With regard to the CE marking system for construction products, the British market has entered a year-long transitional phase starting on January 1.1.2021, 31.12.2021. Appropriate CE-marked products can still be placed on the market in Britain without obstacles until XNUMX December XNUMX.
However, alongside the CE mark, Britain's own national UKCA mark has also been created. The national marking system in question is so far identical in content to the CE marking system, based on European harmonized product standards.
Until now, the notified facilities located in the UK (EU Notified Body) have turned into national institutions as a result of Brexit (UK Approved Body). If the manufacturer of CE-marked construction products has until now used a British notified body as a third party in the verification of product characteristics, he must change to a customer of a notified body in an EU member state in order to retain the right to use the CE mark. If the manufacturer still wants to continue as a customer of the British certification body, he must switch to using the UKCA mark on his products.
As an exception to the rest of Britain (England, Wales and Scotland), the construction product market in Northern Ireland still remains part of the EU market system. In Northern Ireland, the CE marking is therefore still applied just as it has been until now, and the UKCA marking is not used there.
Whether CE-marked construction products can still be freely placed on the market in Britain from 1.1.2022 January 2022 will be decided during the current year. If an agreement that would enable the continued use of the CE mark is not reached, the British market will switch to the mandatory UKCA mark from the beginning of XNUMX.
Timo Pulkki Director (Construction Regulations)