Supplying equipment post Brexit
[page 149]UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) product marking, a new UK product marking for goods placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) post-Brexit, was planned to cover most goods which previously required CE marking, the EU symbol that indicates that the products concerned meet the EU’s safety, health or environmental requirements.
However, although UKCA marking came into effect on 1 January 2021, the government announced in August 2023 that CE marking can now be used indefinitely. For more information see the gov.uk website.
Following a call for evidence on updating and modernising the UK product safety framework in March 2021, in August 2023 the government launched a consultation on an overhaul of product safety laws. These are more than 30 years old and the government aims to make them “fit for emerging technologies and new shopping habits”. Much of the UK’s product safety regime has been underpinned by EU laws. The consultation is seeking views on how the UK can “better regulate 21st century innovations like internet connected devices including smart watches and speakers, and artificial intelligence, while ensuring British businesses are not stifled by costly red tape”. The consultation closes in October 2023 and can be found on the gov.uk website.