A CE mark on a building product is a declaration by the manufacturer that their product is compliant with the Construction Products Regulations (CPR) and the minimum requirements of European Union (EU) countries. A CE mark shows that the product complies with all the relevant European legislation covering the product’s health, safety or environmental requirements.
Not all products are required to be CE marked, but products which are covered by a harmonised European standard or a voluntary Common Understanding and Assessment Procedure (CUAP) and an associated European Assessment Document (EAD), previously known as a European Technical Assessment (ETA), will have specific legislation that requires it.
The transition from CE marking to the new United Kingdom Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark had originally been scheduled for the end of 2021. It has now been extended until the end of 2022. This means that CE marked goods that meet EU requirements may continue to be placed on the GB market for another year.
The government has put back the end-date for recognition of the CE mark in Great Britain by one year to 1st January 2023. Since announcing the change in date when CE marking will cease to be recognised in Great Britain, the government has updated its Brexit general guidance. The revised guidance documents are detailed below and can be downloaded from the links opposite
- Using the UKCA marking
- Placing manufactured goods on the market in Great Britain
- Construction Products Regulation in Great Britain
- Construction Products Regulation in Northern Ireland
Businesses must prepare for the end of recognition of the CE mark in Great Britain and affix the UK marking using a UK-recognised ‘approved body’ by 1st January 2023.
The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is a UK product marking that will be used for goods being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). It covers most goods which previously required the CE marking.
The UKCA marking alone cannot be used for goods placed on the Northern Ireland market, which requires the CE marking or UK (NI) marking.