The deadline for when businesses need to use the UKCA mark has been extended another 2 years. Businesses can now continue to use the CE marking on the Great Britain (GB) markets until 31 December 2024. Business Secretary, UK Government, Grant Shapps made this announcement on Monday 14 November.

To provide businesses with flexibility, the UK government will bring forward legislation shortly, that would continue to allow recognition of the CE marking for most goods that are being placed on their markets or put into service before 11 pm on 31 December 2024.

• Government to continue to recognise the CE product marking in Great Britain for a further 2 years, allowing business to use either UKCA or CE markings
• This move will cut costs for businesses and remove potential disruption
• Future product marking plans to be reviewed to minimise costs and burdens for business in the longer term
• Businesses have been given an additional 2 years to apply for the new product safety marking, giving thousands of businesses the freedom to focus on growth.

The UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking had been introduced as part of the UK’s own robust regulatory framework. It shows that products comply with the UK Product Safety Regulations which are designed to protect consumers.

However, given the difficult economic conditions created by post-pandemic shifts in demand and supply, alongside Russia’s war with Ukraine and the associated high energy prices, the government does not want to burden business with the requirement to meet the original – 31 December 2022 deadline, anymore.

The UK government has decided to continue to recognise the CE marking for the next 2 years, therefore allowing businesses until 31 December 2024 to prepare for the UKCA marking. This sits alongside measures to reduce the costs of retesting products and labelling. To reduce labelling costs, businesses are allowed to affix the UKCA marking and include importer information for products from European Economic Area (EEA) countries on an accompanying document or label until 31 December 2027.