UKCA and CE Marking – Your Questions Answered
Within the EU, CE marking is mandatory for machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, medical devices, personal protective equipment and toys. As such, anyone looking to sell electrical products in the EU will need to test for compliance and affix a CE mark to their product.
Post Brexit, it was initially announced that UKCA marking would soon be necessary for UK markets, alongside the CE mark.
However, in August 2023, the UK Business Department announced indefinite CE mark recognition beyond the 2024 deadline. This was in an effort to cut business costs and time required to place products on the market.
To help you stay on top of the changing compliance laws, here are some Frequently Asked Questions on UK and CE conformity:
FAQs – UKCA and CE Marking
1. What is CE and UKCA marking?
CE marking is a self-declaration where a manufacturer proves compliance with EU health, safety and environmental protection legislation and confirms a product’s compliance with relevant requirements. In the same way, UKCA marking proves compliance with UK legislation.
CE is an internationally recognised mark, which is also recognised by the UK.
2. What does CE and UKCA stand for?
CE is Conformité Européenne which is French for European Conformity.
UKCA stands for UK Conformity Assessment.
3. Where does CE and UKCA Marking enable you to sell your products?
With a CE mark, your product can be sold in the EU and in some other countries, including Turkey & the UK. To sell in the UK market only, a UKCA mark needs to be affixed to all relevant products.
However, many businesses opt for CE marking as it is an internationally recognised mark, which is also recognised by the UK.
In Northern Ireland, CE marking will continue to be valid, alongside the UK(NI) mark.
In Northern Ireland, CE marking will continue to be valid, alongside the UK(NI) mark.
4. Who is responsible for marking a product?
CE directives affect manufacturers, importers and distributors/retailers – though the manufacturer is responsible for acquiring the CE or UKCA mark and ensuring it is placed on the product, packaging or paperwork, depending on specific legislation.
5. How do you go about conformity marking?
There are six steps to CE and UKCA marking:
- Identify the relevant directives and standards
- Verify the product’s specific requirements
- Identify whether or not an independent conformity assessment is necessary
- Test the product
- Draw up technical documentation, and
- Add the respective marking to the product
Remember:
- The mark itself is not evidence of compliance – your technical documentation/technical file is
- A Declaration of Conformity is a legal claim that products comply with applicable directives and standards, though it is not evidence of compliance
- CE and UKCA marking have nothing to do with product quality
- CE and UKCA marking are mandatory for those products it applies to
6. What CE and UKCA marking directives are there?
UKCA directives are almost completely aligned with CE Marking directives. Some examples of CE Marking directives include Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), Radio Equipment (RED, formerly R&TTE) and Low Voltage (LV)
7. What conformity tests are commonly carried out?
Common testing for compliance includes tests for radiated emissions, conducted emissions and telecommunications port emissions.
8. Who monitors compliance marking?
Across the EU and UK, market surveillance bodies are in place to ensure product compliance. The directives which apply to the product will, in turn, determine which market surveillance body is responsible for your product. The way in which enforcement is managed will very across Europe, depending on how it is written into national law.
9. What happens if a product is found to be unsafe?
If an enforcement body finds your product to be unsafe, you will usually be given a chance to rectify the problem. Failure to do so will oblige you to take your product off the market, and can also leave you liable for a fine or prosecution.
Unsafe products are shared in the EU via RAPEX – a rapid alert system on measures taken to prevent or restrict the marketing or use of products posing a serious risk to the health and safety of end users.
10. What size must the UKCA or CE Mark be?
The size of the CE and UKCA mark must be at least 5 mm high, and the letters kept in the same proportions to the full-sized mark.
11. How should the Mark be affixed if it is impossible to place it on the product itself?
If the appearance and workmanship of a product do not allow for the CE marking to be affixed on the product itself, the marking has to be affixed to its packaging or accompanying documents.
In the UK, manufacturers can, in most cases, have the UKCA Mark affixed to packaging or an accompanying document, even if there is space on the product itself. This is a transitional measure that ends on 1 January 2023.
How does conformity testing take place?
EMC and RED (Radio Equipment Directive) testing is usually done at the end of product development.
We have extensive experience in guiding customers through the EMC and RED testing process. Use our expertise and support to help you save time and money during the compliance testing process, to improve your time-to-market.
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