use time and image requirements of the UKCA logo

UKCA mark usage time requirements

Before January 1, 2023, except for products subject to special rules, the UKCA logo and relevant importer and manufacturer information can be marked on the product body or on the accompanying product documents. In January 2023 After 1 day, it must be permanently attached to the product body.

Image requirements for the UKCA logo

·The UKCA logo must be reduced or enlarged according to the specified ratio;

·The height of the UKCA logo is at least 5mm, unless otherwise specified by relevant regulations;

·The UKCA logo must be easy to identify, clearly visible, and durable.