As a plant manufacturer, are we obliged to ensure that the products used bear the UKCA mark?
From 1 January 2021, machines whose conformity has been assessed by a body approved in the United Kingdom must be marked with the UKCA mark and not with the CE mark. The CE marking may continue to be used if the conformity assessment was carried out by the notified body of the United Kingdom and the CE marking was affixed to the fully manufactured goods before 1 January 2021. However, it could only be placed on the British market before 31 December 20.
Manufacturers must continue to use the CE marking if the machine has been assessed by a notified EU body. These products can be placed on the UK market until 31 December 2021. After 31 December 2021, qualified Northern Ireland products that comply with Northern Ireland legislation, including CE marking, may be placed on the UK market.
The physical affixing of the new UKCA marking shall be subject to the same rules as for affixing the CE marking, with the exception of that the UKCA marking may be affixed to a label attached to the machine or to a folder attached to the machine by 31 December 2022 instead of being affixed to the machine itself (even if it is otherwise possible to attach them to the machine itself).
Can products or nameplates bear both CE and UKCA?
Yes, they can, as long as there are no ambiguities between the two signs. For products placed on the UK market, the UKCA mark (UK Conformity Assessed) replaces the CE mark. The UKCA marking indicates that a product placed on the market in the UK meets the conformity requirements of the market. The conformity assessment procedure and the underlying technical requirements (EN standards) that must be followed to prove conformity are essentially the same as for the CE marking.
The new UKCA marking has been in use in the UK since 1 January 2021. The CE marking will continue to be recognised in the UK for some products during a one-year transition period ending on 31 December 2021. After the transition period, which begins on 1 January 2022, only products with the UKCA marking will be approved for certain product groups. In addition, both CE and UKCA marking can be applied to a product provided it meets all EU and UK requirements.
Are the UKCA requirements different from the CE requirements for products covered by EU machinery regulations?
With the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, the Directive 2006/42/EC for machines was implemented. With the EU Withdrawal Act 2018, the regulations remain in force and can be amended so that they can continue to function properly after the UK leaves the EU. Therefore, the regulation Product Safety and Metrology etc ( Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 address any shortcomings caused by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU (for example, references to EU institutions), and also provide for specific provisions for the UK market.
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1995 were replaced by the 2008 Regulations, which were replaced by the Product Safety and Metrology etc (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 have been revised and only apply to the UK market. As a result, there is only one set of UK regulations from 2008, but some provisions apply in other ways in Northern Ireland as long as the Northern Ireland Protocol is in force.
What harmonised standards must be applied under the UKCA labelling?
The UK Government has provided for the introduction of a new conformity marking to replace the existing European CE marking to introduce a new conformity marking system for goods intended for sale on the UK market, prepare.
The references to the CE mark have been replaced by references to the UKCA mark in the current British regulations. The position of the notified bodies shall be replaced by the role of authorised bodies of the United Kingdom and references to harmonised European standards shall be replaced by references to notified British standards.
Manufacturers must be prepared to consider the relevant UK/national rules applicable to their products when complying with UK regulations. Although these regulations have always existed, until recently it was customary to refer to directives. As of 1 January 2021, it is necessary to add a reference to the applicable UK legislation, for example on the DoCs. The "Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (SI2008/1597)" is the UK implementation of the Machinery Directive.
At the end of the transitional period, all harmonised standards which establish a presumption of conformity with EU law are referred to as designated standards.
Are the UKCA regulations for machines more restrictive than the CE regulations?
The requirements are similar, but you can no longer prove compliance with EN standards. Therefore, all technical documentation must be checked to ensure that it complies exclusively with BS or ISO standards. You must also use an UKCA symbol instead of the CE mark.
Many of the differences between the two systems are of an administrative nature and reflect the fact that UKCA is only applicable in the United Kingdom and the information only needs to be provided in English. Some questions, such as where to keep the technical information and which language to use, are simplified.
The scope of the products covered, the technical requirements (basic requirements, standards) and the conformity assessment procedures are similar in many respects. If your product is sold in both the EU and the UK, the technical documentation required to prove conformity will be the same. A separate declaration of conformity is required for the markets of the United Kingdom and the European Union/Northern Ireland. Although the type of information required is the same for both markets, there are certain designations and other changes that must be included in the documents. This applies in particular to legislation and standards.
The differences are:
|
UKCA |
CE |
| Title |
Declaration of conformity |
EU declaration of conformity |
| Legislation |
Applicable British legislation |
Applicable EU directives |
| Directives |
UK Designated Standards |
EU Harmonised Standards |
