The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) have announced that the government is now expanding the scope of continued CE recognition to include three more regulations.
To provide legal certainty to industry, government intends to legislate for this indefinite CE recognition this Spring. Later in the year, government also intends to introduce greater labelling flexibility, including the voluntary option for manufacturers to use digital labelling.
The regulations now included are:
- The 18 Regulations already announced (DBT): goods.regulations@businessandtrade.gov.uk
- Ecodesign Regulations (DESNZ): efficientproducts@energysecurity.gov.uk
- The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 (‘The RoHS Regulations’) – in most circumstances (Defra): rohs@defra.gov.uk
- Explosive Regulations (HSE): explosive.enquiries@hse.gov.uk
For the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical Equipment regulation, they are taking a two-part approach. Where products meet the maximum concentration values set out in Annex II to the EU RoHS Directive (2011/65/EU), they will continue to recognise current EU regulations and CE marking. Where a product relies on an exemption, they will also continue to recognise current EU regulations and CE marking provided there is an equivalent exemption under the GB RoHS regulations.
The indefinite recognition of current EU requirements for the regulations included in this announcement means businesses have the flexibility to use either the UKCA or CE marking to sell products in GB.
Separately, following feedback from businesses, the Government also intends to legislate for further measures in Spring 2024. This will provide permanent labelling flexibility, allowing:
- The UKCA marking to be placed on a sticky label or accompanying document.
- Importers of goods from any country outside the UK to provide their details either on the product itself, on an accompanying document, the packaging or on an adhesive label.
- The voluntary option to use digital labelling. Businesses will be able to apply the UKCA marking, manufacturer details and importer details digitally.
The following webpages have been updated:
